The Magnificent Cat by Nadia Ramadan (early reader chapter books .TXT) 📕

alright” Ray said as he smiled sarcastically “you can go to the dance…I will run this meeting myself, and I will make sure I tell Armand that we both did it, ok?”

“Ok” Wade said with a strange look on his face.

“What?” 

“Nothing” Wade replied as he turned away 

“I saw that look; you don’t trust me, do you?”

“No, no, it’s not that” Wade said as he looked at his watch

“Don’t lie to me!” Ray interrupted “you don’t want me to run this meeting alone, or worst, you don’t want me here alone with the Magnificent Cat”

“Please Ray…don’t take this the wrong way, but you are quite new here, and running a meeting alone will make this quite unreasonable, don’t you think so?”

“But I am good” Ray replied “and that’s the only reason Armand made me his right hand man, I can find the best clients for the Magnificent Cat and with good purposes…and its better that you all understand that, besides, I am letting you go to a fucking dance!” 

“I do understand” Wade said angrily 

“Well then, let me run this meeting and you can go to the dance, what do you say?”

“Sounds good” 

 

Ray went to Armand’s desk and picked up the phone.

“Hello” A voice answered through the phone.

“Hello” Ray replied “I am calling to confirm our meeting tonight at about 8:30”

“Is it about the Package” the voice asked

“Ye ye” Ray said “we will talk about that during the meeting” 

 

Lisa served her last customer at the back of the room and walked back to the counter.

“I really don’t feel like working” Jessica complained as Lisa approached

“And why is that? Is it because of the dance tonight?”

“I think so” Jessica said laughingly “I must be really excited”

“I can tell” Lisa said laughingly 

“So any luck with James?” 

“No” Lisa replied “Wade is taking me”

“Wade!” Jessica shouted “that’s so sweet; I told you that he was right for you!”

“Come on Jessica” Lisa said while smiling “we are just going together as friends”

“Yeah right” Jessica said as she rolled her eyes

“You can think whatever you want to think” Lisa said as she moves to the kitchen “this is between me and Wade, we both know about our status”

“You sure do” Jessica said sarcastically “best of luck!”

 

“Hello Lisa” Colin Lennox said happily

 

Colin Lennox is Lisa’s boss and also the owner of the Pastry Bar, he was the first person to build a Bar and at the same time a pastry shop, where people can eat breakfast during the day and drink during the night. 3 years ago it was just a Bar, but today Colin added the Pastry Shop to gain more customers, the ghoul’s bar on the other hand only has drinks and from time to time they would make a little dancing party like tonight’s just to make sure they can somehow compete with Colin’s Pastry Bar.

 

“Oh hello Mr. Lennox” Lisa said as she put away the dirty dishes.

“I know you are going to the ghoul’s bar tonight” 

“Yes I am” Lisa replied shyly "is there a prob…" 

"No, no" Collin interrupted “I have no right to interfere in your personal life” 

“Thank you boss” Lisa said in relief

“I just want to remind you about your performance tomorrow at my bar”

“Yes sure boss” Lisa replied “how can I forget that”

“I trust you Lisa” Colin added “I don’t want you to get dizzy or anything else from the party that might distract your performance tomorrow”

“I promise I will be great tomorrow” Lisa said with full confidence  

“Good to know” Colin said as he leaves the room.

 

Picklock walked to James and sat on a small wooden stool.

“What is wrong James?” Picklock asked 

“Nothing is wrong” James replied as he looked at him “why do you think something is wrong?”

“I know you too well James” Picklock replied “you are not feeling ok, and I can tell”

“Well then it’s nothing important” James said as he started to rearrange the books on the shop’s shelve

“Is it Patricia?” Picklock asked seriously “you wished you can spend more time with her, am I right?”

James put the books away and looked at Picklock “that’s true…you know, sometimes I think you know me too well”

“Your personal psychic” Picklock said laughingly 

“Well you don’t get to spend enough time with your family either? Like your sons and two daughters, we both know that this job is putting too much pressure on both of us”

“I know you want to see Patricia” Picklock interrupted 

“And you want to see your children too!” James repeated “let’s face it, it’s not just me!”

“I know” Picklock continued “my family understands, but Patricia doesn’t, well I am not sure but I think she is somehow lost in what’s really going on here, she wants to know what’s so important…I mean for heaven’s sake she lives across the street”

“She wants me to take her to the ghoul’s bar tonight” James said 

 “What for…?” Picklock asked

“There is going to be a dance and she wants me to take her”

“Then I think you should go” Picklock replied 

“And leave the Magnificent Cat alone with Ray!” James shouted

“What on earth can he possibly do” Picklock asked “he is not going to run away with it, we all know that the Magnificent Cat has little sensor that can kill anyone who runs away with it”

“A sensor…? I see…” James said as he wakes up “what if he deactivates it or something”

“Come on, James” Picklock said as he laughs “Armand is the only one who has the remote to do that, and he will know how to take care of that person, even by exploding the person without destroying the Magnificent Cat”

“That Moron is somehow smart in a way” James said as he continued to arrange the books again

“So in this case” Picklock said as he woke up from the small stool too “I suggest you think again about the dance tonight with Patricia”

James turned and saw as Mr. Picklock left the verandah 

 

Patricia was in her room when the door bell rang. She walked slowly in the corridor and stopped at the main door.

