“Oh.” That actually made sense. Eve rummaged through the box until she found the toothbrush. She crawled back into bed, reaching in to rub the white kitten with its bristles. In response, the kitten began rooting around on the stuffed animal like she was trying to nurse. “I think it’s working.”
“Great. You can feed her right there in the box if you want. Just make sure she’s in the right position, belly down, head up.”
“Okay.” Eve pressed the phone between her cheek and her shoulder as she took the kitten’s head in her left hand, positioning her for feeding. She brought the syringe to her mouth, and the kitten began to suckle. “She’s eating.”
“Yay,” Josie said softly. “You can rest one finger gently against her throat to make sure she’s swallowing. Just keep pressing the syringe really slowly to make sure you don’t overwhelm her with milk.”
They fell quiet as Eve fed the kitten, successfully getting about two milliliters of formula into her. She wiped off the kitten’s face and set the box on the floor. Suddenly, Eve was alone in her bedroom in the middle of the night, on the phone with a woman she was uncomfortably attracted to. “I should go,” she said.
“Call me tomorrow to let me know how they’re doing,” Josie said. “And get them in to see the vet.” She paused. “And don’t forget to weigh them. You need to make sure they’re gaining weight, preferably about ten grams a day.”
“Okay.” Eve rubbed her brow, exhausted at the very thought. She’d have to bring the box of kittens with her to the office tomorrow, andthatought to go over well. “Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome. Good night, Eve.”
“Good night.” She set an alarm for two hours from now, shut off the light, and crawled under the covers. Lying in the dark, emptiness yawned inside her the way it always did, like she was slowly sinking into an endless void. Years of practice had taught her how to breathe past it, how to clear her mind to sleep, passing these lonely nighttime hours as quickly as possible.
* * *
Josie woketo the sun streaming through her window and a warm, heavy presence on her chest. “Morning, Nigel,” she murmured, lifting a hand to rub the orange cat sprawled on top of her. In response, he started to purr, claws pricking at her shoulders as he expressed his pleasure.
Her thoughts drifted to Eve, wondering how the rest of her night had gone and if she’d gotten any sleep. Josie had cared for so many kittens, sometimes she forgot how overwhelming it could be for someone without experience, especially someone like Eve, who’d never cared for an animal before.
Actually, Josie wasn’t sure what a night with newborn kittens would be like for someone in Eve’s position. No wonder she’d balked at keeping them. Josie felt a wash of guilt for not being more sympathetic last night, but then again, she hadn’t really had a choice. She couldn’t give them the care they needed while she was working at Swanson’s, but maybe she’d be able to find another rescuer to take them today.
To that end, she got up and got ready for her day, then called all her contacts in the rescue community, hoping someone had room for them. Nigel sprawled on the couch beside her, belly up, tail twitching as he vied for her attention. She reached over to rub him as she placed her last call, leaving a voicemail for a friend of hers who worked primarily in dog rescue but might be willing to take a litter of kittens, just this once.
Then she dialed Eve.
“Have you found someone to take them?” she said in lieu of hello.
“Good morning to you too,” Josie said, fighting a smile. A sigh carried over the line, reminding her who she was talking to. “Not yet, but I’ve left a lot of voicemails, so something may still pan out.”
Dead silence.
“Eve,” Josie said, amusement fading fast. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“Try harder,” Eve hissed. “There’s a box of kittens behind my desk right now. It’s unprofessional.”
“Hey, I’m doing you a favor.” She tugged at a turquoise strand of hair, twirling it between her fingers. “You could at least pretend to be grateful for it.”
“The way I see it, I’m doingyoua favor, and my sense of philanthropy has dried up.”
Josie opened her mouth and closed it again, feeling an uncharacteristic urge to smack something…or someone. “Wow. That’s cold, even for you.”
More silence from Eve.
Josie shouldn’t get her feelings hurt about this. After all, Eve had a reputation for being exactly like this. But for a few minutes yesterday in her kitchen, and again last night over the phone, Josie thought she’d glimpsed a softer, gentler version of television’s favorite ice queen. “Do you have any idea how animal rescue works?”
“You know perfectly well I don’t,” Eve snapped, and Josie tried to remind herself that Eve was tired. She probably hadn’t gotten much sleep last night and was working a full day at the office today, kittens in tow. Still…
“Well, here’s a quick rundown for you. Animal rescues are volunteer run. I don’t get paid for any of this. The donations I receive go straight to care and supplies for the kittens, and it usually isn’t enough to cover what I’ve already spent. I take in orphaned kittens because it’s something I feel passionate about, and it brings me joy when I’m able to save a tiny life. But here’s another uncomfortable truth…I can’t save them all. Do you have any idea how many phone calls I get from people like you?” She didn’t pause to wait for an answer.
“It’s kitten season, Eve. There are more orphaned and abandoned kittens than we know what do to with this time of year, and if I could care for them all myself, I would, but I have to pay my bills too. I have a bar to run, and right now, I’m the only full-time bartender. I can’t even call out sick, because I’m the boss too. And yet, when you called, I invited you into my home, I showed you how to care for them, I gave you a box full of supplies, and I called everyone I know in animal rescue to try to find someone to take them for you.”
Josie sucked in a breath. “Maybe it’s unprofessional to have a box of kittens behind your desk. It’s unfair that you’re stuck caring for them, but it’s also unfair for you to expect anything more from me than what I’ve already given you.”
“Are you finished?” Eve asked.
