Klinoa- How was mid-terms? Have you calmed down yet? All your questions will be answered. I am glad you picked up on one of the plots I have been sneaking in for awhile now.
Emador- Kylah and Buzzy muses peek around corner to see if your done shouting. Hear nothing, look at each other and shrug Yeah, just relax and everything will happen eventually. The 15th is almost here!
Lia06- Most drunk guys act goofy. I didn't mean for them to be gross, just silly.
Prettypinkcheer5-I love writing the boys being funny. Comedy scenes are fun to write.
Meadow567- Silky is a hilarious drunk. I enjoy writing him. Buzzy is sweet and more will be happening there soon.
Strangexbutxtrue- All will be explained in time. You're not forgetting anything, the name has come up a few times. And just stay tuned because more chances for Kylah to do something will be coming!
Monday
(TPPOV)
Craig walked to the back room of the locker room where Doc was checking out injuries and complaints from practice. Buzz was up on the table, complaining of a pulled muscle in his leg.
"How's he doing Doc?" Craig asked.
"He's just a little sore. He took a hard hit in practice. He'll be fine in a few days." Doc told Craig.
"That's good news. We have a game coming up. The Coneheads can't function with one of them injured." Craig smiled and patted Buzz's shoulder.
"I have to check Baker's wrist." Doc said and walked across the room.
"I heard you helped Kylah get home Saturday night." Craig said to Buzz.
"She tell you that?" Buzz asked, wondering where this talk was going.
"She can't remember anything. I heard it through the locker room grapevine." Craig said. "Thanks for looking out for her. She drinks a little too much sometimes."
"It was no big deal. Any one of the guys that was still sober would've done it." Buzz shrugged.
"Buzzy, I hope you stay friends with Kylah. She thinks the world of this team. And if you and Bah stopped being her friends it would really hurt her." Craig said.
Buzz took a deep breath. "You've got a great girl coach, I hope you know that." Buzz said.
"I do. I think she's like no other woman in the world." Craig said.
"Just be good to her. None of us on the team want to see her hurt." Buzz said.
"I will. You boys going to stay her friends?" Craig asked.
"I can't speak for all of them, but I will. And Verchota may chase her till his dying day for one thing or another." Buzz gave a small smile.
"He's a pistol, that's for sure." Craig chuckled. "Again, thanks for looking out for Kylah. Sometimes I think she just needs a little extra care."
(FPPOV)
"Kylah, that was a great dinner. I still say I am going to gain weight from eating so many meals you cook." Craig smiled as he helped me put dishes in the sink.
"Talk to Doc if you're that worried about it." I giggled. "Or ask Rizzo to cook for you. I hear stories good and bad about his meatballs."
"I hear those stories too. I'll stick to your cooking." Craig laughed. "So what are our plans for the rest of the evening?"
"I didn't have anything planned did you have something special in mind?" I asked.
"There is an old Laurence Olivier film on tonight. What do you say we turn it on and don't watch it?" Craig winked.
I giggled. "Sounds good….oh wait; it's not Rebecca is it? I love that movie."
"No, I knew it if it was Hitchcock, I'd be lonely while you stole the popcorn." Craig said.
"I don't steal the popcorn!" I giggled.
"Yes you do." Craig smiled.
"What channel is the movie supposed to be on?" I asked walking towards the TV.
"Channel 5 I think." Craig answered, sitting on the couch.
I turned on the TV and turned the knob to channel 5 where the news was finishing up and the movie was about to begin. I settled on the couch next to Craig and snuggled against his side.
"So should we would pretend to watch the movie for awhile?" Craig asked with a smirk.
"You mean, you had other intentions? I am shocked and appalled." I pretended to be upset.
"Ummmmm, no?" Craig tried looking innocent. He looked so cute that I burst out laughing.
"You're so cute sometimes." I told him and leaned forward and kissed him.
Just then there was a knock at my door.
"I just got her on the couch……it's a conspiracy for me to be teased to death." Craig sighed.
"I'll be right back, it may be important." I said and stood up as a second knock came.
"Kylah, open up!" Verchota yelled.
I hurried to my door and opened it. Verchota came rushing past me with a blanket rolled up in his arms. Janny was with him.
"Phil, what's going on?" I asked.
"Janny and I were getting ready to go out for the evening; we were pulling out of the parking lot, when I had to stop because this was crouched in the road." Verchota said. He opened the blanket and there was a tiny orange and white kitten inside the folds.
