The very fact that Reverend Woods and his wife were transformed was beyond shocking to most people. Many didn’t believe and thought this was some elaborate joke, but reviewing the recordings of the sermon over and over proves to these people that indeed happened as is: they had become cats.
With no clear answer or idea on what exactly happened, the congregation ended up handling the two cats over the Maggie, if more for safekeeping until a solution could be made or received answers – as some speculate it was an act of God, perhaps punishing the two for something or giving them some sort of challenge, while some consider the possibility of a new weapon of war being used on Reverend Woods and his wife.
Until the two can be turned back or a new Reverend will be announced (which can take a while as two people transforming into cats sounds fantastical), the congregation hired an accountant to make sure everything regarding documentation and bookkeeping until then was in order…
Nearly a week later, Saturday, Taylor could hear frantic knocks coming from the door. She walked out of her room and saw June sticking her head out of the master bedroom, so Taylor waved at her, “I’ll get it!”
June just nodded and retreated to the room, as Taylor continued downstairs, the knocking continuing, “I’m coming, I’m coming!” Throwing the door open, she saw Maggie, looking haggard and a bit tired, “Maggie? What happened?” ‘Well, dumb question …’
Taylor nearly got a carrier box with two cats slammed into her head with how fast Maggie pulled it up, “My parents are utter bastards!”
“Uuh, how about you come inside first?” Taylor moved to the side as Maggie practically ran upstairs to Taylor’s room, the two cats meowing the entire time. Adding a bit of speed, Taylor got to her room and saw Maggie, sitting on the bed, head in hands and breathing deeply. Sitting next to her, Taylor placed a gentle hand on her girlfriends’ shoulders, “What exactly happened?”
“You heard about the accounting guy one of the church folk hired to keep the books straight, right?” Maggie’s voice was slightly muffled.
Taylor nodded, recalling that, “Yeah, through recommendation or something, right?”
“Well!” Maggie looked up, clapping her hands a bit, a very fake cheery voice and a very fake smile appearing, “Turns out my parents were utter bastards!” Before being asked to elaborate, Maggie jumps up and starts pacing, “They were using the donated money for themselves! Fancy spa trips, expensive travels, designer clothes, new cars! For themselves instead of…oh, you know, using the money for the upkeep, like they’re supposed to! And not only that! They called it ‘gifts’ from some…bishop or other, can’t recall, don’t care, for their ‘excellent’ job! Which is why me or my brothers never saw anything nicer then hand-me-downs or donated gifts! ARRGH! I’m so angry right now!” She was now breathing heavily from her rant, still stomping around.
Taylor heard a slight creak from the door and saw Darla peeking through. While Maggie’s back was turned, Taylor shook her head quickly and gave the universal ‘cut it out’ motion. Darla got the message and retreated back to the safety of her room, while Maggie had devolved to some rather interesting combinations of insults under her breath.
‘Ooooookay, getting a little heated – ooh, ‘vitamin d deficient rodeo clowns’ and ‘rotting lesser ass-pimple demons’, gotta remember those for another time, but I better make sure Maggie doesn’t overheat.’ Muttering under her breath, “I wish Maggie would start to calm down.” ‘Note to self, make a wish that makes it so nobody hears me using my powers unless I want them to.’
Maggie slowed in her pacing, her breathing evening out and the redness in her face receding. With a weary sigh, she falls onto the bed, “Sorry about that…”
“How long were you holding that in?”
“Since…Thursday? Whenever the guy – Tim – found the records. Something really didn’t match up or something and he followed the trail like Scooby Doo looking for food,” Maggie slightly smiled at the incorrigible sporfl Taylor made, “And found that they were, well, abusing the funds to their own benefit.”
“Speaking of your brothers…how did they take it?”
“Michael got pissed enough he actually left that fancy Christian school and Gabriel has gone off the grid, but he sounds like he’ll be pissed for ages.”
With another tired sigh, Maggie leaned against Taylor, enjoying the warmth of the embrace that followed. They sat quietly for a few minutes, before Taylor addressed the elephants in the room…
“What are you gonna do with them now?” Taylor gestured to the cats looking at them.
“The docs said they were basically cats in every way. Unless we know what changed them, there is no changing back,” Maggie sighs, “A part of me wants to get rid of them – to the pound or a shelter – a part wants to keep them, so that maybe if they’re still there, they can be…dunno, made better people or something.” At Taylor’s look, Maggie admits, “And a part wants to drown them, yes. They financially abused me and my brothers, they controlled what we can and can’t do…but causing more harm won’t make it right…”
“So, what will happen now, Maggie?”
“Michael’s gonna move back, so even as everything it being taken to be sold and the money returned, I’m gonna have a place to live at the end of this at least, so that’s good.” Maggie looked around a bit before asking, “Hey, uh, would your folks mind if I stayed with you guys for a bit? I don’t want to stay at the house right now.”
‘Like you really need to ask that?’ Taylor smiled, already planning out the wishes needed for this, “I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you over, especially considering the circumstances and all, but mom’s busy, so I’ll ask later. What do you feel like doing now?”
Maggie considered what she wanted to do…