Sammy & Ilna - I love our chats and love you both. Sammy thanks for your input on this one and Ilna thanks for the language check.
REAL McRollers - thanks again for being awesome - we are all looking forward to Angie's first birthday and hope you are, too!
Fixed
"Knock, knock," Catherine whispered at the doorway to Kaitlyn and Casey's room. "How's the patient?"
The pre-teen smiled from her position on the floor next to her bed and ran a gentle finger over her cat's back. "He's being such a brave boy. Doctor Betty said he did great." Her eyes brightened with pride for the once tiny kitten she'd rescued and fallen in love with. "He even ate a little before we picked him up and he's been taking a nap."
Just then, Midnight opened his eyes and yawned. Looking at Catherine, who'd kneeled beside Kaitlyn, he flexed both front paws, stretched languidly, if a little cautiously, and resumed his nap.
Kaitlyn touched the shiny black fur again softly. "You don't …" She worried her lip. "You don't think it hurts a lot, do you? Doctor Betty said he may be a little quieter for today and tomorrow and to keep him nice and calm so he doesn't get too sore."
Catherine smiled at the empathy that flowed from the young girl. "I don't think he's too uncomfortable at all, sweetie. He's in his cat bed on top of your bed and his very favorite person is taking such good care of him, I'm sure he's just tired from his surgery and the medicine the vet used so he'd sleep through the procedure." She leaned over to squeeze Kaitlyn's hand. "I'm also sure he's very happy to be home."
"Kaitlyn!" Jacob whisper yelled, caught himself, and lowered his voice to an actual whisper before popping his head into his sisters' room. "Ooops, I mean Kaitlyn … Mom said Aunt Catherine … hey! You're here already!" He moved slowly in response to Catherine's 'be gentle' gesture and wrapped her in a hug. "Hi."
"Hi, Jacob. I was a little early so I came to bring Midnight a get well present." She lifted a small bag and passed it to Kaitlyn, who kneeled upright and grinned. "It's from Cammie and the rest of us, too." She winked.
"Ohhh," Kaitlyn pulled a cat-dancer toy and two fuzzy yarn mice out of the bag before catching Catherine in a hug. "Thank you!" She giggled. "And thank Cammie and Uncle Steve and Angie." She showed Midnight before putting the presents into a craft paper decorated shoe box that was clearly a feline toy box. "These are for when you feel better." She bent and kissed him and he pressed his head against her cheek before resuming his snooze.
Looking at her brother, she said, "Do you wanna pet him? The vet said not to overwhelm him but you can say hi and pet him."
"I won't … wait, what's overwhelm?" Jacob asked, and when Catherine explained, he grinned and touched the cat with exaggerated care, even more gently than he'd been taught.
Catherine smiled, as he said, "I'm glad you're home, Midnight, I missed you. While you were gone, Cody explained again how after your operation you'd be fine and it's important 'cause now you can't make babies if you ever got out by accident. There's too many cats with no humans on the island, and they can get sick, or hurt and be fer … feral." He beamed when he remembered the correct word. "Right, Kaitlyn?" He repeated what he'd learned many months before when he accompanied her on the shelter visit.
"Right." She nodded and looked at Catherine. "And he's got a microchip now like Scout. Grace told us all about them, so now that Midnight's got one if he ever got lost by accident or anything, it has my name and Mom's phone number on it."
"That's a good idea. Cammie and Smokey have them, too. When they moved here Aunt Elizabeth made sure to call the microchip company and change the address in their files."
Jacob eyed the dozing feline curiously. "Where's he got it?"
"Between his shoulders," his sister explained.
"Did it hurt?"
"Not at all." Catherine ran a hand over his head affectionately. "He was sleeping for his little operation anyway, so the vet just did that, too. It's really tiny, like a grain of rice. Cammie was awake and she didn't even flinch when she got hers."
"Cammie's brave like you and Uncle Steve," Jacob said with a nod. "Hey, I have an idea!"
What, sweetie?"
"How about instead of us goin' to the library today, we can stay here and I can read one of my new books to you and Midnight. Mom and Cody always read to me when I don't feel good."
"Awww, thanks, Jacob." Kaitlyn leaned over to hug her brother. "That's really nice. Is it okay, Aunt Catherine? I think Midnight would love a story." She turned to the cat. "Wouldn't you like a nice story, baby?"
The cat stood, circled in the new plush cat bed that Casey and Cody had bought him from Jirou's store when he outgrew the kitten sized one, and nuzzled his human's face and neck before settling down to wash his face, prompting Catherine to say, "I think that's a yes. Why don't you go get a book or two, Jacob, and we can read right here."
