9. Kayla
9
KAYLA
“ H i cuties,” I croon to the litter of five puppies wiggling around my ankles. It’s feeding time and I can’t tell if they are more starved for food or attention. I’m happy to give them both.
I set a large, shallow pan of kibble on the floor of the kennel and watch them swarm around it. Everyone seems to be getting their fair share and playing nice so I close the gate behind me and push my cart down the aisle to serve the last occupant of the dog section.
Grunt, a handsome blue and white pit bull mix, greets me with his characteristic…well, grunt. He’s been here for almost a month now, and as far as I know, no one has heard him make any other sounds. No barks, no whines, no growls. Just grunts emitted at varying volume levels as a greeting or to express pleasure during belly rubs.
“Hey buddy, you hungry?” I give him a few good pats before setting his bowl down.
He is the last dog in the row, so it’s time to move on to the cat room, a.k.a. my favorite room. I have nothing against dogs, but I love me some cats. I open the door separating the two areas and smile as I remember Trevor telling me about his childhood cat, Otto, at the café the other day. I love that he opened up enough to share that story with me and I wonder if he’s ever considered getting a cat as an adult.
On a whim, I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text before I start feeding.
Kayla
Random question, what did Otto look like?
My phone buzzes with his reply a few seconds later as I’m portioning out kitty kibble into a collection of little metal bowls and I exercise a great deal of self-restraint to ignore it until I’m done and the bowls are all delivered.
Trevor
Orange tabby, why?
I scan the enclosures along the wall and my eyes land on a pair of orange tabby kittens, two siblings who came in together last week. I walk closer and snap a picture of them eating, their extra fluffy coats portending long, silky hair when they mature. One lifts his head to look at me and I take another picture, this one capturing his blue eyes and his little pink tongue snaking out under white whiskers to lick his chops clean while his sister continues eating.
Perfect.
I send both pictures to Trevor.
Kayla
Otto Jr and Ottorina need a home.
I watch as the three dots appear under my message and then recede. He starts typing and erases his message twice more before the bubble disappears completely.
My stomach tightens with discomfort. I hope that didn’t come across as a guilt trip .
I send a follow-up message.
Kayla
Aren’t they cute? They’ll probably get adopted pretty quickly. I hope you didn’t think I was pressuring you to run over here and adopt them yourself.
I wait a few minutes, staring at my phone anxiously, but there’s no response. Great, now I’ve done it. I keep wondering why he thinks I’m the person to help him learn to communicate better. Surely he can see by now that I stick my foot in my mouth as much, if not more, than the next person.
I do my best to shrug it off and get back to work, collecting empty bowls and refilling the water in each enclosure. Finally, I set about sweeping and mopping the concrete floors, starting in the dog area. I have to admit, this is my least favorite task at the animal shelter. At least it seems like most of the dogs who are here right now are potty-trained. The enclosure with the litter of puppies is the only one that is soiled. That one will have to be hosed.
I’m moving the puppies into a temporary crate so that I can access their kennel when the door to the office opens and Sheila, the shelter director, steps out.
“Kayla, we have someone here who wants to adopt a kitten. Can you take him to the back and help him? I’m expecting a call any minute.”
“Sure!” I love helping people meet the pets and pick out their ‘purrfect match’, as the poster in the lobby says. “Is he in a hurry? Do I have time to finish this first?”
“No hurry.” A familiar voice sends a tingle up my spine as a man steps out behind Sheila.
“Trevor?” I latch the crate and straighten, surprised both by his sudden appearance and the zing of pleasure I felt when I saw him. “What are you doing here? ”
He quirks an eyebrow. “Don’t sound so happy to see me.”
“Sorry.” I offer him a smile. “I am happy to see you. I’m just also surprised.”
Sheila cuts in. “Since you two seem to know each other, I think I’ll leave you to it and get back to work.”
Trevor thanks her as she sidles past him with a nod. “So,” he says, focusing on me. “Need any help with that?”
I look around and nod toward the open kennel. “Can you pull the bedding out here so I can hose the floor down?”
“Sure thing.” He works quickly and I blast the soiled spots with streams of cold water, rinsing until the water circling the floor drain runs clear.
“Thanks.” I wind the hose up and hang it in its place, then move to the utility sink to wash my hands. “So…Sheila said you want to adopt a kitten?”
