‘Will that dog be OK?
‘Yes. The stupid thing swallowed a rubber ball on the beach. Managed to get it to pass through with a bit of help.’
‘Oh, good.’
Grace didn’t hugely want the details. Not so soon after her nettle pie.
‘What can I do for you?’
‘Is it possible to see Karen at all?’
‘Karen?’
‘Sorry, the kitten we rescued. Which is called Karen for a reason too boring to go into.’
Angeliki waved her arm around the waiting room.
‘As you can see, I’m not exactly rushed off my feet, so come through. My receptionist’s at lunch, so I really should close the shop, but I can’t bear the thought that I might miss an animal in need. They’re so much nicer than humans, you know.’
On the whole, Grace agreed with her, especially after this morning. She could warm to this woman with her wild curly hair and practical bedside manner.
Karen was sitting calmly in her cage. As Angeliki approached her, she put her front paws up to the bars, and the vet stroked the tips through the grid.
‘She’s a real cutie. Would you like to hold her? I’m trying to get her as used to people as possible, so it will be easier for whoever adopts her. Most wild cats don’t really want people touching them.’
‘I’d love to.’
Grace sat on a stool that Angeliki placed in front of the cage and waited for the kitten to be put on her lap.
Karen was light as a feather and Grace barely dared breathe while the kitten pawed at the fabric of her shorts.
‘Go on, it’s fine to stroke her. She won’t break. She’s tiny but tough, like me.’
Grace hadn’t held anything this delicate in her arms for a very long time. She moved her hand over Karen’s back, making sure she went with the direction of her fur, and was rewarded with a tiny sound.
‘She’s purring!’
Angeliki smiled.
‘She is indeed. Tell you what– shall I make us a coffee and you can tell me all about this rescue?’
‘That would be lovely, thank you.’
Grace had a few minutes on her own with Karen before Angeliki came back. The kitten’s eyes were green, as far as she could tell. She was such a pretty cat. Once she’d had her injections, she’d be snapped up by someone in no time. The thought didn’t fill her with joy the way she thought it would.
Angeliki returned with two mugs.
‘Pop her back in the cage then, and you can wash your hands at the sink.’
Grace gave the kitten an extra stroke before saying goodbye.
‘Can I come and see her again?’
‘If there’s no one else in, then sure. Lunchtimes are always good. Pull up a stool.’
‘Thank you. Your English is excellent, by the way.’
‘I trained in Britain, in Liverpool, and I worked at a practice there for ten years, so I can even do a Scouse accent.’
