Primoday, Bertzia 4th 067.M42
So… I think I've been adopted by a cat. I was walking home from work yesterday afternoon and as I got to the alley next to my hab block, I heard this… squeaking. It sounded like someone pinching the neck of a balloon and letting the air out, honestly. Just this little peeping sound, I nearly didn't hear it over the sound of the traffic. But lucky for her I did. This little black and white… thing was just huddled up next to a box just in the mouth of the alley. She was covered in grime, I think she got caught in a hivepour, those are unpleasant at the best of times, not least of which when you're a tiny little puffball of fur and meeps. I couldn't just leave her there, and she was so willing to climb up into my hands when I offered them to her. I thought I could clean her up and dry her off, give her something to eat and then after work today see about finding somewhere to take her.
I shredded up some newsheet paper and paper towels to put in a little plastic container for her to use as a litter tray and found a can of some fish chowder in my pantry. It's not the best kitten food I'm sure, but it was better than nothing, and thinned down with some water she seemed to enjoy it. She got the hang of the tray after I put her in it after dinner, then I shut her in the bathroom for the evening. Or I tried to. That little peeping turns out to be pretty frakking loud when it's released in a room that's fully tiled. I ended up letting her out just so I could try to get some sleep. I woke up to find a purring little ball of kitten pressed up under my chin. I think that was about the point my resolve broke.
It was only cemented when I got home this evening to find Mum and Mei visiting again, and Mei was sitting on the floor with the kitten in her lap while Mum got dinner ready. Mum asked me what her name was. I didn't even get a chance to tell her that I'd only found her the night before and wasn't sure I was going to keep her, when we just heard "Noodles" from the floor.
According to Mum, Mei's favourite food of all things is noodles. It was the first thing she asked for when Mum and Dad got her home, kind of her first word with them. So I guess I have a kitten named Noodles now.
I told Mum that I submitted my application to the Magisters to get the pict footage from Daisy's case back on the 27th. She was a little concerned, she's still worried about the idea of me following up on this, in case Daisy stumbled onto something actually dangerous. But she agrees that we need to know what happened, if only for Mei's sake. I actually just received notification today that they have the application, that the paperwork seems to be in order… and that it could take anywhere up to six months for them to retrieve the requested files and to send them on to me. I get it, I understand there's processes that have to be followed. I know that as soon as her case was closed everything was probably archived in their stacks… but six months? I'm hoping that's worst case and a form response, and that because it was so recent it'll be easy to access. My fingers are crossed.
And whatever happened to Maddy, she seems to be getting better now. She still hasn't said anything apart from commenting that her Mum is feeling a bit better, but I noticed today she was wearing a bit less makeup, and she didn't seem to be holding herself as stiffly as she was the other day. We haven't had a chance to catch up outside work yet, we hadn't made another date, so I haven't really wanted to push anything. But I think next time we do catch up for dinner, I'm going to just… try to let her know if she needs anything, any help… I want to help. I don't like the idea of someone hurting her, or worse of her feeling like she's got nowhere to turn if someone is. I… don't know what we have. We haven't put any labels on anything yet but I care a lot about her.
I might see if she wants to come around to my place for dinner and a holopict tomorrow. We can get something to take away from a restaurant on our way here, she can meet Noodles… It might be nice for her to have an evening away from everything. I'll see what she says tomorrow. But right now before I get ready for bed, I have to go out and get actual proper kitten things. Noodles can't live on canned chowder, much as she seems to like the idea.
Thought for the Day: Blessed is the servant who spends his life safely in the shadow of his master.