“Yep.” He moves to take my spot at the sink while I dry my hands.
“Is this because of the text I sent you earlier? I didn’t mean to pressure you. I was just thinking about the story you told me about Otto and thought you might like some cute kitten pictures.”
“I did like them. I liked them so much I got in my truck and drove over here.”
“Yes, but adopting a pet isn’t a decision to make lightly.”
“Are you saying you don’t think I should get a kitten?” He crosses his arms and cocks his head, his glasses slipping slightly.
“No! I just don’t want you to rush into a commitment.” I cross my own arms and drop my eyes. “I feel like I manipulated you into being here.”
“Kayla.” I look up at him and my stomach swoops like I’m on a roller coaster when he smiles at me and drops his hands to tuck them into his jeans pockets.
“I’m here because I want to be. I’ve thought about getting a pet several times since I moved into my own house and when I got your message I thought, why wait? So here I am.”
“Here you are.” His words are genuine and my worry melts away. “Alright, then. Follow me to the kittens.”
His eyes widen when I open the door to reveal a multitude of furry faces looking out at him with interest. “All of these guys need a home?”
“Yep. There’s a pretty good mix of adult cats and kittens. Most have already been spayed or neutered, but a few of the younger kittens will need to have that done a little later. Why don’t you look around? If you find one you connect with, we’ll get him or her out to play.”
Trevor nods and slowly starts making his way past the bank of cages. I lean against a work table and watch as he peers into each one with equal attention until he reaches the one with the brother and sister pair.
“Are these the ones from the picture?”
“They are. You want to get them out?”
“It looks like they’re ready to come out.” The male kitten stands on his back legs, his front paws balanced on the bars of the enclosure door. Trevor crooks a finger through and scratches him under the chin, prompting a contented purr.
I slide the bolt open and lift the boy kitty out, handing him to Trevor before I reach for the female kitten. She’s not shy, exactly, but she’s definitely not as outgoing as her brother. I cuddle her against my shoulder. Not for the first time, I wish my apartment allowed pets. If I could, I would take this sweetie home in a heartbeat.
“What do you think?” I ask Trevor. He’s cradling the kitten like a baby and stroking it gently. Anyone with eyes can see that he’s smitten. “Is he the one?”
Trevor looks up, eyeing the kitten I’m holding. “What about that one? ”
“She’s available too. You want to swap and hold her for a minute? See which one you like best?”
“Is there any rule against adopting two?” he asks. “I think I remember reading somewhere that cats do better in pairs.”
“That’s true.” I’m impressed by his knowledge. “Most people think cats are solitary animals, but studies show that they tend to be healthier and have less destructive behaviors when they have a companion. Sometimes they grow so attached they become what we call a ‘bonded pair’.”
“Then I’ll take both.” He nods firmly as if that settles it. “So, do I need to like, sign something before I can take them home?”
“Yes, you’ll need to fill out some adoption papers and pay a small fee, then you’ll be good to go.”
“Sounds good.”
This could be the easiest adoption ever. Maybe I need to send personalized recommendations to all my friends. Cute photos delivered directly to your messages seem to be a very effective way of getting animals adopted.
Half an hour later, I walk with him to his truck, still carrying the female kitten. Trevor opens the passenger side door and pulls a brand-new plastic cat crate to the edge of the seat, a tag still attached to the handle. I like that he came prepared. “In you go, little guy.” He puts his kitten in the crate, then steps aside for me to slide the female in.
Closing the door, he turns to face me. “Thanks”
“My pleasure.” A burst of wind makes me shiver, but I’m not quite ready to go back inside yet. “Let me know if you need anything while you’re getting them settled.”
“Thanks,” he says again. An awkward silence stretches between us.
“So, see you Saturday?”
“Yep, see you then.”
“Okay, then, see you later.” I cringe at the number of ‘see yous’ and take a few steps backward, putting some distance between us.
Trevor rounds the truck and gets in, giving me a little wave as he backs out of his parking spot. I go inside to finish my shift feeling satisfied. A couple of kittens are exactly what Trevor needed, and I even get to visit them next weekend. Them and their charming new owner.
The more time I spend with Trevor, the more I like him. For the first time in a while, I try to imagine what my mother would say if I told her I was seeing someone. Undoubtedly, she would remind me of all the reasons why dating right now is not a good idea. And I think I might need to hear them because I can’t really remember any at the moment.