As he marched the cat into the sanctuary, Claire ignored the gentle dig.David and the other volunteers were always telling her she needed to delegate more.
They weren’t wrong.
The other volunteers headed into the sanctuary office, and she took a moment to breathe.Alone, she looked to the sky.“Well, Arthur, another successful rescue.That was the last of a dozen cats from the same property.You would have been proud of me today, of all of us.”
Arthur had hated hoarding situations just as much as she did.
Her eyes burned, but she blinked until they stopped stinging.It had become part of her routine now, offering up a little update to Arthur each time they rescued a new cat.She liked to think he still watched over everything at Haven.
Mostly, she liked to think he still watched over her.
As the familiar cloud gathered in her head, she banished it.“Let’s go, girl.Too much to do today.No time for moping.”
As she walked into the main building of the sanctuary, a spacious ranch-style building comprised of a reception area, offices, kennels and examination rooms, Claire ran through the list of things she needed to address today.A leaky faucet in exam room two, a washer and dryer that needed replacing and water damage in her office.
Of course, she couldn’t address any of those things until her sister Mia gave her the go-ahead.Mia, a financial advisor and one of the many volunteers who helped Claire keep the place afloat, was going through the books right now.Although Claire always had items on her sanctuary wish list, she rarely purchased them unless Mia agreed they were doable.
Claire checked on their new arrivals in the room they used to quarantine new cats.Once they got a clean bill of health, they would be moved to the large room everyone affectionately called the B&B.Consisting of numerous two-level caged ‘suites’, each furnished with a bed, blanket, cat toys, food and water bowls and a litter box, the room looked out over the back yard.It was filled with light on sunny days, making it ideal for kitty lounging.There were plants to give it an air of the outdoors, and a six-foot-wide fish tank stood sentry in the middle of the room.The cats loved watching the fish dart around the tank.
David had already found kennels for the new cats, and they were all busy sniffing their surroundings.He was just getting the cat with the sore leg situated, but he didn’t look as if he’d emerged unscathed.As he shut the kennel door, he rubbed his arm.
“Has she left her mark on you?”asked Claire.
“Yup.A nasty scratch.”
“Ooh.”Claire handed him a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a package of cotton pads.She then held out her own arm, permanently scarred in several places by cat scratches.“I prefer to think of them as badges of honor.”
“You’re stronger than I am.”
“We’ll see how strong I am after I talk to Mia.Mama needs a new washer and dryer.”Claire peered at the injured cat.“Could you give Adele a call and see if she’s on her way?I don’t like the look of that paw.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“Hey, baby girl.”Claire stuck a finger through the kennel.The cat lifted its head to sniff her, but stayed in its corner.She might recognize her as the human who gave her treats, but she had to be scared now that she was locked in the kennel.“We’re going to get you all fixed up, okay?You’re in a safe place now.”
Her best friend, Adele Sanchez, was the on-call vet for Haven.She typically swung by once a week, but rescues from hoarders often brought her out sooner.It was important to act quickly due to some of the health issues that often resulted from those situations.
Claire headed into the back office, where her sister was frowning at the computer.“It smells like damp in here, Claire,” said Mia.
“That’s because it is damp.Don’t touch the walls.They’ll disintegrate.”
Mia indicated the threadbare chair opposite the desk.“Have a seat.We need to talk.”
Claire dropped into the chair that had once sat in Arthur’s bachelor pad.She ran her fingers along the bare armrests.“I guess that means I don’t get my new washer and dryer.”
“Claire, you know I’m on your side, but it’s time for some tough love.”Mia rolled her chair around the desk so she sat directly in front of Claire.She reached for her sister’s hand.“Your financial situation is precarious at best.As far as I can tell, you can maybe keep this place afloat for another few months, tops, and that’s only if half the cats get suddenly adopted.”
Claire tried to swallow past the sour ball of disappointment in her esophagus.She understood her own finances, but hearing someone else say it made it real.
“There’s just not enough money coming in.”
“I know.The results of the last fundraising campaign were…discouraging.”
“Things are hard everywhere.No matter how much good you do, cat sanctuaries just aren’t a priority for many people.”
Claire almost laughed out loud.Most people didn’t think twice about buying animals from pet stores and puppy mills, but once they realized what was involved in taking care of a pet, some abandoned them.Then they ended up in a place like Haven, where they became someone else’s problem, on someone else’s dime.
Claire was running out of dimes.
