“Did you eat something that made you sick?” she asked, hoping for some sign of what was making George act this way. Suddenly, the cat rose and hunched his back, his fur twitching in ripples across the high arch of his back as he growled. Then he flopped back into Ringo’s bed, panting.
Julia rose and hurried to the kitchen where she rummaged in her purse for her cell phone. Scanning her list of contacts, she searched for someone to call. Tara didn’t answer, so she tried Chad, biting the inside of her cheek and pacing at the foot of her bed as it rang on the other end.
“Hello?” A high-pitched male voice answered.
Surprised, Julia yanked the phone away from her ear to see if she’d called the right number. It said Chad’s office, but she’d never called him before.
“Hello?” the voice said again. “Chad?” she replied hopefully.
“Miss Julia? Is that you?”
“Bobby?” she cried into the phone. “Oh Bobby, where is Chad? Never mind—Can you come right over? George is sick.”
“Chad had to go to Pittsburgh, and he told me to mind the phone. What did you say about George?”
“I think he ate something bad. I’m worried about him.” Julia stopped pacing to watch George hunch again. “Will you come look at him and tell me what you think?” she asked, running her hand through her hair. “You know about cats, right?” Desperation was creeping into her voice.
“My momma has lots of cats, so I know a bit,” Bobby drawled.
“Are you at the office?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, come right over, I’m really worried.” Julia said, glancing down at the yowling cat.
A long pause filled the line.
“Hello? Bobby? Are you there?”
She heard a throat clear and the sound of a chair scrape across the floor. “You want me to come to your house?” Bobby asked in amazement.
George rose up again, with his back arched and his eyes clamped closed. “Yes! Come now!” she almost shouted into the phone, causing Ringo to run in circles around her feet.
“Oh, okay, I’ll lock up and drive over. To your house, right?”
Irritation ran rampant through Julia’s body at this point. “Yes, Bobby, please come to my house now!” In an attempt to keep from completely losing it, Julia forced herself to sit on her bed and take a deep breath. As the line went dead, George hunched again and cried as if in pain. Julia hit ‘end’ and tossed her phone on her bed to crouch on the floor, unsure whether she should pet the cat or not. Chad’s office was only two blocks away, so hopefully Bobby would arrive soon.
“Hang in there, little guy,” she murmured soothingly to George.
Ringo trotted to her side, his tail down, his little body shaking. Julia pulled him onto her lap, caressing him gently in an attempt to calm them both.
As he panted heavily, George’s yellow eyes thinned to slits and Julia felt panic rising in her chest. He might only be a cat, but to her he was family. She couldn’t imagine riding in the truck or sitting on the porch without him.
A clatter on the porch announced Bobby’s arrival, and a bit shaky but without much thought, Julia rose from the floor to hurry to the door.
“Come in, I’m so glad you’re here,” Julia gushed as she dragged Bobby by the arm through the living room. Nearly shoving him into her bedroom, she pointed to Ringo’s bed. “There he is, what do you think is wrong with him?”
Blinking behind his lenses, Bobby’s eyes scanned Julia’s room, pausing at the bed, then glancing to her face. A deep blush crept up his neck but she nudged him toward the cat. He bent to kneel and run his hand along George’s back. The fluffy cat panted, his eyes clamped shut.
Seemingly confused, Bobby’s knobby fingers roved over the cat’s legs and head, then to his stomach, where he paused, his hand very still and light on George’s heaving abdomen.
“Well?” Julia sputtered, wringing her hands. “What do you think is wrong with him?”
Slowly, Bobby’s head turned to gaze up at Julia, his hand carefully withdrawing from the cat.
Wanting to shake him until he spoke, Julia wrung her hands and shifted from one foot to the other.
Bobby’s mouth fell open, then snapped shut. “Uh, Miss Julia, I think we have a problem...”
“Is it bad?” she gasped. “Just tell me! What is it?”
Straightening, Bobby rubbed his hands across his face.
Julia grabbed his upper arms, giving him one good shake. “Bobby! Talk to me!”
Gradually the little man’s eyes focused on Julia’s face, while the color drained from his.
She ground her teeth and gave Bobby another shake. “Speak!”
With a slight shake of his head, the man cleared his throat. “Miss Julia, I know what’s wrong with George...”
“And?” She resisted the urge to shake him again.
