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* * *
Zoe’s Pet Universewas busy, but not crazy busy. As I shopped for supplies and food—Dr. John had recommended kitten food, given Silver was barely five months old and a little bit malnourished—I came to the corner of the store. There, in a cordoned off area, was a station set up by the Humane Society. I glanced at the cages against the wall. There were several cats and kittens there, along with a couple of puppies. I opened the gate and walked through, going over to examine the cats.
The woman sitting there gave me a wide smile. She was wearing a nametag that read: Rhonda. “May I help you?”
“Are they all for adoption?”
“Yes,” she said. “We’re overrun with kittens right now.”
I decided that thinking about it was a waste of time. Silver would benefit from a playmate of his kind. “I’ve adopted a five-month-old boy…he’s not fixed yet, though, but I’ll be having that done soon. I’d like to get a playmate for him.”
“What kind of cats do—” Rhonda started to say but I held up my hand. One cage was calling me, and I walked over to it and peeked in. Inside, a gorgeous little mottled calico sat. She looked about Silver’s size.
“Who’s this?”
“We’re calling her Gem. She’s four months old. She’s spayed and has had all her vaccines. She gets along well with other cats—in fact, I think she’s missing her littermates.”
“Can I hold her?”
Rhonda brought Gem out of the cage and handed her to me. She was sleek—with short hair so soft that she felt like a plushie, and a dark mottled pattern in black and orange. She had a white tummy and chest. The minute I took her, she dove beneath my chin and dug into my shirt. She trembled and, for some reason that made me want to cry. I looked down at her, pressed against my chest, and my heart melted.
“I’ll take her. She’s going home with me to day.” That was it. In the split second—less time than it took to blink—I was in love.
“She’s litter-box trained, and she’s in good health. I’ll get the forms.” Rhonda looked relieved. “I’m glad you’re taking her. She’s been standoffish with everybody else who looked at her and several potential adopters said she’s too shy.”
I held the kitten up as I stared into her eyes. I gave her the slow blink that saidI love you. “You want to come home with me?”
As if in answer, Gem squirmed, trying to get back under my chin. I shushed her—she was mewing. “It’s all right. You’re going home with me. But I have to fill out some forms first.” I looked over at the Rhonda. “I’ll need a carrier. And I need to call next door and let them know I’ll be a few more minutes.”
As she set Gem back in the cage, the kitten started to meow loudly. “I think you’ve made a friend,” Rhonda said.
I called the vet and asked them to wait a couple minutes—that I had picked out a friend for Silver. They said Silver had checked out negative for feline leukemia so we were good to go. I asked if they had another slot open and they said to bring her in and they’d give her an exam.
I filled out the forms, paid the adoption fee, and bought all the supplies—after doubling the food dishes, cat beds, and adding the carrier. Rhonda set Gem into the carrier and the kitten quieted right down, as if she knew that I wasn’t abandoning her.
I took her back to the vet and Dr. John checked her out. Gem meowed the entire time.
“You have a set of healthy lungs on you,” he said, grinning. “She’s in good shape. She’s about ten weeks old—four and a half months. She’s at a good age to play with Silver. He’s underweight, so by the time he catches up to what he should be, she’ll be old enough to hold her own.” He paused, then said, “Congratulations on your new family members. Will your husband mind?”
Instinctively I knew he wasn’t trying to make a pass. He was concerned that perhaps I hadn’t consulted anybody else who lived with me.
“I’m not married, and I don’t have kids. So, there’s nobody to mind except my dragonette. And he’s friendly and would love playmates, I think.”
“Willhebe safe aroundthem?” Dr. John asked with a laugh.
I snickered. “By the time they’re adults, they’ll be twice as big as he is. He’s little. And he’s quite intelligent. Everything will be fine.”
Dr. John looked relieved. He carried the two carriers out to the waiting room for me, where I paid the bill and then, carriers firmly locked in the back seat, I fastened my seat belt and—with my new family members both wailing like toddlers—headed for home.
* * *
Grams was in the shop,but the parking lot was empty and when she heard me pull in, she came out of the store and walked over to the car. I hopped out of the driver’s seat and opened the back door.
“Help me carry things inside?” I asked.
She stared at the carriers and started to laugh. “I wondered how long you’d last without cats. Your father loved them. I wish your mother did.”
“We had a cat when I was younger and I adored her. Karna was a tortie like Gem, and my father found when I was three. She died when I was fifteen and I was heartbroken. In fact, she looked like Gem.” It suddenly hit me—the way Gem had clung to me felt the same way as when Karna had cuddled against me.Exactlythe same. “I wonder…”
