Marmalade walked up the stairs and propped himself in the doorway. Daddy took some peanuts from a bag in the cupboard and a jar of jam from the fridge. He poured some peanuts onto a paper plate and opened the jam jar. He placed them on the floor in front of Marmalade.
“Well,” said Mummy, “we have been thinking about you and how this environment might not be good for you in the long run. You’re not really like a domestic cat.”
“What’s that?” asked Marmalade.
“Sort of like you but about the size of one of your paws.”
“That small?”
“Yes.”
“They don’t eat much and they like to run around outdoors.”
“I like to run around outdoors.”
“That would not be a good idea in this neighborhood.”
“It sounds like you want me to go away.”
“We don’t want you to go away, but we have to ask you to leave.”
“Where would I go? I hope you aren’t thinking of returning me to Texas,” he said, scooping up the peanuts with one swipe of his tongue.
“Texas?” said Mummy and Daddy, “oh no!”
“Where’s Texas?” asked Addy.
“It’s a state in the southern part of the U.S.,” said Marmalade. “It is hot and dry.”
Daddy opened his laptop. “Texas! That explains why I was surprised.”
“What?” said Addy, Mummy and Marmalade.
“I thought the Marmalade I ordered was from Dundee in Scotland. It turns out I ordered Marmalade from Dundee, Texas. Our Marmalade came from an exotic pet emporium in Texas which has just been closed down for dealing in poached animals from Russia and beyond.”
Marmalade was upset. “I hope you don’t plan to send me back to Texas. If so, give me a chance to head out on my own. It’s getting dark out. I can make for the north. Head toward Siberia.”
“No, no, no!” exclaimed Mummy. “That won’t be necessary, we won’t allow you to be sent down south. But if you get seen on the way north, you will be considered fair game by anyone with a weapon. I think we have found a solution. For now, rest easy.”
Marmalade took a deep breath and licked the jam jar clean.
“You will not be sent anywhere without your consent. We have done some research and Daddy made some phone calls and we have come up with a solution. Addy, please give some pork chops to Marmalade.”
Daddy and Mummy told Marmalade about their idea as he ate the pork chops. When they came to the part about how the zoo already having two tigers, Marmalade told them the two tigers are his cousins. Daddy phoned back the zoo and told them about their two tigers being Marmalade’s cousins. They said okay bring him over.
The next day Addy filled an old bathtub in the backyard with water and asked Marmalade if she wanted to take a bath. She led the tiger outside. Marmalade was hesitant. He looked one way then another then suddenly leapt into the tub. The water rose like a huge wave which emptied the bathtub’s water onto the back lawn.