“He’s havin’ kittens, ma’am.”
Chapter Eleven
Julia’s grip went slack on Bobby’s arms, her hands falling to her sides. “Kittens?!”
He nodded.
“But, how could—” Her mind spun. Had anyone actually told her that George was a male? No, she’d just started referring to him as a him, or referring to her as a him. “Kittens!”
A wide grin spread across her face and her eyes shone. “I’m gonna be a mother! Or a grandmother.” Dropping to her knees, she stroked George’s back, murmuring about babies and how sorry she was for assuming she was a male kitty.
The cat yowled and twitched, and Julia pulled her hand back, her head snapping up to gaze at Bobby. “What do we do now? How do we help her?”
His eyes wide with panic, Bobby backed away. “I don’t know nuthin’ about birthin’ cats...”
She stood, brushing her hands together. “Well, do I boil water, or get rags, or something?”
Bobby shrugged, his face turning pasty white. “I think I should go get my momma,” he muttered, making a move for the door.
Julia grabbed his arm. “You can’t leave us here!”
To give the man credit, he was stronger than he looked, and he made it to the bedroom door before Julia dug in her heels and grabbed the doorjamb with her other hand. “Bobby! Stop!”
A momentary tug of war ensued but he shook off her grip and bolted across the living room as if he were running for his life. “I’ll get my momma and be right back,” he called over his shoulder, the screen door banging behind him.
The sound of gravel from the driveway being tossed in the air under grinding tires met her ears as she stood blankly in the living room staring after him.
The empty room echoed, sending chills down Julia’s spine. She was alone and George was in pain. An overwhelming surge of inadequacy threatened to knock her to the floor. She should have never gotten pets. She wasn’t able to provide for their needs. George had been wrong to trust her to be his— her— protector.
Wringing her hands, she turned back toward her bedroom where Ringo whined. What should she do? George growled in pain, the sound tearing at Julia’s heart. She had to pull it together for him. Her. The poor cat deserved that much.
Snatching up her tablet from the folding table, Julia hurried back to her bedroom. She bent down near the dog bed, the floor cool and hard, but as she booted up the tablet and pulled up Google, she managed to find a comfortable position to sit near the cat.
Her teeth nibbled at her bottom lip as she mumbled and typed. “Cat, birth, kittens... search.”
As a list of options appeared on the touch screen, the sound of a truck in the driveway dragged at Julia’s attention. Ignoring the noise, she continued to scan down the list. “Wiki... YouTube videos...”
Boots clomped across the porch. “Julia? Are you okay?” Chad’s voice demanded, echoing through the empty room.
“In here,” she called as she scrolled down the screen.
Chad’s head poked into the bedroom, his eyes frantically scanning in search of her.
“Down here,” she said, double
clicking on a YouTube video.
His head swung down to her on the floor, a scowl darkening his face. “What the— Bobby said you needed help over here, then hung up.” He lumbered into the room. “What happened?”
Motioning for him to join her on the floor, her eyes didn’t leave the screen. “Ever seen a cat give birth?” she asked, her voice flat, her eyes flitting across the screen in the dim room.
Chad flung his hands in the air. “What the hell is going on here? Cat?”
“Shush,” she instructed, her voice firm as she read through the options on her tablet screen. “Sit down and stop yelling at me.”
“I’m not yelling,” he roared, adrenaline and worry still surging through his system. “You scared the crap out of me.”
The one time she wanted his calm assurance and he was a wreck, Julia thought as she lowered the computer tablet to glare at Chad. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, sit down!” she snapped.
Startled to hear Julia mandate anything, he meekly dropped to the end of the bed. The look of focused concentration on her face was a side of her he’d never imagined she could muster. And her voice. She sounded so... authoritative.
Watching, as Chad stared at her in amazement, Julia momentarily explored an inner strength she had no idea she still possessed. The sensation both thrilled and terrified her. It felt like the old Julia, not like the person she was now. Squirming, she pushed the feeling away.
“George is having kittens,” she announced with a mixture of panic, elation, and wonder.
Chad’s eyes widened and flew to the cat in Ringo’s bed. “George?”
Even though she felt like giggling over his reaction, which must have mirrored her own, concern for the cat drew her focus back on track.
“Yes, and I’m trying to find out what I should do, if anything,” she replied distractedly, scowling down at the tablet. “I just found a video. Come down here and watch it with me so we can help George.”
