Natalie’s Gifts

Natalie Charcoal Cat had grown up with a taste for fancier objects in life; she wore a fancy silk dress with a straight yellow tie, read VERY TERI daily, and loved macaroons. One thing she did not enjoy doing much was cooking, and she was not good at it anyways. The one thing she could cook was omelets made from vegan eggs. Even then, they were not abundant because the eggs spoiled without a fridge. She had been very lucky over the years with a husband that often embarked in higher wage occupations, including a real estate agent when Natalie first met him.

One lazily warm afternoon, Natalie Charcoal Cat was flipping through the Calico Times newspaper at her neighbor Heidi’s house. Heidi had invited her and Teri over for afternoon coffee, one of the ladies’ favorite pastimes. (In these past days with the Spring Term Test over and summer holidays starting for many critters, it seemed both children and housewives were spending idle afternoons).

“Wow, ladies, look at this sale,” she enticed, as her eyes set on a sale for a new refrigerator. Various features were listed, including a slide-in freezer drawer, ice dispenser, and double doors! Heidi, sticking to her old fashioned country ways, countered, “Even with the sale, it does seem a bit pricey. There’s really no need for it with country style dishes. A good carrot stew lasts so long!”

“But it is very nice, and look at that offer to throw in kitchen organizers.” Teri rebutted. Inside, Natalie longed for a refrigerator very much. She was a very lucky critter; her 46th birthday was just around the corner. Mason and her daughters were already hard at work planning it at their home.

“What should her present be?” Lily prompted her family members.

“Definitely a modern piece of furniture. You know how much she loves furnishing our house,” Rose answered.

Their father, knowing his wife all too well and having read that day’s paper, made up his mind. A new fridge was going to be her wife’s gift; his recent school term end bonus from the mayor was ample to pay for it. He would send Natalie away to her friends’ for the day of her birthday, giving him time to pick up the fridge by borrowing Harlin’s car. Not to mention, he would also be picking up a nice dessert to share with everyone in the house that night.

Teri and Heidi were also making their preparations for Natalie’s birthday. Teri drove her sister to town with her Cherry Cruiser car, where they decided to go shopping. Heidi whipped up a basket of her finest country style biscuits to trade, while Teri called her husband for the credits.

They stopped at the Wooly Alpacas, who were a family of excellent craftsmen.

“No female critter could turn down platery. They’re all so pretty, especially these pots that are perfect for cooking!” Heidi justified.

“A lady doesn’t want cooking tools, they want convenience above all,” Teri argued.

The two sisters had very different tastes on what to give a fellow housewife friend, so they ended up not sharing what they had traded for with each other.

Natalie’s birthday came quickly, and she was led (more so pushed) outside by her twin daughters.

“Father says you should spend more time with your friends, and relax. You can come home later; he said there’s a small surprise for you tonight. No need to cook. We’ve got everything under control,” Lily insisted.

“Are you sure? What about the babies? Will you all be alright?” Natalie worried.

“They’ll be fine. Just go!” Rose answered. Then, thinking about it, she added, “In fact, I want to go with you. It’s been a while since I saw the girls.” Secretly, she was just worried her mother might make up her mind to come home early. Her mother gave in and made her way down to Heidi’s house with her daughter for afternoon coffee with her friends again.

Natalie’s friends energetically greeted her with “Happy birthday!”

They swooned at her to sit down so they could give their gifts. From her arms, Heidi produced a very nice looking pot. The pot was quite similar to the one she made boiled flour in, but much more modern in the appearance. The metal grey base had attached holders matching with the dark tan color of the lid.

“Wow, how thoughtful of you, Heidi!” Natalie thanked, while beholding the pot in her hands.

Then, it was Teri’s turn. “Tada, hope you like it! After all, a mother and wife should always serve fantastic meals with fantastic platery. And I got you the pin if you ever want to take up cooking!” She presented a set of brown cups and white baking dishes that made for excellent plates, and one wooden rolling pin.

“Teri, what happened to hand rolling?” Heidi gasped. “I think it’s the heart that counts in all forms of cooking,” Natalie intervened. Her eyes were big. “This is wonderful, Teri, thank you,” she screamed. Rose also thanked them with a polite curtsy in her pink silk dress.

The ladies talked, watched the housing channel with the television, and passed around cups of coffee that afternoon. Heidi was always a great hostess, and she made sure her guests were well served. After all, it had been her mother’s country style teachings to always make guests feel as comfortable as possible. “Your coffee is always so divine!” Natalie happily told Heidi as she sipped a sip of it.

In between, as Heidi’s children and Rose were making their way downstairs for plentiful bundles of food, they would also make sure to wish Natalie a happy birthday.

As Natalie and her friends were having a good pastime, Harlin had driven to pick up Mason from his house in his dark blue car. The plan had already been established. While Natalie was distracted, Mason would drive the Family Seven Seater to town, making sure to drop Harlin off at work on the way first. He would purchase a dessert and the refrigerator, loading it into the spacious back of the Family Seven Seater, and make the trip from town to his house to set up the fridge (while also picking Harlin up).

From his house, Harlin and Mason would both help to lift the fridge out, so it could be set up. Harlin would then drive a short way home, leaving Heidi completely unaware of the surprise he had just helped Mason prepare. Mason was confident he would be able to hook up the fridge to the house’s wiring and piping!

Mason was greeted by his eager daughter Lily, who received a cube box from her father’s black paws.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Read the labeling, and get it done,” Mason ordered with his seriousness.

Lily did as her father ordered and realized his father had purchased a very special dessert this year.

It was an easy to bake tart cake product. Everything, the crust, the cherry filling, the shape, had all been prepared. All that was left to do was put the chilled tart cake into the oven for twenty minutes to cook the ingredients and warm it up.

Before the ladies at the Deluxe Village House knew it, Heidi would need to start prepping for her husband’s dinner after he got home. The ladies said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Heidi made her way to the kitchen with the dirty coffee cups in her hands. Teri led her children to their car to head home. Natalie and Rose walked to their house with their paws full of Natalie’s new gifts, just in time as Mason had already finished his preparations.

As Natalie Charcoal Cat swung the big door open, she found her husband, her other daughter, her niece, and Ginni yelling, “Happy birthday!” In the kitchen she entered, there was the exact fridge she had been looking at in the newspaper.

“Wow, I can’t believe it. This is amazing! How did you know?” she exclaimed.

Mason chuckled and simply replied, “Enjoy it. It took me a while to figure out the wiring, but I’m a critter of many skills.”

“And what is that smell? It is divine!” Natalie added with a very happy remark and bulging eyes.

Lily led her to their small oven, where a delicious looking tart cake was being baked. “Look, mother. Freshly baked tart cake,” Lily explained. Already laid out on the stovetop was a wonderful teal plate for the tart cake and a glass cover.

“Where did we get that?” Natalie inquired about the new plate.

“Came for free since we were the very first customers to try the latest product at the town bakery: easy bake desserts! They come in a box, and you simply pop it in the oven for twenty minutes. Fresh from the oven always tastes better!” Mason replied.

That night, Natalie very much enjoyed a slice of cherry tart cake, fiddling with her new fridge’s many doors and drawers, and placing her new platery in their respective places.

The fridge even had built in notes on its doors, for every bustling family to write various reminders. It was a very nice birthday!