"Hazel! Put that down! Lucas, take Mozzarella and Feldspar back to their terrarium. Almond, do you mind bringing this bear toy to Birch? I think he wants it."

Ruby sighed and wiped her brow. She loved the kids, but they were certainly difficult. Well, mainly just the twins and Birch. Almond was quiet and helpful, and Lily just sort of sat in the corner and coded video games and animations. She fiddled around in her pocket. Maybe there was something in her pocket that would entertain the kids?

"Does someone want this...almond chocolate bar?" Ruby asked.

Almond shook her head, looking deathly serious. "No thank you, I'm severely allergic to almonds. Papa says it's ironic."

"Oh," Ruby said, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

A loud yowling sound broke through, and Ruby sprang to attention. Hydrangea might have barfed on the carpet, or maybe he was choking!

But no, he was just rolling around on the floor, screaming his lungs out. Wow. He'd gotten a lot chonkier since she last saw him. He yowled and flipped over onto his back, exposing his fluffy orange tabby tummy.

"Is Hydrie okay?" Hazel asked worriedly.

Ruby frowned. "I'm not sure...has he been acting like this recently?"

The twins and Almond shook their heads.

"Well, he's been sleepier than usual lately, but he hasn't been acting like this." Almond noted.

Hydrangea rolled over and let out a particularly loud screech. Ruby shook her head. "Nope. I'm calling the vet. You kids stay right here."

Ruby groaned. The vet would have to come to their place, because she couldn't drive. And she definitely couldn't ride her bike with the kids and Hydrangea with her. She really needed to get her license sometime. She looked at the number for the vet clinic on a sheet of paper Adam and Trent had left there. The phone rang, and a kind-sounding lady answered. Ruby took a deep breath. She hated talking on the phone with people she didn't know. She took another breath and started talking

"Hello? I'm calling from the Carter's house, I'm their babysitter. Their cat, Hydrangea, is yowling and screeching a ton, and he's been rolling on the floor for the past ten minutes. The kids say that this isn't normal behavior for him…"

"Okay, thank you. What's your name?"

"Ruby. Ruby Roxanne."

"Can you drive him and the kids here?"

"Ah- no, I don't have my license."

"Hmm. Okay. Can you please tell me the address? We can send someone over." The lady offered.

Ruby gave her the address and sat down. Phew. Hopefully something wasn't seriously wrong with Hydrangea. Being a cat lover, she hated seeing the fluffy tabby in pain.

She decided to wait outside for the veterinarians to arrive. And then she heard a meow. She looked down and saw a chubby white cat with black patches. He had a bright red collar around his neck and a tiny adorable pink nose. She examined the collar. Smudge, the next-door neighbor's cat probably. She smiled, and stroked his soft fur. Ruby betted that Smudge and Hydrangea were good friends. Maybe Smudge heard his friend's cries, and was here to see if he was okay.

A white van with a logo of a cat, dog, and bird pulled up into the cobblestone driveway. Two people exited, both in white.

She got up and smiled. "Hey, I'm Ruby. Hydrangea's inside." She opened the door to let the two vets in.

When she got in, it surprisingly wasn't pure chaos. Huh. That had never happened before.

Hazel and Lucas were tossing felted mice around the room, Birch was asleep, and Lily and Almond were pouring food and water into dishes for Hydrangea to drink. Even Wet, their big brown dog, was quiet and calm.

The woman vet kneeled down next to the wailing cat. Smudge, who apparently had let himself in, ran over to his friend and mewed quietly. She felt his stomach and frowned, motioning to the male vet. "Cam, come feel this. It's almost like…"

Cam sat beside her and pressed down on Hydrangea's belly. He examined it a little more closely, pet him a couple times, then laughed. "He's pregnant!"

There was a collective gasp from the kids and Ruby.

"What? But-"

"Yeah, I can definitely feel it. Looks like he's in labour, too. We can help you kids make a nest for him, if you like."

Hazel sprang to her feet. "I'll grab the papers! Papa and Daddy won't mind."

Smudge rubbed his face against Hydrangea. The two cats purred happily. Ruby laughed.

"I'm guessing we've found the father."

"Cin-dy!" Birch squealed when it was his turn. They'd been naming each kitten one by one, and Ruby was shocked to hear an actual name come out of baby Birch's mouth, but then Almond explained that it was their aunt's name and they had been on the phone with her a couple hours ago.

"Gladiolus." Almond smiled.

"Sprite." Lily called from her place in the corner with her laptop.

"Buttercup!" Lucas cheered.

"Hmm...Candy." Ruby decided.

"An' this one is Lollipop." Hazel finished, smiling. "I like her 'cos she's got a heart on her leg." She pointed to a heart-shaped patch of orange fur on the calico kitten.

Ruby grinned. The kids had had a great time naming and watching the six kittens - two boys and four girls. And they were definitely Hydrangea and Smudge's, judging from the fact that all of the kittens were either orange, white, black-patched, or a mixture of the three. Her personal favourites were Candy and Cindy. Candy was white with black patches, and Cindy was white with orange tabby patches. They were like opposites, but also like twins.

A horn honked in the distance. Hazel jumped to her feet and brushed cat fur off her magenta jean shorts. "Papa and Daddy are here!" She cheered excitedly. She ran out the door into the driveway to go greet her parents.

Ruby laughed. Adam and Trent might be a little bit confused to see the two cats, two vets, and six kittens lying in their living room, but it would probably be a good surprise.

"Okay, so Hazel says that there are candy kittens in here?" Trent asked, sounding confused out of his mind.

Hazel giggled. "Not candy kittens, Daddy, real kittens! Hydrangea and Smudgie had them! Lookit!" She bounced up and down excitedly.

"Oh! Wow. Those are a lot of kittens." Adam sat down and stroked a tired Hydrangea's pelt. The kittens mewled at the intruding hand. Candy was a little braver and bit Adam's hand with his tiny kitten teeth. Adam yelped and tugged his hand back. He laughed. "Feisty little things."

Another honk sounded, and Ruby turned around to look out the large bay window. "That'll be my mom and Ry."

"Hey, Rubes- oh my goodness, look at the kittens!" Her mom gasped as she walked through the open door. Ruby grinned. Her mother was definitely a cat person like her and Rylaina.

Speaking of Rylaina, the little girl dashed in at the promise of kittens, and gasped when she saw them. "Kitties!" Rylie carefully picked up one - Cindy - and cradled her close. "Mommy, can we keep her? Pleaaaase?" Rylie begged.

Ruby pouted and turned on puppy-dog eyes. "And Candy too?"

Her mother looked torn. "Well- I don't know if it's okay with the Carters-"

"Fine by us." Adam said jovially. "We can't keep seven cats anyways. We'll probably end up only keeping one."

Lollipop mewled at the sound of that. Trent chuckled. "I think Lolly's trying to suck up to us."

Hazel grinned. She hoped they'd keep Lollipop.

Her mother looked into Candy and Cindy's adorable closed eyes. Their tiny laws and toe beans. The cute pink snoots. She sighed. "Alright. We may take them home, as long as you girls promise to take care of them well enough."

Ruby and Rylie cheered and shared a high five. After they put the kittens in the carrier, of course.

As they drove home, Ruby was dancing in her mind. Two kittens. Finally! After years and years of begging!

Cindy and Candy...what amazing names.