“Does he like to be petted?” I asked.
“Sometimes, if he likes you,” she said.
“Can I give it a try?” I asked. “He’s so cute! He won’t kill me, will he?” She laughed and I came and knelt down in the grass. He looked me over for a few seconds and apparently decided I needed investigating. He came over and rubbed against me. I scratched his cheeks and he began to rumble, his purr sounding more like a threat.
“What’s his name?” I asked.
“He doesn’t really have one,” she said. “He’s never seemed to want one. We just call him Cat.”
I laughed. “Well, he certainly is a lot of that.” He was panting in the summer heat. “He looks thirsty,” I said. “Should we give him a drink?”
“If you don’t mind,” she said.
“Wait here,” I told her. I went and got a little plastic bucket off the deck, filled it with water from the hose and brought it to the sidewalk. He was lying in the grass, panting, and I set the bucket down by him. He stood up and began to drink.
“I’m Kara,” I told her. “Welcome to the neighborhood.” I stuck my hand out. She shook it with a firm grip.
“I’m Syndy,” she said.
“Nice to meet you, Cindy,” I said.
“I know how you’re spelling that in your head,” she smiled that smile again. “Whoever named me was weird.” She spelled it for me.
“That’s an interesting name,” I said. “Did your mother ever tell you why she spelled it like that?”
“I never really knew her,” Syndy said. “I know about her, but she gave me to an orphanage when I was a baby. I don’t know who gave me the weird name.”
“How do you know about her?” I asked.
“The Sisters told me,” she said. “She was a seventeen year old black girl who got pregnant by an older white man. Her parents were sort of racists and they made her give me up. She told the Sisters and they wrote all the information down in a file.”
“Honey, that’s just awful,” I said. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” I hesitated, not wanting to seem too forward, but my heart already went out to this beautiful woman with a tragic past. “Syndy, would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”
She looked conflicted for a minute, like she wanted to but couldn’t. “I can’t, I’m sorry,” she said. “I have to go pick my daughter up in…” she looked at her phone,” thirty minutes. I don’t have a babysitter yet. I should take Cat and go home so I can go get her.”
“Where is she?” I asked.
“Do you know the Wilkens?” she asked. “Amy Wilkens took her to story time at the library. I really have to go now.”
“Bring your daughter,” I said. “I made a chocolate cake this morning. We’d love to meet her and I’ve loved talking to you. Let us make you feel welcome here.”
She tugged on Cat’s leash and he stood up. “What time would you want me to come?” she asked.
“Come at six,” I told her.
“Can I bring something?” she said as Cat began to lead her away.
“No, I’ve got everything,” I said. “Your daughter and an appetite. Bring Cat, too, if you want.”
She waved and I watched until she turned the corner.
Randy pulled into the driveway just as she disappeared. I had sent him to Lowe’s for more mulch and he had two bags under each arm when he got to me. “Where do you want them?” he asked.