Charlotte couldn’t believe how big the house was. It just seemed to go on and on forever. And every room was different from all the others.
“Pumpkin,” came her mom’s voice from downstairs. “You’ve got plenty of time to explore later. Come on down for dinner.”
And it was true — there would be plenty of time. This crazy old house really was their new home, for keeps. At first she hadn’t been very happy about that, but she was starting to really like this place. It was different, it had character. Like her.
“Charlotte!”
“Coming mom.” She bounded down the big curved staircase two steps at a time. It had probably been very fancy in its day, with all sorts of parties and stuff. She imagined how young ladies her age must have walked down these stairs back then, making their grand entrance. They probably got all dressed up for it. In any case, they definitely weren’t wearing sneakers.
“We thought you’d gotten lost up there!” Her mom was pretending to look cross, but wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Her parents were already sitting down to dinner. The food looked really good, and suddenly Charlotte realized she was hungry.
“Sorry mom,” she slipped into her chair. This was already feeling like home. Maybe things weren’t going to be so bad.
She was reaching for the mashed potatoes when her dad spoke up for the first time. “I believe we have a visitor.”
“Oh no,” her mom said. “We must have left the door open. I was sure I had closed it.”
Sitting on its haunches in the living room, looking at them with calm regard, was a black cat.
“Oh mom,” Charlotte said, “she’s beautiful!”
“How do you know it’s a she?” her dad asked.
“I don’t know, I just do. Can we keep her? Please?”
Just as her mother, frowning, started to answer, the cat darted forward, heading straight toward Charlotte. With a graceful leap, it jumped into her lap, and started to purr.
Her mom looked from Charlotte to the cat, and back again, and her face softened. “Well ok, but it’s not clear just who is keeping whom.” She turned to her husband. “Dear, I think the cat should have her own dinner, don’t you? Can you please get her a bowl of milk?”
Charlotte was very pleased. Their little family had just gotten larger. Which made sense, with the house being so big and all.