Pussywillow mewed, trying to get people’s attention. She had an idea, but people thought she was just meowing. Ladybug had taken her to Pudding’s Place, the most popular café in Cricket Country, and it was loud with everybuggy’s chatter. Pussywillow wished she could wave a wand and get everyone to listen to her. She sighed and glanced over at Ladybug.
 
Ladybug was deep in conversation with Tail, paying no attention to what Pussywillow was doing. Lately, Ladybug had been spending more time with Tail and less time with Pussywillow. She had even heard rumors about Tail thinking Ladybug was pulchritudinous, but she hadn’t had a chance to look up that word in the dictionary yet.

Pussywillow snuck outside and walked along the sidewalk. It was much quieter out there. Suddenly she saw a sign: Petunia the Party Planner, it read. An iridescent blue butterfly was behind a booth handing out pamphlets for party planning! Mewy-yes, Pussywillow thought.

She went up to the booth. Petunia looked at her and grinned. “Hi, I’m Petunia! Can I help you? Do you want free party-planning help?”

Pussywillow nodded. “Mewy-yeah! Mewy-Cricket-Old mewy-birthday mewy-five-tens!”

Petunia thought for a moment, then replied, “You want to plan a birthday party for Old Cricket’s 50th birthday?! I think that’s a wonderful  idea.”

Pussywillow was stunned into silence for a moment. Nobody in Cricket Country had ever really understood her. They were nice to her, and she had fun with them, but no one even knew where she came from! When she had pulled her thoughts together, she added, “Mewy-excited! Mewy-start!”

Pussywillow and Petunia spent the rest of the day together, gathering party supplies and spreading the word of the surprise birthday party. Petunia listened intently to everything Pussywillow had to say, never interrupting her or passing off her ideas as nonsense.

But Pussywillow had something on her mind. “Mewy-friends mewy-after mewy-party?”

Petunia just laughed. “Of course I’ll still be friends with you after the party!” she said, fluttering her wings. “Our adventures have only just begun.”

And suddenly, Pussywillow knew she’d never be unheard in a café again.