Kelly Jacqueline - Calpurnia Tate, girl vet. 05: A squirrelly situation

Viola and I were enjoying a glass of lemonade in the kitchen, admiring Idabelle and Thud, when Travis burst in from the back porch. He was holding to his chest a small bundle wrapped in a bandanna. Uh-oh. I knew what that meant. So did Viola.

She eyed him suspiciously. What you got there? It better not be no live thing.

Travis turned his best sunny smile on her, saying, Dont worry, it wont take up much room. And we dont even have to feed it. Idabelle will. I hope.

He pulled back the flap of cloth. There on his palm lay a newborn squirrel, tiny, helpless, and cute as can be. (It turns out that baby squirrels can give kittens a real run for the money in the cuteness race.)

Aww, I said. I couldnt help myself. Even the flinty Viola softened when she saw it. Whered you find it? I asked.

It was on the ground, I swear.

I squinted at him. You didnt pull it out of the nest?

Never. I wouldnt do something like that.

Well, that was a big fat lie if ever Id heard one. Ha! I know you, Travis Tate, and thats exactly the kind of thing youd do. Dont deny it.

Thats true, said Viola, nodding. The boy would do that.

Travis flushed. Well, okay, maybe Ive done that once or twice before, but not this time, I swear!

The squirrel coughed feebly.

It was lying flat on the ground. It was going to die if I just left it there.

The poor thing struggled to lift its head and fell back on my brothers palm, exhausted from the effort. Id seen many pitiful things in my life, but this was pretty near the top of the list.

Are you going to get up and feed it during the night? I said. Something that size probably needs to eat every hour or so.

Travis smiled.

And dont look at me, I said, because Im not doing it.

His smile grew bigger. I thought Idabelle would do it.

We all turned and looked at Idabelle nursing Thud in the basket. They were both purring loudly. Thud pawed at his mothers fur, making muffins, as we called it.

I looked at the squirrel and said, Youre going to

I think itll work, dont you?

Viola muttered, Sure, if she dont eat it first.

Travis took the tiny, limp figure and placed it up against Idabelles warm furry belly next to Thud. She looked at it in what I can only describe as surprise. Then she carefully sniffed it from head to tail. We all held our breath while she decided whether the newcomer was dinner or not. Then she started licking the baby vigorously, and we all sighed in relief. The squirrel started to nurse, and from that moment on, Idabelle treated it exactly the way she treated Thud. As family.

Ive been thinking about what we should call him, Travis said. How about Fluffy?

What? I said. That doesnt suit him at all.

Sure it does. Hes going to have a nice fluffy tail when he grows up.

Fluffy is a cats name, I said.

Well, look, Callie, he said, gesturing at the basket, Idabelle already thinks hes a cat, so that makes him sort of a cat. An honorary cat. Which means we can call him Fluffy.

So Fluffy it was.