Bella

This was a fill in the middle story, beginning with “This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives....” and end with “By then it was too late.” I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of the prompt. Thank you!

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. Everything had led up to that moment, from bumping into each other in the hallways, to the first date, to the wedding, to all the paperwork.. Max looked Jeremy right in the eyes and squeezed his hands tightly. Then he turned to the adoption agent. 

“There’s nothing you can do?” Max said, his eyes wet and voice cracking. 

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Rossi. The paperwork got mixed up, I suppose. I apologize.” Ms. Janson said, her face remaining composed as though she wasn’t delivering awful news.

“But… I’m allergic to cats! They make me feel sick!” Jeremy objected.

“Can you tell me how that is even remotely possible? All my family and friends recommended your company if we wanted a child. You guys were supposed to be the best company for the job?!!” Max questioned, a tinge of anger in his usually gentle voice.

“I’ve told you, Mr. Rossi. Our agency works with children as well as animals. You may have filled out the wrong form, or perhaps your paperwork simply got confused with another candidate’s. No matter what happened and who’s fault it is, you ended up with sweet little Bella here. And she can’t help what happened.” Ms. Janson explained. The small calico cat, who had been napping on the armchair for the duration of the meeting so far, stretched and let out a cranky meow. She proceeded to lie down again and promptly fall asleep.. Jeremy stood up quickly and headed to the door in exasperation.

“I can’t own a cat! My allergies-” He explained, quite angrily. 

Max interrupted him. “Jer, your allergies aren’t too bad with some antihistamines. This could be a gift, a blessing in disguise.”

“How?” Jeremy asked, coming back to the sofa and sitting down. Max grabbed his hand and smiled.

“We might not be totally ready for a child yet. A cat could be a great first step.” Max urged gently, fiddling with his ring. 

“Max is correct, Jeremy. Animals are a great measure of responsibility for couples wanting to be parents, especially cats. They are so sweet and most demand your attention. If you can’t stand the cat, however, we could take her back within a month or so for-” Ms. Jansen paused to wipe her glasses clean on the corner of her patterned blouse and straightened them on the bridge of her long nose. “A fee of two-hundred and fifty six dollars. Of course, if you kept the cat it would be only the fee you paid prematurely…”

“Two hundred dollars?” Jeremy said, his mouth wide in surprise.

“Two hundred and fifty six dollars.” Max pointed out snarkily., patting Jeremy on the back.

“We’ll take her, then.” Jeremy said with a slight laugh. 

“Wonderful! Simply wonderful!” exclaimed Ms. Jansen happily. “She is all yours. Here is a carrier, a list of recommended items to buy, and a guide. Bella is a wonderful cat and is already mostly trained. You will have no problems with her at all.”

“How old is she?” Asked Max.

“We suspect around three or four years old. She was found in a dumpster at a fast food joint as a baby. She’s been in the system for years, but no one has wanted her. This is the only true interview for a real adoption she’s had since she was a kitten.” Ms. Janson said solemnly. That sealed the deal. The Rossi’s couldn’t leave her there after all she’d been through- the guilt was too strong. Ms. Jansen was a very persuasive woman. They turned to each other and nodded, then stood up and shook Ms. Jansen’s hand in turn. Max picked up Bella and put her in the carrier, and Jeremy gathered the papers. They thanked Ms. Jansen and left to go to their car.

“A cat, Max?” Jeremy said, watching while Max slid into the passenger seat of the vehicle and set the carrier on the floor of it as he buckled his belt and settled in. 

Picking up the bulky fabric carrier and placing it on his lap, Max smiled and shrugged as Jeremy started the car on it’s route to the pet supply store. When the family got there, they brought Bella inside with them, too. They joyfully picked toys, dishes, food, and everything else they needed to care for Bella and had her collar tag made on the engraving machine in store. Max had even convinced Jeremy to get a cat harness and leash so they could walk her around the neighborhood, which was an activity Bella came to love very much. Not even minding the expenses of the trip, they headed home and set their apartment up to be cat friendly. 

Max and Jeremy actually loved being cat parents and took pride in caring for Bella. In a matter of days, they had trained Bella to bat at a string, retrieve toys, come when they called her, and how to give “high fives” to people-without scratching. Even though she wasn’t a baby, she played like a kitten because she hadn’t had a great upbringing. Her energy and love was evident, and it made the men happier in their day to day life. 

The adoption agency called the Rossi’s a few weeks later, informing them that they could actually take Bella back free of charge and get them set up with a child candidate.. They already had all the time they needed to make up their mind, and there was no chance they’d get rid of their sweet cat. By then it was too late. 

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please comment any advice and like if you enjoyed the story! It means a lot to me.