The Kitten Rescue

14

"What a night this is. The sun is glinting off the rearview mirror in my ebony Toyota truck. Earlier today in the school at the nurse's station, I had this kid with a sick stomach. He couldn't move very much without throwing up. Don't know why he was sent to school. He had a raging temperature, chills, had a pounding headache, and was sick to his stomach. And his parents still had him come to school. I recommended he stayed home tomorrow.

Tonight the kids are going to be at the sitters, so you and I can go out. We are supposed to meet with your brother and his fiancée, Yukina, to discuss wedding plans. It is neat they are planning to marry on Valentine's Day. That is my birthday, and they are getting married on that day. That is so sweet they do that. My guess, Shiz, you planned that. You know how to manipulate a schedule. And of course Kazuma is going along with it, why argue with you? Plus he is so much in love with Yukina, you could have said tomorrow, and they would be at the chapel at a moment's notice.

Ah man, I left the school in such a hurry, that I didn't have time to stop in the restroom. I really have to go. Out on the road, there really isn't a good place to pull over, plus the street is very busy. Pressing my legs together real tight is all I can do for now. The gas tank is reading a quarter full. Not that that is a big deal, but I will have to fill up when I get to town. Oh I can't stand it anymore, I have to pull over, now. If I don't now, it won't look very impressive for a 300-year-old demon fox to explain a huge dark stain on the front of his pants to his wife. Oh good, up ahead I do believe I see a bridge overpass. I pull my truck to the side of the road and open the door. I remove the key from the ignition and slam the door quickly. Hastily I push the button on the keypad to lock the doors and slide down the embankment. Under the bridge, there is only a small creek bed and the mouth of a covert, where the stream is trickling from. This will have to do. My eyes scan the area, making sure nobody can see me. Quickly I unfasten my pants, and just in time, all that coffee I drank earlier can finally leak out. It's funny that the problems of the day seem to pass away from your system when you make water. And boy am I, this is taking awhile. I feel like Niagara Falls, dumping out all this water.

Maybe I shouldn't have had fifteen cups of coffee, but it was about all that seemed to keep me awake, aside from that kid puking in my office. Sakura is going through her first cold, so she is especially cranky, so I am being kept awake at night. Man, I need to shake this off and get back to the truck. Finally, I think have hit the world record for the most time spent peeing. Not that I feel honored, but feeling empty is just as good. And thankfully nobody saw me, which would be embarrassing.

I quickly fasten my pants and head towards the truck. Ah damn it; there is a cop car behind it. Shit, I am already having a rough day, last thing I need is a ticket. I can see her, standing next to the truck. A slender blond haired girl standing at about 5' 4" leans her back against the truck bed; her long hair pulls into a ponytail; her body is covered in an indigo blue uniform. She had a gold badge pinned to her left breast pocket. The glare of the dying sun dances across the face of the badge; nearly blinding me. The officer looks directly at me with baby blue eyes, as we make eye contact.

'Sir, this is your truck, correct?'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'Is there a reason you left it vacant? It can't be parked here.'

'I have a reason; I had to pull over to go to the bathroom. That's what I was doing down in that covert. I made sure I was out of sight of other motorists.'

'That seems reasonable, sir. I will let you pass on that one. When you have to go, you have to go. I too had to stop onetime in the middle of nowhere to take a leak. At least you are a man; I have to find a place to sit. Next time though, go to a gas station, because there are thieves that would steal that beautiful truck of yours.'

'I know about that, I have it power-locked.' I press my fingers over the button on the keypad. As I unlocked the doors, I felt a thunderous rumble barreling from behind us. I grab onto the officer's body, picking her up in my arms. With her body nestled next to mine, I dodge back down the embankment.

'Sir, what are you doing, are you wanting to get in trouble with me?' she protests. A huge black Dodge truck is speeding towards her squad car. I catch the actions of an overweight bald-headed man, tossing something thick and round into the cab of the car. Then we see him back up and ram the car into the guardrail. Bits of debris are flung at us; quickly I cover my body over hers. The Dodge misses my truck and proceeds down the street.