"And you didn't hit him? I am so proud of you!" I said. By this time Craig had walked over to see what was going on.
"Well I was going to drive around him, but Janny insisted that we help the kitten so it wouldn't get hurt." Phil said.
"I threatened to slap his head like you always do." Janny smiled.
"See, I knew I could be a good influence on these boys." I told Craig.
"Yeah, now we're acting like girls. Saving kittens….next we'll be braiding each other's hair and checking out guys in Wranglers." Verchota rolled his eyes.
I stomped on his foot. control your woman." Verchota said.
"Oh sure, when she does something bad, she's MY woman." Craig laughed.
"Here, let me see about the kitten." I said and took the blanket.
"Careful with that blanket, it's my lucky blanket." Verchota said.
"It helps you win hockey games?" Craig asked.
"No, it helps me get laid." Verchota said.
"You've had sex on that blanket, and I touched it?" Janny asked, starting to turn green.
"37 times!" Phil said proudly. "Don't worry; I wash it from time to time."
"Get that nasty thing out of my apartment." I yelled and held the kitten but dropped the blanket.
"What? I ain't got cooties." Phil said.
"Get that out of here." I said.
Verchota picked up his blanket and tossed it out in the hall. I shook my head and looked at the kitten. It was tiny, his eyes were barely open. He was thin and I could feel his spine. He was wet and shivering, his eyes full of matter.
"Craig, get me some towels from the bathroom, he's freezing. Boys, would you put you plans on hold for me and go to the store? I am going to need some things." I said.
"Sure, what do you need?" Janny said.
"Get something to write with, I have a list." I said.
Craig returned from my bathroom with some towels. "Kylah, do you know what you're doing?"
"I was raised in the country. I know how to take care of animals." I said and wrapped the kitten in a towel. "Janny, I need kitten food, make sure it says for kittens. I need Vitamin D milk, a litter box and litter and a scooper for it."
"What if he's not housebroken?" Craig asked.
"He's so little, that he'll be easy to train. It's an instinct for cats to dig and cover their business." I said.
"I'm in Dr. Doolittle." Verchota said.
"Also, I'll need an eyedropper, and a strong flea dip for cats. He's got fleas so bad he's bleeding." I said. "Make sure the bottle says for cats. Some things a dog uses will kill a cat."
"He has fleas? And he was in my blanket? I knew I should've run the little bastard over." Phil said.
I kicked him in the shins.
"Owwww, sorry Veterinarian Jenkins!" Verchota said.
"Your blanket will be fine. Wash it in hot water." I rolled my eyes. "Also Janny, buy a flea comb, a food/water bowl and some kitty toys. Cash is in my purse. Take what you need."
"I take all this to mean you're keeping this kitten?" Craig asked.
"Yes, I am going to keep the little guy. He needs a home and I love animals. Besides, I haven't had a kitty since I was in high school." I said.
"We'll be back soon." Janny said.
"Please hurry. I am going to have to start cleaning him now. He's got maggot eggs in his fur. If they hatch they'll start eating at him. He's very lucky you found him when you did." I said.
Phil made a face, but followed Janny out of my apartment. Craig walked up to me.
"Craig, would you get that extra bucket I keep under my sink and fill it with warm water?" I asked.
Craig nodded and went to my sink. "You're something else, you know that?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The boys brought you a kitten because they didn't know what to do with it. And you just take charge and know what to do." Craig said.
"Oh, it's no big deal. Anyone could do the same thing." I shrugged.
"I wouldn't know the first thing to do for a kitten. I'd have called Doc…..maybe Pavelich. Pav seems to like animals." Craig said.
"Well, back home I used to rescue every stray animal that came around. Cats, dogs….I once rescued a goat and some chickens." I giggled.
"What?"
"The people who lived down the road a bit from us moved away and left their goat behind. I was worried she'd starve or become dinner, so I walked 2 miles down the road and put a leash on her and walked her the two miles home. Daddy laughed so hard when I came walking down the road leading a goat." I explained. "She was a little nanny. I named her Ray-Ray. I kept her for a year. Then one of the local farmers bought her so he could breed her. I made him promise he wouldn't butcher her."
"And the chickens?" Craig asked, bringing me the water.
"They kinda just appeared one day. They were squawking by the road on day late in May. From the size of them, we assumed somebody had given their kids chicks for Easter and then didn't want them when they got bigger. So I shooed them down the driveway and my family helped me build them a pen. I still have my old rooster. Daddy promised to take care of him when I left to come up here." I said.
