Chapter 4: Safe and sound
Mitzi May walked out of the Lackadaisy and all the way back up to her office with Theo in her arms and Ivy following along behind.
Once back in her office, Mitzi gently places Theo down on a large soft office couch nearby while Ivy closes the office door. Mitzi then walks over to her desk where a large glass pitcher of cold ice water was sitting with a few glass cups next to it.
Mitzi takes one of the cups in one hand and the pitcher in the other hand and pours the ice water into a cup before setting the pitcher back down and walking back over to Theo with the cup in hand. Mitzi gently hands Theo the water glass for him to drink. As Theo right away started drinking down his water, Mitzy goes back up to Ivy to get her explanation.
"Now Miss Pepper, I'm sure you had a very good reason to bring a little boy into our speakeasy." Mitzi said in her usual calm tone
"Oh yes I did. A very good reason indeed. His name is Theo by the way." Ivy confirmed
"Mmm-hmm. Now you wanna tell me what happened?" Mitzi asked
With that, Ivy spills out her whole explaination to Mitzi of how she found little Theo back at the graveyard and how Theo told the sad story of the deadly car accident on the side of the dirt road that took both of his parents lives. Mitzi was shocked out of her fur from hearing Ivy's explaination.
"Goodness Gracious! You're telling me this boy lost his parents!?" Mitzi exclaimed with her paw over her mouth
"I hate to say it but it's very true from what he told me. You believe me on this right?" Ivy asked
"Of course I believe you Ivy. There's no other reason for a child like him to be wandering around at night in such a place where you found him. You did the right thing on taking him in. I'm proud of you for that." Mitzi smiled as she rested her paw on Ivy's shoulder
"Thank you so much Madam Mitzi. So can Theo stay with us?" Ivy asked with a cheerful smile
"Of course he can stay. But only for the time being. He can't stay with us forever. It's too risky to have a child in a bootlegging operation like ours. Especially when we have dangerous rival gangs to deal with. Now I know you really wish to keep him for a long time, and believe me I wish we could too, but he needs a proper safe place to stay." Mitzi said
"*sigh* Yeah. I agree with you on that...But I'm not so sure on where we can send him to at the moment. And I certainly don't wanna hand him over to an orphanage or a depressing foster home." Ivy said
"I very much don't want that either." Mitzi agreed
Mitzi and Ivy both turn their heads looking over at Theo on the couch who was still sipping on his glass of water before facing each other again.
"Tell you what Ivy, why don't you go down to the cafe and fetch the little boy a snack. He must be hungry at the moment. I'll be up here keeping him company and hopefully I'll come up with an idea on what we can do with him." Mitzi smiled
"Sure thing Madam! I'll be right back!" Ivy smiled with a salute before she dashed out of the office opening and closing the door behind her
With Ivy now gone, Mitzi calmly walks over to Theo and sits down on the couch closely next to him. Theo had just finished his glass of water as Mitzi gently takes the empty glass from his paws and sets it down on a small end table. After setting down the glass, Mitzi turns back to face the little tuxedo kitten.
Theo slowly looks up at the female golden furred cat before him as she gives him a soft and caring look on her face with pure gentleness in her green eyes.
"You poor little dear. I heard you had yourself a very rough night. I'm so sorry about what happened to your parents sweety. I know how it feels to lose someone." Mitzi said in sympathy as she tenderly caressed Theo's face with her soft gloved paw
Without a word, Theo started to tear up quickly before he broke down into tears once again with his paws over his eyes as he thought about his deceased parents again.
"*sniff, sniff!* Waaaaahahaha! Waaaaah! I really want my mommy and daddy!" Theo loudly bawled with tears pouring out of his eyes like flood gates
Mitzi right away wraps her warm arms around the poor vulnerable boy and brings him close against her body in a caring and compassionate hug.
"Shhhhhhhh, ShhShhShhhhh. There there sweetheart, there there. Let it all out. Hushhhhh. I'm right here for you. Hushhhhh." Mitzi soothed Theo as she softly petted the back of his furry head with her paw
Theo hugged Mitzi back tightly around her waist like she was his own mother while sobbing his eyes out. Eventually Theo's crying slowly reduced to sniffles while Mitzi kept soothing him down in her warm embrace. When the little tuxedo kitten was finally done crying, Mitzi takes out a white handkerchief from the pocket of her dress.
"Here you go sweetheart. Dry those tears." Mitzi said as she handed Theo the handkerchief tissue
Theo took the handkerchief and used it to clean up his tears and blow his nose on it.
