Page 39 of The Scars We Heal

I followed behind her, staying close enough I’d be able to catch her if she ran off, but far enough away that she could feel a sliver of independence.

She was down on her hands and knees in front of the bushes, crawling across the ground, but she suddenly shot to her feet, eyes wide.

“I heard something!” Whitley gasped before frantically whipping her head around trying to find the source of the sound.

A soft mewling in the bushes caught my attention at the same time Whitley started running toward it.

“Wait, Whit, you might scare it off!” I warned, but it was too late.

She had already crouched down in front of the bush, a high-pitched squeal escaping her lips.

By the time I reached her, she was in the process of scooping up a tiny orange kitten, cradling it against her chest.

“Can I keep it?” Whitley stared up at me with round, widened eyes. They practically sparkled with stars in them.

“Uh.” My words caught in my throat as I mentally prepared to break this tiny human’s heart. “I don’t know, bug. Your mom probably doesn’t want⁠—”

Whitley’s brows pinched together as she jutted out her bottom lip in a massive pout, tears already beading at her waterline.

Fuck.

“Please,” she whined, drawing out the word. “Please, I want to keep it.”

“Whit.”

A guttural cry ripped itself from her throat as the waterworks began. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, and she squeezed the kitten tighter, coaxing out a loud mewl.

I scrubbed my hand across my forehead, mentally mapping out how I was going to explain to Caitlin that her daughter found a cat and now wanted to keep it.

“Okay,” I conceded, and the tears immediately stopped, save for a small sniffle here and there. “You can keep the cat for now, but it’s ultimately up to your mom, so don’t get attached, yeah?”

“Yay!” she shrieked. “You’re my friend now, and I’m gonna name you Cheeto!”

The kitten curled itself up even further into her chest, purring loudly as it snuggled against the little girl.

What the hell had I just gotten myself into?

Ushering her into the house, we waited until Caitlin got back home, although the cat had mysteriously disappeared once Caitlin pulled into the driveway.

“Jake!” An exasperated voice called my name from across the lawn a couple hours later. “Why did my daughter just tell me you said she could have a cat?”

I stepped out onto my front porch, but Caitlin was already storming across the lawn with Whitley following close behind. She was stifling a laugh with her hand in front of her mouth, the kitten in tow under her other arm.

“He said I could keep it!” Whitley giggled as she pointed accusingly at me.

Gee, thanks, kid.

“That is not what I said,” I protested, even though it was part of what I said. “I told you that you could keep it for now, but your mom was the one who got to decide if you could keep it forever.”

She dropped the kitten on the grass and crossed her arms across her chest, popping her hip and putting on her best scowl. “Nuh-uh.”

“I believe you, for what it’s worth.” Caitlin shook her head, but the smile she was trying to hide was unmistakable. She bent down to pick up the kitten, petting its forehead with her thumb. “He’s pretty cute, isn’t he?”

“He’s so cute, and he’s mine!”

Cait and I exchanged glances, as though we were silently asking each other what the best move was here. A secret language between us. Mind-to-mind connection or some shit.

I raised my brows as if to say, You’re her mom.