'Isn't that a hit-and-run?' I ask her.

'Yes, I need to report this. Out of my way.'

I follow her back to the car. Quickly I find the object on the seat of the car. I find it inside a paper sack, the bottom of bag feeling rather soaked. I emerge from the smashed cab, with the sack in my hands. As soon as I peek inside, my face suddenly drains. In the bag I see in horror at a beautiful white Persian cat, its stomach distended and very corpulent. My guess is the cat is a female and very pregnant, she is about to deliver her babies. I noticed her tail stretched out as if in the middle of a contraction. The mother herself seems however like she is fading away. Her fur is soaked in her own blood; her heartbeat is faint and her breathing is becoming labored.

How could that guy do this to her? What warrants an owner to drive them to mistreat an animal like this, especially to a pregnant female? 'Officer,' I yell out, 'come see this.'

The policewoman races over to me, shouting into her cell phone to her department.

'What is this?' she snapped, 'Miko, Miko, we have an animal cruelty here. Apparently the suspect has tossed his cat into the car, trying to kill it. It is in a brown grocery bag bleeding badly.'

'It gets better,' I inform her, 'This cat is pregnant and is getting ready to give birth.'

Suddenly the site of the battered kitty makes my stomach convulse. 'Ma'am, can you hold this cat for me? I am going to be sick.' I give the cat to the officer and rush straight over to the gravel edge; my hand clamped tightly to my mouth. Bending over the ground on all fours, my stomach contracts as my throat lures forward towards the mouth, spilling my digested lunch out onto the ground. My main guess to this reaction is my burning anger towards that bastard who did this to such an innocent animal.

'Do you feel better?' she asked in concern, offering me a napkin.

'I do now,' I reassure her, taking the napkin. I remain bent over, letting the bits of vomit drip from my mouth. Collecting myself, I stand back up, wiping my mouth off. 'You want to know the odd thing, I am a doctor. I am used to the sight of blood and body fluids. That is not what is making me squeamish. It's that poor cat that has gotten to me. Her pathetic condition, the way that guy treated her that made me sick. She deserves better than that.'

'Hey doc, it makes me sick too. I have a pregnant cat at home myself. She is eight weeks along as well. I just couldn't bear harming her, she's my baby,' the officer sighs, wiping tears from her eyes. She glances at me, biting her lip as hard as she can, fighting the urge to cry. I wrap my arms around her. Her fight against her emotions overcomes her. 'By the way she looks; she is not going to survive. Why would someone do this, to a pregnant animal, no less? First the mama is going to die, then her babies,' she sniffles, her words flooded with tears from a breaking heart.

'I think we can save the babies. Will you help me?' I suggest her, as she pulls away from me. She nods her head, tears pouring down her cheeks. I dash back to my truck and open the passenger door. Snatching my green, waterproof duffle bag, I slam the door quickly and hurry back to the kitty and the officer, who is sitting cross-legged on the ground. Her shirt becomes so sodden with the cat's blood. Little do we notice a small crowd of cars gathering around us, other motorists looking at the officer holding the body of the dying kitty mother.

'Instead of making her deliver the babies, since she will die anyways, what I am going to do is open up her stomach and remove the babies. What I want you to do is once they are out, is make sure they are breathing and alive. See this blue bulb; use that to draw the mucus away from the baby's airway. I have plenty of those bulbs; a doctor can never have too many, by the way,' I announce to the crowd gathering around the cop and I, 'If you hear the baby squeak, it is alive. I have a set of little pint bottles with nipples filled with breast milk. Reason I have these is because at the moment my wife and I have a nursing baby at home and sometimes I take over her care. When these kittens come out, they will need to eat right away. A baby this small can starve to death easily. I know I only have human milk, but at least it is something for them to eat. A reason we have to feed the babies, the mother is unable to, due to her current condition. I have a strong feeling she is going to die very soon. If we were at a vet, I would say maybe she has a chance, but out in the middle of nowhere, her fate is sealed.'

