(Winnie the Horse Gentler) Chapter 2: What That Meant

     Disclaimer: Yeah, guys, another disclaimer. I'm putting one at the top of every chapter. If that annoys you, I'm sorry, but I want to give credit to the author. It's her work of art, I am simply recreating it. Remember, only the forthcoming story is mine, the backstory is completely her property; she had the rights to it.
   Please comment and review, guys! Help me, give me ideas! I swear that if you give me an idea, I will put it in the story, in whatever way I can (within reason, of course). If you have enjoyed this story so far, please tell your peeps! It would mean a lot.
   So, thanks for reading! Bye!
                                                                  - Hope :)      
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   As I rode to Catman's house, I wondered exactly what was going on. 

    Okay, so maybe this was the third time I had wondered. Or the fourth time. Or maybe the fifth time. 

   Anyway, I was still confused, and whatever was happening was affecting me, so I thought I had the right to know. 

   We pulled up to Catman's house, or, as I called it, Coolidge Castle. 

   Coolidge was Catman's last name, and his mansion really did look like a castle. I had thought it was haunted the first time he took me to it. Until I'd seen the inside.

   Then I noticed that something was missing. 

   "Where are the lawn ornaments?" I asked. I stared at Catman's cheeks: they were nothing short of crimson.

   "Chill Win. Bart couldn't dig new ones. Need to restock." 

   He said it coolly, but there was something weird about the way he said it. He was keeping his gaze away from mine. And he had never called me 'Win' before.

   I scanned his face. I knew that he was lying, I just didn't know why. 

   "Okay... let's go inside," I suggested. Catman immediately started up the steps. I followed him. 

   Stepping into the house, I had the exact same feeling that I always did: as if I had gone back in time. The Coolidge house's interior was old and classic, with velvet couches and many other, almost indescribable antiques, some valuables. 

   I waited for the noise on the stairs, the alert that Claire Coolidge, Catman's mom, was going to come down and make a fuss over my hair. It didn't come. I turn towards the stairs. No one is there. 

   "Catman... where is your mom?" I asked. 

   He looked up at me and said quietly, "Dunno." 

   "You don't know! What do you mean, you don't know?" I cried. 

   Catman grabbed me by the shoulders and said tensely, "I don't know, Winnie. Called. Asked around. Called again. Looked around the neighborhood, and Winnie," he said desperately. "I just don't know." 

   I stared into his eyes, as, finally, they met mine. 

   I could see that he was scared. And that scared me even more. Because Catman never got scared. Ever. He had only gotten scared three times that I knew of. 

   Once, when Bold Beauty had fallen in a ditch with me on her back, he had gotten scared. 

   Once, when I had fallen off Bold Beauty and blacked out because of a jump that I hadn't been ready to take, he had gotten scared. 

   And once, when I had stood directly in the path of a charging, powerful Morgan, named Midnight Mystery, he had gotten scared. 

   Now that I thought about it, the only few times that Catman had been scared, it had been for... me. I hadn't ever really thought about that before, but now that I did, I wanted to hug him, but I resisted, because I knew that he wasn't comfortable with hugs. 

   "Okay," I said, trying to take control of the situation. "How long ago did this happen? How long have they been gone?" 

   "About a week," said Catman, glancing away.

   "A week! Catman... oh, Catman... why didn't you... you could've... oh my God, Catman!" I cried. I suddenly couldn't resist any longer, and I hugged him tightly, trying to keep my tears in. 

   "Catman you are the stupidest... thing! Why didn't you tell me this?" I said, pulling back, and I almost laughed at the surprised look on Catman's face.

   "What? What's wrong?" I asked. Catman blinked. 

   "Uh, nothing. You've just, never hugged me... like... that before." 

   "Oh, wow, I can't believe it! I hugged you! That's so much more startling than the fact that your Mom is missing." 

   "Bart too," said Catman.

   Bart was his dad, but he only called him 'dad' to his face. When his parents weren't around, he called them Claire and Bart.

   He turned away.

   "What?" I asked, more than a little concerned by his behavior. It wasn't like Catman to nearly break down. At least he wasn't fully. That would be bad news.

   "Didn't want to tell you." his voice sounded muffled.

   "Why not?" I demanded.

   "Didn't want to worry you, man. I can't dig it." I stepped closer to him. 

   "Why not?" I asked again.

   "I dunno. Just... didn't want to." 

   He turned around again to face me. "Can you... help... me?" I could tell he was not accustomed to asking for help.

   I grabbed his hand, and I felt him tense, then relax. 

   "Of course I'll help, Catman. That's what friends are for."
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   I'm sorry if this chapter was a little bit short (let me know if you thought it was or not), but I couldn't resist ending the chapter with, "'That's what friends are for'"! I had to! 

  Sorry, guys, I get excited easily.

  Tell me if you enjoyed it, and remember, comment and review. Please! I'm begging you!

                                                  - Hope (your BFF!)