Batcat and the Seven Squirrels Read Free Page B

squirrels scurried along the fence. It was Bushy and Shiny. Nathan was relieved that they were all right. Like all good parents, he worried about his children.
    “How long do you think it will be?” Nathan asked.
    “How long will what be?” his mother asked.
    “Before they don’t come back at all?”

    “I’m not sure, but I know it’s part of being a parent. You know that someday your children grow up and go away.”
    “I’m never going away,” Nathan said.
    “Yes, you will. To university and then to live in your own home and—”
    “I have my own home. This one.”
    “And it always will be your home. But you can’t live your whole life in our backyard either. Just promise that when you do grow up, you’ll come back and visit.”
    “I’ll visit all the time. Do you think the squirrels will visit us sometimes?” Nathan asked.
    “I’m sure of it,” his father said. “But let’s not worry about that. It’s just important to enjoy each moment along the way.”
    The three of them sat back and watched as Batcat and the seven squirrels finished their meal.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Nathan walked out of the house and onto the back deck. After having spent most of the summer outdoors, it was hard to spend today, the first day of school, inside. It was good to be home.
    He heard the screen door open and close. His mother appeared beside him.
    “I don’t see any of them,” Nathan said.
    “I saw a couple of squirrels this morning,” she said.
    “Who was it?”
    “They were at the far end of the yard, and you know I’ve never been able to tell them apart that well. It could have been other squirrels altogether.”
    She knew he was disappointed.
    “It could have been Munchie,” she said.
    “I just hope they’re all fine.”
    Over the last few weeks of the summer, the squirrels had been around less and less. And when they did come, they were more nervous around Nathan and his parents. They didn’t climb onto him anymore or even take food from his hands.
    Then, one by one, they stopped coming for dinner and to sleep in their nest. First Scruffy stopped coming around altogether, then Fluffy. Rocky, Patches, Shiny and Bushy followed soon after. That left only Munchie. The first to come and the last to leave. Nathan’s father had told him that squirrels were territorial and that they all lived in their own area. Nathan hoped their yard was going to be Munchie’s territory.
    “I know it’s sad that they’re gone,” Nathan’s mother said. “But you have to be happy that—”
    “—we had them,” he said. “I know, I know. I am happy.”
    Nathan heard the screen door open again and turned to see his father. He was home from work early.
    “How are my two very favorite people doing on their first day of school?” he asked.
    “I had a good day,” Nathan’s mother said. “I have a wonderful class. I’m going to enjoy teaching them this year.”
    “And you?” he asked Nathan.
    “School was good.”
    “It doesn’t sound like it was good.”
    Nathan shrugged.
    “I don’t think it’s the school as much as the squirrels,” his mother said.
    “I feel a little sad about that myself,” his father said.
    Just then there was movement in the yard. It was Batcat. He’d jumped onto the fence and started walking toward them. For an instant they all waited, hoping the cat would be followed by seven little squirrels the way he used to be. There were none.
    “It’s good to see Batcat,” his father said.

    It was. The sight of the old cat walking toward them helped to drive away some of the sadness.
    Batcat jumped down off the fence and onto the deck. He rubbed up against Nathan’s mother, then his father and then Nathan. He even let Nathan scoop him up into a hug.
    “I think somebody is hungry,” his father said. “How about if we give Batcat his dinner?”
    “I’ll go in and get it,” Nathan said.
    “Actually,” his mother said, “your father and I were talking about it, and we think we should