“When do you think she’ll be back?”

Ajax moves away in irritation, his rest in the sun ruined. Scooby was way too energetic for his liking.

“She always comes back,” Ajax meows, moving his tail to whack Scooby in the nose. It surprises him but doesn’t deter him. Unfortunately.

“But when?” Scooby repeats, pouncing playfully in front of Ajax.

Eyeing the table with Herbert’s tank on it, he leaps up in one graceful jump. Scooby lets out a high pitched whine. “Surprisingly I don’t have all the answers,” Ajax grumbles.

Greg the lizard crawls up the table leg and joins their conversation, “I still don’t get why I couldn’t go.” He pouts as much as a lizard can.

“Because of the stupid rules. She told us,” Herbert points out, laying on his rock.

Ajax flicks his tail, annoyed that he can’t get space even at a high altitude. Scooby laid down in front of where he is and now everyone is seeing this as a meeting place. Perhaps because it has the best view of the front door.

Snoopy and Ash bound into the room much to Ajax’s dismay. Not more of these rambunctious canines. What does a feline have to do to get some peace?

“Is she home yet?” Snoopy questions, Ash towering over him, tripping one another to see out the side of the door. Ajax can’t even believe Ash is a wolf. Any primal instincts are clearly gone.

Something flies overhead, a shadow moving across the floor. Woodstock, that lucky bird, lands on the coat rack, high above everyone else. “I think you would know if she were home.”

Fern and Smokey join this party, scurrying in the living room. Ajax wonders if everyone just wants to bother him.

“Is she home? Why is everyone in here?” Fern questions, her ferret tail wagging like a dog. They’ve all been around the dogs too much. It clearly is rubbing off on all of them. Except for Ajax.

Smokey climbs onto Scooby and cleans herself. Her dust bath container is being washed, so she resorts to doing it herself. Ajax approves of this method, but that might be because it reminds him of himself. Of cat behavior. Which is sorely lacking in this house.

“Guys, we have some of the sharpest ears around. We’ll all know when she gets here,” Ajax announces, trying to quiet the voices that he only wished were in his head and not out loud.

Everyone mumbles in agreement. Ajax thanks whatever cat gods there are that they seem to be settling down.

Finally. Silence. That’s hard to come by in this house. And while Ajax usually doesn’t mind this, he’s a little on edge today. He knows it won’t be a good day for Lou. Anticipating this, dread builds inside him for his friend.

Just as he lays down, head lulling into his front paws, all the animals’ ears perk up. Rubber on gravel. A car.

Instantly, they all are in a clamor to get to the door, even Ajax (though he would like to think more poised than the rest).

They all can see from the window panels on each side of the door. Lou bounds out of the car, a soft smile on her face.

Lou is home.