Cat Food

"I'm headin' back to 505, if it's a seven-hour flight,"

She sang softly to herself as she locked the front doors and turned around to face the perfect fall day. The sun sparkles a golden-orange hue, the light extending through the trees. Scattered brown leaves crunch under Via's shoes as she continues humming, leisurely walking to her apartment. Via, a Starbucks barista, just got off her day shift, and is looking forward to taking a well-deserved nap. Well, she was. A petite black cat suddenly appeared before her, peering up at the girl with fascination.

"Hi there, pretty kitty!" She cooed at the small creature.

She crouched down to be level with the feline, holding out the back of her hand for the charcoal cat to sniff. Receiving a small nod of approval, she slowly raised a finger to scratch behind its ear.

"Do you have a home?" She wondered aloud, questioning why someone would leave such a defenseless animal alone and outside. It didn't even have a name tag!

"What should I call you, huh?" She ran a hand down its spine, earning a loud purr.

"Well, we can't just sit on the sidewalk all evening, can we? I'm gonna take you home." She says decidedly.

She reaches for the cat to pick up but he starts shuffling away and looking around.

Worried he might have been abused in his last home, she's quick to reassure him, "I'm not here to hurt you."

The cat manages a look that seems to say, I trust you. Intrigued, Via stands up straight and gestures for the cat to go along, intending to follow.

He looks sad for a moment, then starts walking away. Knowing he's leading her to something, she takes a step forward. Then another. Then he hears her and turns around, realizing she thought he was guiding her. He looked at her oddly before turning around, and with a newfound pep in his stubby steps, he changed directions and led her to a small foliage.

There were two large boulders, creating a natural shelter, minus the roof. He padded over to the rocks and settled underneath the shade. Looking up, the sky was turning grey and stormy. The cat made eye contact with the girl, irises wide and pleading. His onyx fur glimmered in the last few minutes of the sun, highlighting the small being in gold. Carefully making his way to her feet again, he nudges her ankle, looking up again. Curiously watching to see what she does. She tentatively opens her tote bag and lays it on the ground next to her.

The cat paws at the opening, but nonetheless stepped and laid down in her bag. Mindful of the guest in her bag, she slowly raised the straps up to her shoulder, resting her hand protectively on the bottom of the bag. Glancing down, she mumbles, "Your name's Felix now, I'm naming you."

~519, Kaap Cove, Amsterdam~

Quickly walking back to her apartment, she puts a pot on the stove, set to boil. Sitting on the small sofa, she sets a bowl in front of Felix. Finding a can of sardines, she cracks it and pours it into the bowl. He displays a grateful look before digging in. The kettle screeches as it reaches a boil. She grabs a mug and pours the hot water over her teabag. She takes a sip. Raspberry and mint. Taking it to the sofa and setting it on the table, she spares a glance at Felix's now-empty bowl. He cuts her line of vision by stepping over the dish and jumping onto the space next to her. Purring and rubbing his head on her arm, he settles into a nap beside her. Retiring for the night, she switches off the lamp and is taken away by sleep.

In the morning, she rises with the sun, slowly stretching and getting ready to start the day. Felix wakes to a start, fur sticking up and eyes wide with alert. Spotting his new friend he relaxes, sinking back into the cushions.

"You know, I'll have to leave for work," She called from the kitchen. She was making an omelette.

Suddenly standing at her feet, he looked up with the saddest eyes, begging her to stay home. She sighed, plating the omelette. She cuts it in half and into small bites for Felix.

"I can't, Felix. Not today. It's black Friday!" She reasons. "I'll bring you some cat treats later, deal?" He looks her dead in the eyes, giving her the reality check she needed.

She was bargaining with a cat she adopted yesterday.

She just might need an extra cup of coffee.

~eight hours later~

The front door creaks open, her keys jingling in the silence.

"I'm home," She announces timidly. It's been a while since she's uttered those words. The last time she'd said that was probably middle school. She looks around before spotting Felix, lying on his back in the windowsill. Quietly dropping her purse on the rug, she walks over and whispers an eager 'hi'. His eyes shoot open then drop as he realizes it's just a girl excited to greet her cat. Lazily grinning, Felix turns on his stomach and leaps to her bed. Preparing for another nap. She smiles, then decides to busy herself in the kitchen.

Slicing vegetables, mixing sauces, and dicing chicken, after 30 minutes, she had a chicken salad and small portion of chicken and rice for Felix. I should get cat food next grocery trip, she tells herself. Coming to the living room, she sets his portion by the table and stabs a piece of lettuce from her salad. Noticing her presence, he gets down from the bed and tentatively peers at the food in his bowl. He carefully tries a bite of the grilled chicken, and his eyes widen. Not wasting a second, he dives in, finishing the meal in minutes.

She laughs, "You like chicken, huh?" She picks a couple pieces from hers and sets them in his bowl. She finishes her salad and waits for Felix to join her at the foot of her bed.

He leaps to her, jumping onto her lap. He purrs as she strokes his chin and holds him. Crawling off, he lays down with one paw just barely touching her leg. Smiling to herself, she silently grabs her phone and takes a picture of him sleeping. Peaceful and unguarded. She sets it as her new wallpaper and writes somewhere on the grocery list:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Chicken
• Cat Food