"I'll be right back!" was tossed over his shoulder as he flew towards his own room just as Jenna entered Kaitlyn's while calling, "Walking feet" to her youngest with a grin.
"Catherine, let me grab a folding chair…" she began, but was waved off.
"Don't be silly, I'm perfectly comfy right here." She settled with her back against the side of the bed as Kaitlyn climbed up next to Midnight and put one arm protectively around the kitty bed which she'd placed at the foot of her own. "Jacob offered to skip the library and stay here to read to Midnight," She smiled at her friend's proud look.
"Well, then, since Cody and Casey are at work and Dylan went out on the boat with Uncle Chin and his cousins, how about we have pizza and stay in?"
Kaitlyn's eyes left the cat and turned gratefully to her mom. "Can we? I know we were gonna go for pizza just us tonight while Jacob was with Aunt Catherine, but I hate to leave Midnight. I know he's doing okay, but what if he doesn't feel good and he's all alone?"
Jenna joined her daughter on the bed, sitting gingerly so as not to disturb the furry member of the family. "We absolutely can. And now your brother and Aunt Catherine can join us." She kissed Kaitlyn's head and pushed up to stand. Straightening her tank top and holding a finger to her lips as Jacob came into the room, she said, "Nice and quiet, okay, honey? We're all going to have pizza for dinner so I'm going to call for delivery."
"I got one about a kid who talks to animals. Want me to wait?" Jacob held up his book, The Case of the Beagle Burglar.
"You start and I'll call. I've read that great story with you, but Midnight hasn't." She turned to Catherine who was settling Jacob next to her. "Did I hear you say Steve was coming to pick you up? Why don't you call and tell him to bring Angie and have dinner? Should I order one pepperoni and one plain?"
"Yeah. Carrie's car air conditioner died. She dropped me here and borrowed my car until tomorrow. Steve is picking up Angie at Mom and Dad's. He was going to come to the library with me and Jacob and hang out with Angie." Catherine smiled at the family's grinning vegetarian. "And just plain cheese pizza is fine. Why don't I trea…"
"No, no, it's our treat, right kids?"
"Right!" Jacob agreed. "Hey, can Angie have some of my pizza?"
"She can. We just have to cut it up very tiny."
"That's so she doesn't choke, right?"
"Exactly right." She grinned.
"Cool. Maybe she'll say my name if I give her some."
Jenna chuckled. "You can try, honey, but babies say what they want when they're ready. And some names and letters are harder, remember?" She kissed his head before swiping her phone to call for takeout.
He nodded vigorously. "I know. And it doesn't mean Angie loves Cody more than us, just cause she said his name first."
"That's absolutely true," Catherine reiterated, even though Jacob didn't seem upset in the least. He was just anxious to hear Angie say his name. "Actually…" She pulled out her phone. "I'm going to text Steve that we're having pizza so he should come back here with the baby."
After dinner, Steve helped Jacob take out the garbage while Kaitlyn went with Catherine to change Angie before the ride home.
As they re-entered the house Jacob put his arms out and spun in two circles before stopping and looking up. "Hey, Uncle Steve?"
"Yeah, buddy?" He was still smiling at how the youngster wanted to carry the giant bags himself since his brothers weren't home, only acquiescing when Uncle Steve offered to take them out 'as a team'.
"I'm happy Midnight's home and I was thinkin' …" He tilted his face further up to look at Steve. "Casey's friend said don't worry about him and he'd be fine 'cause he was just getting fixed like her dog." His brow scrunched in thought. "But Midnight didn't break anything to be fixed and Mom said the vet did a procedure so he won't make lots of kittens." He hopped in place from one foot to the other before climbing up on the sofa next to Steve.
Just then Catherine and Jenna returned to the living room, having tucked Midnight and his very attentive nurse in for the evening.
Sensing the question a split second before it left her son's lips, Jenna smirked as Jacob asked, "So, Uncle Steve, how'd they fix it so Midnight doesn't make babies?"
Steve blanched slightly and looked between the boy who was watching him and his wife before Jenna chuckled.
"How about you and I talk about that once you're ready for bed? Uncle Steve and Aunt Catherine need to get Angie home."
At Jacob's nod, Catherine stifled a snort at Steve's relieved expression. She stepped up close and handed him the baby before kissing his cheek.
Grinning mischievously as she grabbed her purse and the diaper bag, she saw him shake his head before she uttered the phrase he knew was coming. Even if they lived a hundred years and it was Angie's grandkids asking a similar question, that look on his face would never get old.
"You.
Are.
Adorable."
# End. Thanks for reading!
Jacob read The Case of the Beagle Burglar by Nancy E. Krulik to Midnight
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