Today had been more taxing than I had anticipated. I had become accustomed to the lifestyle of the young and carefree and now the world of work seemed like a horrible alternative. It wasn't that I wasn't physically up to it, I felt good, stronger even. Breaking back into habit however was proving difficult.

It was the first time in a long time that I had taken the bus anywhere, opting to have my own car repaired instead of replacing it. The repair bill had been astronomically high and Tim had hid in the kitchen while I shouted down the phone at the mechanic.

It had rained on my walk from the bus stop and when I finally reached the front door I wanted nothing more than to fall into bed. I set my keys on the hall table and placed my dripping coat over the corner of the radiator.

"I'm home," I called in the direction of the living room before toeing off my shoes and standing in the doorway to the sitting room, looking at Tim with confusion.

"Where did that come from?"

"I found it," he replied with a grin, a tiny kitten sitting in his lap. It nawed on his fingers and hopped about, excitable and springy.

"Where," I asked warily.

"I went to the shops and it was behind some boxes in the entryway. I heard it and looked through the boxes," he said. "The mother was dead," he said sadly as he lifted the kitten and held it close to cuddle it.

I didn't know whether to be more surprised by the kitten or by the idea that Tim had done the shopping.

"I don't know what to feed it," he said suddenly. "I think it must be hungry and I bought cat food but it's only a baby," he cooed at it and tickled it, a genuine smile on his face. "I gave it a bath in the sink," he laughed.

"Tim, you can't keep it, it might be diseased," I scolded and Tim glared at me, offended.

"It's not, I'll take it to the vet or something," he muttered.

"The mother might have belonged to someone, it could be someone else's kitten," I said gently.

"Stop spoiling things," he said darkly and set the kitten on the floor. It padded around, jumping at it's own shadow and making it's way towards me to investigate. I leaned down and reached my hand out towards it and it scurried away, hiding behind Tim's socked feet and rubbing up against him.

He reached down to stroke it and it licked at him before lying down between his legs and the sofa.

"Tim."

"What," he huffed.

"You can't keep it," I sighed, running my hand over my brow and trying to rid myself of exhaustion.

"Why not? I'll take care of it and it's not like you need to walk it."

"They make me sneeze."

"Hold your breathe then."

He scooped up the kitten and carried it with him to the kitchen. I followed and watched him taking out the carton of milk and pouring some into a bowl. He lifted a straw from the cutlery drawer that I didn't even know was in there and used it to hold small amounts of milk in order to feed it.

"I think it's a she," he said quietly. "I think I'll call her Shadow," he smiled. "She follows me about, it's cute."

The kitten held onto Tim's hand as he fed her with the straw and I had to admit to myself that the scene was endearing.

"Come and see," he whispered, as if not to disturb the animal and I obliged. I tickled it's stomach and it squirmed, batting at me with it's tiny paws.

"Isn't she sweet, he sighed.

"I suppose. I'm more of a dog person, I prefer their loyalty."

"Yes but it's a stupid loyalty, they love their master even when they shouldn't. Cats are loyal to those who treat them well. They are independent but choose to love."

I had no response to that.

"Mmm, where will it sleep?"

"I made it a bed," Tim said happily. "From one of the boxes in your office, the papers from it are on your desk by the way."

Tim had tucked the kitten into it's new bed and set the box in our bedroom until I had moved it to the kitchen.

"It's not sleeping in the bedroom."

"That's where people sleep Ivo."

"Yes Tim, people sleep there, not cats."

"You won't even notice her, she might get lonely or scared."

"No and that's final."

Checking the flat before heading to bed I opened the door of my office and regretted it. The window had been open and the stack of files and papers were strewn across the floor. The kitten had been here one day and was already causing mayhem. If I could cope with Tim I could cope with this.

I doubted that when it mewled in the middle of the night, somehow having hopped out of the box and made it into the bedroom.

The box was brought in.

I give up.