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My driver changes lanes and—as my luck would have it today—we find ourselves stuck in traffic just a few minutes later.
„Just fucking great,” I hiss through gritted teeth.
„Sorry, sir, no way around it,” Alexander says.
„It’s alright, not your fault,” I tell him, and next to me, Claire bends down to look inside the carrier of the mother cat.
„They are all so beautiful, you should really keep them,” she says, without looking at me. „And what a strong mommy cat they have, so pretty and tough, protecting her babies out there in the cold.”She straightens her back and looks straight at me. „What did you call them?”
„They don’t have names,” I reply dryly.
„What!” she exclaims, visibly shocked. „They need names! How are you going to call after them!”
„Cats never listen when you call them anyway.”
„They do! If they want to,” she argues. „Besides, they need names. They deserve names.”
A shadow is cast over her pretty face when she looks down at the carrier on her lap.
„They’ve been through so much,” she says in a low voice. „They deserve to be loved. And love starts with a name.”
I should be annoyed at this, and a little part of me is, but not for the right reasons. These cats shouldn’t be with me, she shouldn’t be here, and I shouldn’t feel the weight of responsibility for them. She is not mine, and neither are those cats.
Yet, I have to fight this pressing urge of possessiveness when I see her like that, so raw and vulnerable, with so much compassion for these helpless little creatures she didn’t even know existed a few minutes ago. Everything in me screams to take her into my home, and to keep her there, especially down in the basement where no one else is ever allowed.
„How about Zeta for the mom?” She asks now, beaming at me with an innocent smile.
„Zeta?” I ask. „You mean like Rieman's functions?”
„Yes!” She nods wildly. „I’m studying Rieman Zeta functions for my thesis, and I always thought that Zeta was such a beautiful letter. It holds so much meaning and thus power, don’t you think?”
I stare at her, feeling like I’m about to explode with desire. Is this intoxicatingly beautiful, naughty, curious, and passionate girl really saying these things to me?
„Well?” she probes. „Don’t you think it would make for a beautiful, strong, female name? Perfect for a mother like her.”
The cat meows as if to agree.
„Fine,” I say. „Zeta works, I guess.”
„Perfect!” She cheers. „Okay, how about the kittens? Do you think we should name them something math-related, too? It would only make sense, when they’re living with a number theory professor, don’t you think?”
„I’m not sure—”
She cuts me off. „How about we stick to the Greek alphabet? Like, I was thinking, Pi for the one with the super green eyes. I’ve always loved Pi, because it’s beautifully mysterious, and it’s a wise number. She looks smart, and I’m pretty sure she’s the only girl among them, right?”
„Err, maybe? I never checked,” I admit.
She throws me an indignant look before she peers into the kitten carrier again.
„Yeah, she’s a girl, no balls on Pi,” she says, chuckling. „I can’t tell with the black one right now, because it’s all curled up in the back. But the other gray kitten definitely has balls, so he’s a boy. And a cheeky boy! He’s been trying to get out of that carrier like crazy. What should we name you, little one?”
„How about Alpha for that one,” I suggest. „I’m pretty sure he was the one who got my attention in the first place. He jumped straight into my lap. His siblings are way more reserved.”
The smile on her face widens. „Oh, a little forerunner? I like that! The little leader of the gang, then. And Alpha is good for a boy, ambitious and determined. Now we just have to come up with one more for the black kitten.”
She looks inside the carrier again, and I find myself poking a finger through the lattice door of the mother’s—Zeta’s—carrier, to which she responds by cautiously sniffing the tip of my finger.
What the hell am I doing?