"T-Thank you *sniff* Miss." Theo sniffled giving the tissue back to Mitzi
"You're welcome honey. Now it's okay to be sad about losing a loved one, but I promise you will feel better overtime and cheer up again knowing you're parents still live on in your pure little heart. I can assure you that they are safe in the heavens watching you from above and cheering you on to keep moving forward in your valuable life. Believe I have gone through it once sweety." Mitzi caringly assured as she threw the handkerchief away before tenderly petting Theo more around his soft head
"*sniff* You gone through it once?" Theo asked
"Oh yes sweety. My husband Atlas. He died long ago." Mitzi said gesturing over to the painting behind her desk
Theo looks over at the portrait painting of Atlas before facing back to Mitzi.
"H-Howcome you're not sad like *sniff* I am?" Theo asked innocently
"Oh trust me dear. I get sad everytime I think about my dear Atlas. But I don't let it get me down because I know he is always by my side. Just like your parents are with you." Mitzi smiled as she patted Theo's chest
Theo said nothing before he sadly looked down in response. Mitzi cups her soft paw under the poor boy's chin and gently makes him look back up to her face before bringing him in once more for another warm embrace.
"There there baby. I promise you're going to be alright. You are not alone. You are very safe and sound with me and the others here. We're going to make sure you have a new safe place to live. You can trust us." Mitzi smiled while gently rocking the poor kitten back and forth on the couch
Theo gladly hugs back resting his head on Mitzi's warm chest and allowing her to cuddle him in her arms like he was her own child. The two cats sat silently in each others embrace waiting for Ivy to come back until Theo broke the silence again.
"Ummm miss, may I know your name?" Theo asked
"Oh my goodness where are my manners. My name is Mitzi May sweetheart." Mitzi happily introduced herself
"Y-You're name is Mitzi?" Theo asked
"That's right. But I'm okay of you calling me anything like Mrs. May or Lady Mitzi. Whatever you like to call me, I don't mind." Mitzi assured
"Oh...well I'll call you Mrs. May then." Theo chose
"Thank you. Now Miss Pepper just told me your name was Theo. Is that correct?" Mitzi asked
"Yes. My name is Theo Flakes." Theo verified
"Well isn't that a cute little name for a sweet and pure little boy like you." Mitzi smiled as she ruffled the fur on Theo's head
As Mitzi lovingly petted Theo, she was starting to feel like a proud auntie figure to the little child. That's when Mitzi got a great idea the second before Ivy came barging back into the office with something in her hands.
"I'm Back! And I brought a nice little treat for the good boy!"
Ivy smiled before she knelt down to Theo and presented a nice hot steaming blueberry muffin on a small plate for him.
All of Theo's sadness immediately vanished the moment he laid his eyes on the muffin.
"*Gasp!* A blueberry muffin! My favorite!" Theo smiled big before he took the delicious pastry off the plate and starting munching on it much to Ivy's delight
As Theo was busy enjoying his blueberry muffin, Mitzi got back up off the couch to have another talk with Ivy.
"Hey Ivy come here for a minute, I have a great idea on where we can send Theo." Mitzi said while gently moving Ivy by the desk
"Oh?...What's your idea?" Ivy asked
"My idea is we simply ask Theo if he has any close relatives in town that can come and pick him up safely." Mitzi said
"Oooh now that is an idea I like." Ivy smiled
"Well let's ask him then shall we." Mitzi said
With that, the two older female felines both look over to Theo only to find him now passed out in a deep sleep on the couch and laying down on his side after having finished all his blueberry muffin. Theo was cuddling with his own cat tail as he peacefully snoozed away and his body slowly moved with his breathing.
"Oh my would you look at that. He's dozed off into dreamland." Ivy said
"*Sigh* The poor thing. Well I guess we'll have to ask him first thing tomorrow morning. But at least he's alright for now. We can get back to focusing on the busy night ahead of us." Mitzi said
Ivy walks back up to the couch and grabs a nearby large soft blanket before draping it over the precious young tuxedo kitten.
"I better head back downstairs and get things ready for the customers. You take your time on tucking in that little angel." Mitzi said
"Sure thing Madam Mitzi. I'll see you when I come down." Ivy smiled
With that, Mitzi leaves the office room leaving Ivy with Theo. Once Mitzi was gone, Ivy proceeds to tenderly tuck Theo under the blanket and make sure he was all nice and cozy. Ivy couldn't help but smile in pure awe at the precious young kitten sleeping adorably like a baby.
"*Sigh* What a precious little angel. I really wish I could have you as my own Theo." Ivy whispered as she softly petted Theo's face with her paw
Ivy softly petted Theo around his furry head before she planted a sweet and tender goodnight kiss on his cheek.
"*Muah* Goodnight little one. I'll see you in the morning." Ivy whispered before she proceeded to switch off the lights and quietly leave the office room leaving Theo alone in his slumber
End of chapter 4