'So, what are you going to do?' inquires a dark-haired man standing behind me.

I take out a scalpel from my bag. 'Ma'am, would you lay the cat on her back. Make sure you have her laying flat.'

'The name is Akita, Akita Moto.'

'Wow, I knew a girl named Akita one time. She was in my Junior High class. She looked a bit like you, except she was overweight. I felt sorry for her, there was a clique of girls picking on her, calling her...'

'Fatty Aki,' the cop interrupts, 'I remember that. And they were right, I was fat. But that wasn't the half of it. I was depressed, I had no friends. But I do remember this wonderful boy who didn't care what I looked like. He was sweet to me. Sometimes I would sit under a tree, crying my eyes out. He would sit beside me, hugging me until the tears stopped. Just like the way you did a few minutes ago. In fact, you look like him. You have the same colored eyes and the same long red hair.' I hear her voice slip into tears.

I smile at her, and then turn my attention to the cat. 'Okay, what I am going to do is take this scalpel and slice along the cat's belly. I have to warn you, this is a very bloody procedure. If anybody here is squeamish about the sight of blood, please look away now. If you feel the need to vomit, because you see something gross, go ahead but stand away from others to do it. I am now opening her belly.'

I slice the belly open, finding a very enlarged uterus. I hear Akita sighing very big, swallowing gulps of air. 'Are you feeling okay?' I ask her, noticing her face becoming pinked. Her throat lures forward, acting like she was going to hurl.

'No, will you excuse me?' she tears over to the guardrail, spilling her guts over the side of the bridge. I wave to an old woman standing to right of where Ms. Moto had been. 'Are you able to handle this?'

'Certainly, young man, I have done this before. When I was a little girl, I lived on a farm where we bred cows. I remember having to be up at midnight or so, helping one of our heifers give birth.'

I watch Akita walking back towards our small gathering, wiping the puke from her mouth. 'How are you feeling? Maybe you shouldn't be over here if this is making you sick.'

'It's not that, I am feeling much better. I am fine with this procedure. You know I told you earlier my cat was having babies; she's not the only one. My husband and I also found out we are expecting a baby. I am also eight weeks pregnant. That was just morning sickness, only I have it in the evening around dinnertime.'

'Now you see this womb, what I am going to do is gently cut it open,' I inform as I operate, 'I want to do it gently because if I rush, I may end up hurting or killing one of the babies, and I want to have everyone out unharmed and alive. Now that the uterus is open, I am going to reach in... and I've got one kitten. And he is coming out now.'

I pick up the tiny baby and lift its tail. 'I stand corrected; this first one is a girl. Akita, will you take her and take the bulb I gave you and start sucking out the mucus. Be very careful, she is fragile. While Officer Moto is doing this, I want another volunteer to stand ready for the next baby. You will do what she is doing. Like I said I have a case of blue bulbs. Old Miss, you said you've had experience, right?'

'Name's Muriel. Yes, I will assist you.'

'Sorry ma'am about the old part, didn't mean to insult.'

'That's all right, no need to apologize.'

'Right now I have another kitten in my hands. Aw, we have a little boy this time. Oh and he's alive,' I announce, listening to him squeak. 'Akita, how's the girl one doing?'

'Oh she's fine. She just peed on my shirt. She is a very naughty girl,' Akita smirks, looking the baby in her closed eyes.

'Is she breathing? I see her squirming. She is no doubt looking for a teat. Once a kitten is out, they get hungry quickly. Now look in my bag. Do you see a bottle? It's clear with a little pink nipple, and it's filled with white milk. Glide the nipple gently into the kitten's mouth. There you go, now just let her suckle. Don't force her to drink, she could also choke. Now I know you said you have a cat about to have her own litter. Unless I miss my guess, she is starting to lactate. After we are done here, would it be all right if you give these kitties to her to raise? She will have a better diet to give them. We humans can only do so much.'

