I squat down, reaching my hand out slowly, not wanting to spook it. Who would leave this precious baby here? I’m not even a cat lover. I never had any pets as a kid. And as an adult, well, I didn’t want the responsibility.
“Hi.”
It creeps closer, and I gasp. Oh, he is the cutest! An orange one with stripes that resemble a tiger. I think they’re called tabby cats. I scoop him or her into my arms and walk back into the café to see if it belongs to anyone. They quickly inform me it’s a stray, and it happens constantly in this area. Well, that’s just fucking sad. What am I supposed to do now? I can’t put it back and walk away.
My eyes dart around the street—though I have no idea why—then I place the ball of fur in my purse. In quick strides, I pass the hotel lobby and jump on the elevator, nearly sprinting to my room. My heart hammers as if I’m smuggling something more menacing than an animal. I take the kitty out of my bag and place it on the bed—checking first to confirm that it’s definitely a girl. She walks around the bed, then curls up on my pillow. Okay, now that’s too damn cute. I pull out my phone, snap a picture, and send it to Liv. Asexpected, my phone lights up with a FaceTime request from her.
“Hiii,” I beam.
“Why is there a kitten on your bed?”
“Well,” I start, and she sighs. “I found it on the street! The street, Liv. Trying to eat from the trash, can you believe that?”
She frowns. “That’s so sad.”
“Right? I couldn’t just leave it.”
“That’s awful, but what are you going to do with it? Is your hotel pet-friendly?”
“No. I snuck her in my purse.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know.” I didn’t think past getting it off the street.
“Ellie...” I glance back at the phone, making eye contact with Liv. “You cannot take a kitten on tour.”
My eyes light up. “A tour kitty! She’ll be famous! Hot guys and cats! Fans will go crazy. Cat lovers everywhere will line up, not only to see the band, but the kitten! This is genius marketing, Liv! You’re brilliant.”
“That’s not what I said. It’s the exact opposite.”
I shrug. “Tomatoes, potatoes.”
“Tanner will never allow it,” she says.
My smile is devious. No, no he wouldn’t. “Good thing I’m not on their bus anymore.”
She shakes her head, but she’s fighting a smile. “Ellie May Williams, you can’t. How are you going to hide an animal? It’ll need food and supplies. A litter box.”
“I’m not going to hide anything. The crew guys are terrified of me. It’s adorable really. Only Adam talks to me. The others hide from me. No one’s going to tell me no.” It sounds conceited when I say it out loud but it’s true.
“That is not surprising.”
“Well, I better get going. Apparently, I have tons of shopping to do.”
“Maybe you should check the shelters before you leavetown. It’s not going to be easy to take care of a kitten on the road.”
I stare down at the precious fur ball, and I know she’s right, but I’m already attached. I want to keep her, and I’ve never wanted a pet before. It’s like it was fate finding her.
I tried.I did.
I went to three shelters, and every single one was full of depressed-looking animals that made me cry in the back of my Uber.
Sneaking her on the crew bus was easy. No one even batted an eye, not even when I lugged the shopping bags on. I only got the essentials. Ok, and maybe a couple of cute sweaters and toys, but she needs clothes. What if she gets cold? And toys to keep her occupied and quiet on long drives. She needed a bed and a small crate for when I’m working. Not to mention the most important—litter box. I got the one for travel, but it’s still noticeable. Another thing I didn’t consider was cleaning the litter. Like, what am I supposed to do with it once it’s full? Toss it out the bus window?
She’s already familiar with the litter box, which just makes me more upset. That means she had a home once and they abandoned her. Well, never again. She’s mine now. She’s so smart and quiet. Seriously, all she’s done so far is curl up on my pillow and sleep. This is going to be a breeze.
“What’s that smell?” Adam, Travis’s guitar tech, asks. The sound of footsteps approaching has me kicking the litter box under my bunk and tossing a blanket over the kitty as he enters my space.
