Chapter 6“It’s okay, Rufus.” The six-year-old girl clutched her kitten close against her chest. “I’ll look after you while Mommy’s away. Are you hungry?”
A gentle meow was taken for a “yes,” and she carried her pet into the kitchen, setting him down on the table.
“Oh, yuck.” She swatted at a big orange fur ball that escaped Rufus’s long, matted coat. She would brush him after he’s had his lunch, she decided. “You know Mommy doesn’t like a mess. It’s all right, though. I’ve got it.”
The little girl gathered up the stray hairs and crumpled them into a tight ball, making sure not one hair could escape. She threw her collection in the trash before climbing on top of the counter, reaching into a cabinet for a can of tuna.
“What a lucky kitty. Only one can left. We’ll have to tell Mommy you
