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“That’s not very imaginative.”
“Hey, I was only seven at the time. I went for the obvious name.” She didn’t want to delve too far into the past right now. “Now shush. We have to find the kitten.”
“I think it’s gone now.”
She wasn’t convinced. There was a lot of thick beach grass. It could just be hunkered down and hiding, but how were they going to find it?
She had an idea. She whispered, “Turn off your light.”
“Why?”
“Shush,” she whispered. “Just do it.”
At the same time, they both turned off their lights. And then they stood there quietly in the dark. In a few moments, there was a high-pitched cry. If she guessed correctly she’d say the little fellow or little girl was hungry and missing their mama.
This time she didn’t turn on her light app. Instead, she let her eyes adjust to the darkness and let the moonlight be her guide. She relied heavily on her sense of hearing to guide her. As the kitten cried out again, she zeroed in on its position in the grass. When she finally spotted a ball of black and white fur, she silently signaled to Kent. She didn’t want the kitten to get away. It needed help.
Without a plan for what happened next, she lunged for the kitten. When her fingers touched the downy soft fur, she slipped her fingers under its belly and lifted it. The kitten let out fearful cries.
“The poor little guy.” She held him to her chest, hoping to comfort him.
The kitten continued to cry and wiggle his legs. His teeny tiny nails got caught in her shirt.
Kent’s brows knit together. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t leave it out here.” The kitten’s front claws dug into her hand. It was amazing how sharp they were. They were like little pins.
“Then let’s go to your place, and we can figure something out.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice. She moved past him and headed for her apartment. Luckily, she didn’t live far from there. All the while the kitten cried. As it wiggled, she struggled to hold onto it without holding it too tightly. She didn’t want to hurt the little fella.
She rushed up the steps to her second-floor apartment. She turned to Kent. “Can you hold him while I unlock the door?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. She gently pushed the kitten to his chest. “Be careful not to hold him too tightly.” The kitten quieted in Kent’s embrace. She was impressed. “He likes you.”
“Nah. I just think he’s tired of crying.”
She unlocked the door. Once inside, she turned on the lights. When she turned around, she almost bumped into Kent. Her mouth grew dry as she stepped back. “Uh…sorry.”
“What do you want me to do with him?” He held up the kitten.
“You can put him down on the tile floor in the kitchen.” She pointed him in the right direction.
The truth of the matter was that she wasn’t prepared to take care of a kitten. She hadn’t had a cat since she was little.
When Kent set the kitten on the floor, it began to cry again. He turned to Sara. “What should we do?”
“It needs water, food, and a litter box.”
“Do you have all of that?”
“Nope. I don’t have a cat.” She looked at the kitten as it meandered through her galley kitchen. “I need to run to the store.”
She checked the time. There was only one store on the island that stayed open this late. Hopefully, they’d have what she needed. When the kitten attempted to escape the kitchen, she knelt down and picked it up. She turned it around, trying to keep it on the tile floor in case it had an accident.
“Maybe I should go to the store, and you can stay here and keep an eye on it.” His gaze searched hers.
“I don’t know.” She glanced down at the kitten, who looked like it needed a good meal and a bath.
She didn’t want to ask him for anything. It totally went against everything in her. This would move them beyond just co-workers. It could possibly put them in the friends category.
