A vacancy in the castle

Harm was already sitting in the waiting room of the vet, a carrier with Mackenzie and Lady Macbeth on the chair next to him, while Mac parked the car. There hadn't been a spot close by and as a sudden shower was pouring down, she had let Harm off in front of the door. The carrier was open and they didn't want the kittens drenched.
It was busy; one half of the waiting room was filled with nervous looking dogs eyeing each other, alternately being called to order or soothed by their owners. The other half contained mostly cats, the occasional rabbit and a lone parrot. Some cats took it philosophically, other wailed loudly. But in his little corner it was relatively quiet. His kittens were sitting up, looking around with big eyes and ears perked but otherwise quiet. On the other side of the kittens sat a man with a girl of about 7 years old. She had clearly been crying, but now tried to attract the kittens' attention. Harm looked over her head to the man and gave him a smile, then said to the girl "They are cute, aren't they? They need their second injections against cat illnesses, that's why they're here."
The girl looked up. "MacDuff died. Daddy said he was very old, but now Duncan is sick too. I don't want Duncan to die." Tears threatened to spill again.
"Maybe Duncan has just a cold?" Harm offered. "Is he sneezing?"
"No, he's barfing all the time."
"We think he's swallowed something that doesn't agree with him," the man said. "But MacDuff, our other cat, died only last week. He was 20 years old, a respectable age for a cat."
"I want another cat," the girl said.
"Tania …"
"Daddy, Robin has Malcolm and you have Duncan. MacDuff was Mom's cat but I don't really have one for myself."
"Now, Tania, you know we said the right cat had to come along … "
"Yes, but WHEN is he coming along?" Tania complained. "You've been saying that for ages!" Through the wire of the cage she managed to pet Lady Macbeth with two fingers, who immediately started to wash the spot. "I want him!" she commanded, pointing at the black kitten.
"Titania!" The rebuke cut through the wailing cats and yipping dogs. "You can't just demand other people's cats! I am sorry, Sir," the man said to Harm, who just smiled a little and then addressed the girl.
"What would you say if I wanted Duncan?"
"He's ours!"
"Yes, and this little kitten is mine …"

Tania drew a breath to retort with something, making her father clear his throat warningly and his eyebrows snapped together in a frown. Tania bit her lip and looked down to her knees.
"Yes, Sir," she said in a small voice. "I'm sorry."
Harm smiled again at the father and mouthed "She's up for adoption."
Now the eyebrows rose in incomprehension.
"Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom."
"It's over there, honey," her father pointed. "And I'll stay right here."
When Tania had left, Harm repeated audibly "She's up for adoption. She's the last of a litter of seven we have to find a home for. The little calico is staying, but she still needs a home."
The man shook his head slightly, not in denial but in thought. "I can't let Titania think she got her way."
"I understand," Harm said. He took out one of his cards and gave it to the man. "Maybe think about it."
The door to the toilets opened and Tania came out just at the moment that the nurse at the desk called out 'Hathaway - Mr. Hathaway'. The man quickly pocketed the card, grabbed the carrier with his Duncan, who was clearly gagging again, and stood up holding his other hand out to his daughter.
"Her name is Lady Macbeth," Harm grinned as a parting shot, making Mr. Hathaway's very eloquent eyebrows rise again.
While the Hathaways disappeared behind the door to the surgeries, the door to the waiting room opened and Mac came in, shaking out an almost soaked umbrella. She quickly spotted Harm, and the two now empty seats, and walked over.
"We're the last ones …" Harm said.
"I don't mind," Mac replied, "maybe it will be dry by the time we leave again. This is beastly weather."
They sat in companionable silence, the cage with kittens between them. Lady Macbeth still sat in the front, watching the other animals with interest. Little Mackenzie had retreated to the rear and curled up to sleep. Mac laid her hand against the wire to pet her through it, at the exact same moment Harm made the same movement, covering her hand with his. Holdings hands they each spared one finger to caress their little cupid.
About ten minutes later the door to the surgery opened again. The Hathaways came out, without a cage, and walked over to Harm. Tania had been crying again but looked determined to be brave. "Duncan has to have surgery," she said. "He swallowed a marble. The doctor says he'll be fine in a couple of days, but he has to stay here now."
"That's bad news and good news in one," Harm replied. "I am sure he'll be fine. The doctors here are very good."
"May I pet her one last time?" Tania asked, pointing at Lady Macbeth, but politely waiting for permission.
"Sure."
Lady Macbeth reacted enthusiastically to Tania's stroking fingers, butting her head against them and purring loudly. Behind the girl's back Mr Hathaway gave Harm his card. "May I contact you in a week or two?" he asked. "I want to wait till Duncan is out of surgery and recovering well. I don't want to inflict a lively kitten on a sick cat, but a Lady Macbeth definitely belongs in our house."
He looked down on his daughter. "Come Tania, we need to get home." And hand in hand they left.
Harm glanced at the card he had been given. Prof. William S. Hathaway, English dept. Catholic University of America it said, along with the contact information.
"What was that all about?" Mac asked.
"Well," Harm grinned, "MacDuff died and Duncan is doing poorly, so the castle has room for Lady Macbeth."
Consternation, astonishment and then comprehension flitted across Mac's face before she burst out laughing.
Ten days later Harm's cell phone rang. "Commander Rabb speaking …"
"Good morning, Sir, Professor Hathaway speaking. Duncan is back to ruling the house and mistress Hathaway is agreeable, so would it be alright if we collected Lady Macbeth come Saturday morning?"
"Absolutely, Professor. I will give you my home address." And he proceeded to do just that.
That Saturday morning an elated Titania bounced into Harm's apartment, followed more sedately by her father, her mother and a 12-year old boy. Mother Mac saw the danger coming and scooted away under the sofa, but for once Lady Macbeth in the windowsill did not react with her usual feline disdain of humans. She too bounced into the room and, using a chair and the dining table, launched herself into Tania's arms.
Harm shook his head at his kitten's uncharacteristic behaviour. "Definitely a match well-made," was all he could say.