Chapter 5
Chapter Five
As she arranged the place setting at the dining table, she wondered if Sofia would even show up for dinner. She'd been so adamant about her independence, about not needing her services, but she’d cleaned her plate last night and this morning. It was a small victory, Nat supposed.
The sound of the front door opening jolted her from her thoughts and she plastered on her best professional smile, ready to greet Sofia with her usual cheerful, "Welcome back!
Dinner is ready whenever you'd like it." But the words died on her lips as Sofia stumbled through the door, holding. .. was that a kitten?
"Sofia?" Nat said, unable to keep the surprise from her voice. “What is…?"
Sofia looked up, her eyes wide with an emotion Nat couldn't quite place. Gone was her usual icy demeanor, replaced by something that looked almost like... concern?
"I found her on the drive," Sofia said, cradling the bundle of fur against her chest inside her open puffer jacket. "She was just sitting there, shivering. I don't understand how she ended up there."
Nat moved closer, peering at the little creature in Sofia's arms. The kitten was tiny, probably no more than a few weeks old. Its fur was a mottled mix of orange, black, and white - a calico. Its eyes - huge, round, and a brilliant shade of green that stood out against its bedraggled fur.
"Here." Sofia carefully handed the kitten to Nat. "Can you hold her? I need to have a shower and get changed but the kitten needs warmth - she's freezing and weak."
Before Nat could respond, she found herself with an armful of trembling kitten. Sofia was already shrugging off her jacket.
"I don't understand," she muttered, more to herself than to Nat. "Who would put a helpless little creature outside in the cold?"
As if in response, the kitten let out a pitiful mew, burrowing deeper into Nat's arms. She instinctively held it closer, feeling its heart racing against her chest.
“I don’t know. It must have escaped or something.
” Sofia paused in the middle of removing her boots, her eyes softening as she looked at the kitten.
To Nat's utter amazement, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of the kitten's head.
"It's okay, little one," she whispered, her voice so low Nat almost didn't catch it. "You're safe now."
Then, as quickly as the moment of tenderness had appeared, it vanished. Sofia straightened up, her face resuming its usual mask of cool detachment. "I'm going to shower and change," she announced, already heading for the stairs. "Keep her warm."
And just like that, Nat was left alone in the entryway, holding a shivering kitten and feeling like she'd just witnessed something she wasn't supposed to see.
She looked down at the tiny kitten in her arms. Now that she could see it properly, she realized just how small and fragile it was.
Its fur was matted and dull, clumped together in places from the cold and damp.
It couldn't have been more than a pound or two, its little body fitting easily in her hands.
"Hey there, little one," Nat murmured, stroking its head with her thumb. "Let's get you warmed up, huh?"
She went into the great room, settling into the armchair nearest to the fireplace.
The kitten was still trembling, but as the warmth from the fire washed over them, Nat felt it gradually begin to relax.
Its rigid posture slowly softened, and it nestled deeper into the crook of her arm, its paws kneading against her sweater.
As she sat there, gently petting the kitten and listening to its quiet purrs, she marveled at the unexpected turn the evening had taken.
Sofia Holloway, the ice queen who barely spared her a glance most of the time, had melted at the sight of this helpless creature.
It was like catching a glimpse of a completely different person - one with a heart capable of tenderness and concern.
The kitten's eyes were more alert now and darted around the room, taking in the new surroundings with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
"You're quite the little survivor, aren't you?" Nat said softly, scratching under its chin. It responded with a purr that seemed far too big for its body. "Where did you come from? Where’s your mum?"
Sofia reappeared, her wet hair pulled back in a messy bun and dressed in soft-looking loungewear.
"How is she?" Sofia asked, her eyes immediately going to the kitten in Nat's arms.
"A little better, I think. She's stopped shivering, at least. And she's been purring up a storm."
Sofia nodded, a flicker of relief passing over her face. She moved closer, perching on the edge of the coffee table across from Nat, her eyes never leaving the kitten.
"I can take her to my parents' house tonight," Nat offered, breaking the silence. "She can stay there until we've found the owner."
To her surprise, Sofia shook her head. "No, it's okay. She can stay here." Her brow furrowed. "But she needs food. Do you know anything about caring for kittens?"
Nat shook her head. "Not really. But we can look it up. She took her phone out of her pocket and started scrolling. "Based on her size and the fact that her eyes are open, she's probably around 3-4 weeks old. That's good - it means she's old enough to eat solid food, but we'll need to soften it."
“Good.” Sofia met her eyes. "Do we have any canned tuna?"
Nat nodded. "In the pantry. There should be some in water, not oil."
"Perfect," Sofia said, standing up. "I'll get it. Can you bring her to the kitchen?"
Nat followed Sofia, the kitten still nestled securely in her arms. “Here, you hold her. I know where to find it.”
Sofia took the kitten while Nat opened a can of tuna, drained off the water, and mashed it up.
"Okay," Nat said, turning to the kitten with the bowl in hand. "Let's see if she'll eat."
Sofia set the kitten down on the kitchen island, and Nat placed the bowl in front of it, and they both held their breath, waiting to see what would happen.
For a moment, the kitten just stared at the bowl, its little pink nose twitching as it sniffed the air. Then, hesitantly at first, it took a small step forward. It gave the mashed tuna a cautious lick, then another, and suddenly it was eating in earnest, its face practically buried in the bowl.
Nat laughed at its enthusiasm. "I guess she was hungry," she said, glancing up at Sofia.
Sofia smiled - a real, genuine smile that transformed her entire face. Her eyes were crinkled at the corners, and there was a softness to her expression. “Thank God,” she said. “That’s a relief. Poor little thing. I wonder how long she'd been out there."
Nat shook her head. "I don't know. But she's safe now, thanks to you."
"Yes, well," Sofia said, her voice regaining its usual coolness, "I couldn't very well leave her out there. She can sleep with me tonight so she’ll feel safe. If you could track down the owners tomorrow, that would be great."
"Of course not," Nat said, knowing that was easier said than done. What did she expect her to do? Go door knocking? The kitten was too young to be chipped, but perhaps the local vet had an idea. "Um, your dinner is ready, by the way. Whenever you're ready to eat."
Sofia glanced toward the dining room as if just remembering that dinner was a thing that existed.
"Right. Thank you." She hesitated, looking back at the kitten. "I think I’ll have my dinner upstairs and I’ll take her with me.” She rolled her eyes.
"I don’t know why I keep referring to her as a girl, it might be a boy. ”
"Well, I get a girl vibe from her too,” Nat admitted. “I’ll bring your dinner upstairs along with some water and food for…” She smiled. "I think she needs a name.”
Sofia nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "You're right. How about Moxie?"
"Moxie," Nat repeated, testing the name out. "I like it. It suits her."