The Cat Who Chose Me

Chapter 3: The First Morning

In the morning, my eyes opened, but the room was colder. The yellow light of the night was gone, and a pale, white morning light was coming from the small window. It was now bright outside. I could hear sounds in the street. A bicycle bell was ringing. Someone was sweeping their door.

I sat up on the charpoy. I looked down. She was there. On my old blue blanket. Curled into a ball. But her eyes were open. She was looking at me. As if saying, "Are you awake? How long will you sleep?"

I smiled. For the first time in many days, I woke up with a smile in the morning.

"So you are awake?" I whispered.

She moved her ears. She didn't understand. But she lifted her head a little.

I quickly removed the blanket. The floor was cold from under the charpoy. Very cold. But strangely, until last night, this cold felt like mine. Today it felt different. I looked closely at her. Her shivering had stopped completely at night. Now she was feeling warm. Slightly warm. The wounds on her body, which looked dirty at night, now looked clean in the morning light. And clear.

I felt angry again. Who can hit such a small life?

Just then, Ammi's voice came from outside.

"Abdullah? Are you awake? Breakfast is getting cold."

I got scared. What if Ammi comes into the room and sees her?

I quickly said, "Yes Ammi, just two minutes."

She got scared by my voice and pulled her ears back. She thought I was scolding her.

I gently patted her head. "Don't be scared. Stay here. I'll be right back."

I opened the door slightly and went out. Ammi was in the kitchen. She was making roti.

"What were you doing in the kitchen at night?" Ammi asked without even looking. Her hand was on the roti.

My heart sank. So Ammi had seen me at night.

"That... milk..." I tried to speak.

Ammi looked at me, wrapped in her chadar. "You heated the milk? For that cold cat?"

I was stunned. How did Ammi know?

Ammi smiled slightly. "I had come downstairs to drink water at night. I saw you taking the plate. And your old broken plate."

"Ammi I... the street is cold... she is small..."

Ammi said nothing. She just took the roti off the tawa.

"She will die if she stays outside. In the cold of Multan, small kittens don't survive," Ammi said. "But don't make the house dirty. And you will have to show her to a doctor. I don't know where she came from."

I couldn't believe it. Ammi had agreed.

"Thank you, Ammi," I said.

"Thank me later. First have breakfast. And heat some more milk for her too. But don't add too much water this time. Yesterday's was too diluted."

I laughed. Ammi had seen everything.

I took two plates to my room. One for me, a paratha, one for her in her small steel plate, a little milk and a small piece of roti.

She was still sitting there. As if waiting for me.

"Here, Ammi sent this. Now you are a guest of the house," I said.

College time was coming. 8 o'clock. For the last two years, going to college felt like a burden. No friends. No one understands. Just attendance and back. But today for the first time, I felt like I want to come back home quickly.

I looked at her. She had finished the milk. And was cleaning her face with her paws.

"I'm going to college. You stay here. Don't go outside. There are dogs in the street," I said. As if she would understand.

She looked at me. There was more shine in her eyes today than yesterday.

I stood up. My feet got stuck in the old blanket. I went towards the door. I looked back. She got up and started coming behind me. Her small nails were getting stuck in the old blanket.

"No, stay here," I waved my hand.

She didn't stop. She sat down. She looked sad.

I felt bad. But going was necessary.

Outside the street was still cold. The sun was out but it was weak. I wore my jacket and left for college.

In college, the whole time I kept thinking of her. Will she be okay? Will Ammi take care of her? Will she get scared and hide in some corner again?

In the last lecture, I couldn't sit at all. Sir was writing something. I was just looking out of the window at the outside.

As soon as the bell rang, I quickly went outside. I cycled fast. In the streets of Multan, cold wind was blowing. But today the cold didn't feel bad.

I opened the door of the house and a sound was coming from inside. Ammi's voice and... a soft meow.

I quickly went to my room.

Ammi was sitting in my room. She was sitting near that blanket. And that small cat was in Ammi's lap. Ammi was stroking her neck.

"Ammi?"

Ammi looked at me. "Look, there is a mark on her neck. Someone had tied her with a string, maybe. That's why she was so scared."

She was sitting completely peacefully in Ammi's lap. Eyes closed. As if she was at peace.

"She got more attached to me than to you," Ammi said. "Since morning she has been following me to the kitchen."

I started laughing. And a little jealous too. At night she was scared of me, now she was with Ammi.

Ammi stood up to go. "Think of a name for her. It won't work like this, just calling her 'billi billi'."

A name? I had never thought of it.

I sat down on the floor. I took her out of Ammi's lap and brought her near me. Now her steps were less fearful. She slowly came to my feet. And sat down clinging to my feet. Curled into a ball.

Her body was touching my feet. Slightly warm. Her shivering was completely gone.

I slowly put my hand on her back. She didn't get scared. In fact, she came even closer.

That day I felt a strange feeling. For the last two years I used to think I am alone in this city. I have no friends in college. No one understands me at home. Life is just going on. But today... for the first time it felt like someone needs me. And I need someone.

Outside, the cold wind of Multan was blowing. Dogs were barking in the street. But in my small room, under this old blue blanket, there were two of us. Me and my little guest.

She was in deep sleep. Her small stomach was going up and down as she breathed. And I was awake, scared that my movement might disturb her sleep.

This was our first morning together. And I had no idea that this small cat, which I had picked up from the cold street, would become the biggest lesson of my life. That a real home is not made of bricks, but of love.

End of Chapter 3

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