'Of course, I'll be happy to take them. More mouths to feed, but we can manage.'

'How many have we got?' I wonder.

'Wow,' chimes Muriel, 'we have six. Six kittens, and it's an even split, three boys and three girls. All are doing well.'

'Thank you, Mama, you have done well.' I check back over the mother, petting her fluffy fur. Her skin has a sudden coldness about it. I run my hand over her mouth and nose, the nose feels like sandpaper and her breath is gone. I take off my jacket, and lay it across the cat's body.

'What's wrong, doctor?' asked Akita.

My voice becomes silent. For a moment I say nothing, instead I kneel on the ground beside the cat's covered body. 'She's gone,' is all I manage to whisper, tears rolling down my cheeks. 'The mama cat is with the angels in Spirit World, there is nothing I can do for her now.' 'Mama if I had gotten to you sooner you might too would have had a chance. You are such a beautiful cat, why would anyone want to harm you? You didn't deserve to die.' I feel my heart dying inside, crashing to the ground beside the poor cat's body.

Akita kneels beside me, holding one of the female kittens asleep in one of her arms. 'Hey, hey come on. You did your best. You were the one who found her and brought her babies into the world. Had you not acted the way you did, the kittens would be dead too. You know she isn't completely gone; we have six pieces of her to take home. Six little kittens that are in need of a good home. She would be proud of you for ensuring their survival.' With her free arm, the officer embraces me, holding my head against her shoulder. She rubs my back with her arm.

After a while of holding me, Akita snags her fingers in my hair. As she tries to free her hand, half of my tail went with the fingers. I reach from behind and draw the hair band out of its hold. Akita glances at me, watching my hair fall down my back and hug my shoulders. Her eyes widen, her free hand grasps onto mine, preventing me from repairing the do.

'Oh my gosh, you are him. I recognize you now. That face, that hair, the way you had it careless and windblown. I remember you. You were that boy that sat beside me. That boy that loved me for who I was, not what I looked like. You were that boy that would rush to my defense when others would put me down. You are that boy, Shuuichii. Looks like you traded that fuchsia school uniform for a doctor's uniform.' She hugs me one more time. 'I've missed you, what has happened to you in all these years?' I tell her the whole story about my life. I tell her about you, about the kids. I show her photos in my wallet. She tells me about her life, how she lost weight. How she got into law enforcement, she now works for the city. Who she fell in love with and married. She married Sakyo Moto, a captain of the Japanese Navy, who is currently stationed in Hawaii, working with the American Navy."

"So that's why you stood me up for dinner, you and that cop girl saved those kitties. What happened to the guy who killed that cat mom?" Shizuru asks me.

"They caught him down the road. There was a barricade waiting for him. He was placed under arrest for animal cruelty and abuse. They are holding him in jail until his hearing. I was correct in assuming he was the cat's owner. Actually it was his girlfriend's cat. She broke up with him, so to punish her he kidnapped her cat and was going to kill it. Akita is going to give her a kitten out of compassion. And if you want, we can keep one or two," I reply. I bite my lip, trying not to cry. The tears drip past my cheeks.

"Of course, we can have one or two. I know how much you wanted to save their mother. It's only right that we get one of those kittens you saved. I would like to see them," she agrees, wiping the tears out of my eyes.

"I am sorry I stood you up. I missed our dinner date with your brother."

"That's okay, you are a good doctor. We can reschedule the date, that is no problem. When someone's life is on the line, that comes first. You are a loving, caring person. You put others lives before your very own, even sacrifice yourself for them. You are a savior in people's lives. This is one of the reasons I married you, I fell in love with your golden heart. You are a great husband and a good father. For all these spoken reasons and for the unspoken reasons, I love you, Shuu." Her words touch my heart, covering it in such warmth; a fleece quilt would be less than enough.