"You didn't eat them?" Craig asked, as I gently submerged the kitten in water to warm him up and get the maggot eggs off him.
"Of course not, they were my pets. Besides, my daddy loved having the fresh eggs all the time." I said.
"You're so cute. If you had a farm, you couldn't eat anything because you'd be too attached to them." Craig laughed.
"This little kitten is very weak. Either his mother was neglecting him or she wasn't producing enough milk. I'm going to have to feed him with an eyedropper for a few days until he gets strong enough to drink on his own." I explained.
"Are you sure it's a little boy kitten?" Craig asked.
I turned the kitten over and moved his tail. "Yeah, it's a little boy….those are unmistakable."
"That water is bloody." Craig said.
I looked and the water in the bucket was bloody. My hands were covered in bloody water.
"Yeah, he's got so many fleas on him and they've bitten him so much……it happens. That's part of what's making him weak." I explained.
"I'm sure he'll be okay now. You're going to be such a good little mommy for him." Craig smiled and kissed my cheek. "You're a very nurturing person."
"Thanks." I said. "I hope the boys hurry. I want to get him cleaned up, warmed up and something in his little belly."
"I take it I'll now have competition for your attention?" Craig laughed.
"Only from the kitten……and John Schneider and Tom Wopat once a week." I giggled and kissed Craig.
There was a knock at the door. Craig answered it. It was Ramsey, Pavelich and Rizzo.
"Come on in boys. What's the problem?" I asked.
"Not a problem. We heard that Verchota found a kitten for you, nothing else going on……and Silk has locked himself in the bathroom with a magazine." Rizzo said.
"Say no more. Take a seat and stay as long as you like!" I said
About that time, Janny and Verchota came in the door carrying several bags.
"I had no idea one little kitten needed so much junk." Verchota said.
"We could've got out of there a lot sooner if you hadn't kept trying to get the cashier's number." Janny told him.
"She was hott." Phil said.
"And then that story you launched into." Janny rolled his eyes.
"What story?" I asked. "Craig bring me the flea shampoo."
"The cashier noticed we're buying a lot of cat stuff and asked us about it. So Philly here, goes into some big story about how he had just rescued a little kitten and was worried sick about it and how just loved cats." Janny explained as I started shampooing the kitten.
"I thought if I appeared sensitive, it'd better my chances." Verchota said.
"Anything we can do to help?" Pavelich asked.
"You know how to set up a litter box?" I asked.
"That's easy, sure I will." Pav said.
"Thanks. Put it in my bathroom. Craig would you start warming him up some milk. Same temperature as you would for a baby." I said.
"I don't know what temperature babies drink." Craig said.
"I do. I come from a big family." Rizzo said. "I'll do it."
"Thanks Rizzo." I said.
"Is that killing the fleas?" Craig asked.
"Yeah, I see dead ones floating in the water." I said. "Rammer, go in my bathroom and get me a bunch of q-tips and a bottle of peroxide."
"What for?" Verchota asked.
"To clean out his ears. They're full of flea matter." I said.
"Kylah, you're in the wrong field. You should've been a vet." Janny said.
"Craig, go see if any of the boys have boric acid. I'll need to clean out his eyes. They're infected where he was in the wet weeds so long." I said.
"I have some, I'll get it." Craig said.
"One little cat and it's a group effort." Verchota said.
"Hey if you'd rather go wait for Silky to get out of the bathroom, be my guest." I said.
Phil made a face. "No thanks.
Craig walked back in. "So what are you going to name this little guy?" Craig asked.
"He's so cute….I'm going to call him Smokey." I said.
Verchota raised his eyebrows and leaned over to Craig. "Is it me or is that an orange and white cat?"
"He doesn't have any black or gray on him?" Rizzo said from the stove.
"Smokey like the Smokey Mountains back home." I explained.
"Smokey the orange and white cat." Verchota looked skeptical.
I lifted the kitten out of the bucket and wrapped him in a clean towel. I started to dry him off.
"What are you going to do with him when we have to travel for games?" Ramsey asked, returning from the bathroom.
"Herb has kids I am sure would love to kitty-sit." I said. "Thank you Phil for not hurting him or leaving him behind."
"Are you kidding? If I didn't help him and you found out…Pavelich would have to take me to the hospital to get my stick out of my ass!" Verchota said.
"You know it!" I smiled. "Come on Smokey, Rizzo got your milk. Where's the eyedropper?"