“Who is it…is that you dad?” Patricia asked through the door

“It’s me James” The voice shouted “open the door” 

“What do you want James” Patricia said angrily

“I just need to talk to you” 

Patricia paused for a minute and then said “fine”

She opened the door slowly for James to come in.

“I will take you to the Dance”

“What?” Patricia said surprisingly 

“You heard me” James said while smiling “I will take you”

“I knew you were different” Patricia said happily “you are adorable as I thought you were. I know I can trust you”

“And I did not mean what I said earlier…I was just nervous, but you know I will…”

“Stop it” Patricia said

“What?” James asked as he looked at her

“You don’t have to explain” Patricia said as she stepped closer to him and kissed him.

 

 

Chapter 10 - The Ghoul's Party

Its 8:00 Pm and a loud music can be heard from the 5th street. The music was so loud and the beats were very thunderous. The ghoul’s bar was visibly clear to find due to the loud noise.

 

“Are you ready to go” Lisa asked Jessica as she grabbed her purse.

“Yes I am going to the 5th street right now, aren’t you going to wait for Wade?” Jessica asked   

“No, we agree to meet over there”

“Ok that’s nice” Jessica replied as they both walked out the door.

 

Picklock walked straight to the building and saw Wade coming down the stairs

“Hello Wade” Picklock greeted “where are you going in such a rush?”

“Oh hello Mr. Picklock” Wade replied “I am just going to the ghoul’s Party”

“You are also going? I thought you’re having an important meeting today”

“Yes we do have a meeting today, but Ray said that he will take care of it”

“I see” Picklock replied “but is that ok with you?”

“Well we are going to have to trust him sometimes” Wade said as he leaves the building and gets into his porch 

“I hope so” Picklock said lowly to himself.

 

The ghoul’s bar was not empty and at the same time not full, it was only occupied by some of Bevin’s society with hardly any people from other cities.  

Lisa and Jessica walked into the bar and saw it for the first time.

“Not bad” Jessica said

“Are you saying this place is better than our bar?” 

“No” Jessica replied laughingly “but all I know is that it’s going to be a hell lot enjoyable than our bar!”

“That’s funny” Lisa said as they both approached the large counter.

“Let’s get two cold beers shall we” 

“I think I will get a cocktail” Lisa said nicely to the bartender 

“One beer and one cocktail coming right up” the bartender replied

“Don’t you want to get drunk tonight” Jessica asked “I mean it’s a party after all!”

“No I am not planning to get drunk tonight Jessica, did you forget about my performance tomorrow at our non-fun bar!”

“Oh yes” Jessica shouted “I am so sorry; you are not getting any drink tonight!”

“That’s true” Lisa said laughingly. “I have to make sure-”

“Look who is here” Jessica interrupted as she points slightly to the main door

Lisa turned and saw James walking in alone from the main door of the bar.

“Oh my God, what is he doing here?” Lisa said nervously 

“What do you care?” Jessica snapped “you are here with Wade aren’t you?”

“Yes I know…” Lisa said still nervously “but James is here!”

“I still don’t know what's that supposes to mean” Jessica said as she rolled her eyes.

“I have to tell him about my performance tomorrow”

“What?” Jessica shouted “I thought you already told him that!”

“I mean I should remind him” Lisa said happily

“What’s the point of that, he will only pose a distraction to your performance that’s all.

“Excuse me but I have to tell him” Lisa said as she walks straight to James.

 

“Hello James” Lisa said as she approached 

“Hey” James said as he saw Lisa approaching “you must be…Lisa right?”

“Yes, the one who works at the Pastry bar next to your building?”

“Yes I remember you” James said as he looked back at her “so you’ve been here a long time?”

“No I just came” Lisa replied happily “it’s quite boring”

“I can tell” James replied “I’m not into party myself” 

“Then why are you here?” Lisa asked curiously

“I was invited by someone” 

“Ok, that’s nice” Lisa said smilingly 

 

Wade almost got his car crashed when his phone rang loudly during a cross road. Wade took a sharp break and stopped the car right in time. He was still in shock when he picked up the phone to see who it was, only to his annoyance it was Ray phoning. 

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?” Wade answered angrily 

“It’s me Ray” the voice replied “what’s going on, are you ok?” 

“No Ray, what do you want?” 

“Are you on your way to the party?”

“Yes I am, and you are making me late”

“I just want to tell you that this meeting might not take place”

“And why not…?” Wade asked angrily 

“I don’t trust these people” Ray replied “I have to be careful these days while Armand is not around”

“We will talk about this later I have to go now” Wade said as he shuts the phone.

 

“What an idiot”