* * *
Still in shock over the confidence Julia exuded, as well as a cat he’d thought was male giving birth, Chad managed to get a grip on his panic and slid off the bed to crowd onto the floor between Julia and her bed.
The cat growled and arched her back where she lay, then partially relaxed and panted, her eyes barely open.
Chad’s palms began to sweat. Glancing between George and Julia, his lips a grim line, he felt at a complete loss. He knew nothing about cats or kittens, and the fact that this cat belonged to Julia added a deeper element of anxiety. From the moment they’d met, he’d wanted to comfort her and make sure she was safe. Now she appeared to have a handle on the situation, and he was floundering.
His mind spinning through all the possible outcomes, he distractedly watched the video with Julia as she stroked George’s back and murmured reassuringly. His masculine instincts told him to escape the feminine tension, but his desire to stay near Julia held him bound to the floor.
As the video ended, Julia sighed, assured that nature would take its course and there wasn’t much she could do. “So, all we can really do is watch, I guess.” She reached up to place the tablet on her bed, vaguely surprised she could reach so easily, then turned to Chad.
The poor man resembled a cornered lion. He was far too large to be scrunched into the narrow space between her and the bed with his shoulders hunched and knees to his chest. The look on his face reflected misery, multiplied by horrified fascination, with a dash of contrition.
Her shoulders shaking with barely contained mirth, Julia climbed from the floor and motioned for Chad to stand. “I’m gonna go get a clean towel. I’ll be right back,” She assured him as she turned to leave the room.
“Wait—” Chad blurted, still on the floor, glancing nervously from Julia to the cat and back. “What should I do?”
She shrugged. “Exude calm.” Then she smiled at his hopeless expression.
“And just how do I do that?” he responded, irritation returning to his demeanor. But he only asked her retreating back as she hurried from the room.
Chad studied the cat with uncertainty. “Bet you wish you were a guy right now.” He muttered, rising to perch on the side of the bed.
Radiating efficiency and excitement, Julia returned carrying a white towel and she knelt by Ringo’s bed. “I think it’s happening!” she whispered, motioning for Chad to come down and kneel by her.
Ringo whined as George strained. The cat’s eyes clamped closed, as a small blob emerged under her tail. Julia watched in fascination as George turned to sniff the blob and nose it gently.
“That doesn’t look like a kitten to me,” Chad disparaged, leaning in for a closer look.
George licked the kitten, her rough tongue pushing at the sac of membrane surrounding the baby. Julia hands fluttered at her sides, straining to control the urge to help the mother cat bring her baby into the world.
His nostrils flaring with disgust, Chad leaned back on his heels, fighting the impulse to run.
Suddenly, the bag of membrane gave way and a tiny damp kitten foot, complete with itty-bitty claws, emerged from the bag, followed by the accompanying leg and another foot. Soon, George had the miniature creature freed from the sac, and it mewed pitifully with its eyes shut tight.
Julia clucked and cooed with excitement.
Chad’s eyes widened as he leaned over the dog bed, fascination chasing away his disgust. “It’s so little,” he uttered in amazement.
Glancing at Julia, he saw tears tumbling down her cheeks past a tremulous smile. Her eyes met his, her dark gaze filled with emotion and wonder. She turned back to admire the kitten as it staggered and nudged its way toward George’s now prominent nipples. “He’s perfect.”
Chad laughed. “You better check before you start calling it a he.”
Tossing him an annoyed glance, she giggled and shrugged. “Whatever, it’s so sweet. Look at its tiny little mouth looking for food.”
Looking on, Chad felt an odd rush of masculine protection toward both Julia and the new baby. Julia cocked her head to one side, joy in her gleaming eyes as she watched the kitten nurse, and Chad’s heart swelled. The new sensations poured through his chest, stirring up concern and confusion. He straightened, feeling as if he were being pulled into a spider web of emotional attachment.
A commotion out in front of the house drew his attention. “Sounds like Bobby’s back,” he commented, “I’m gonna let them in.”
Julia nodded, her eyes never leaving the cats.
As he tromped through the living room, Chad attempted to shake off the feeling of fate that pressed in on him. When he reached the screen door, Bobby was helping his mother onto the porch. The little man’s eyes were large, and his entire body shook with nerves.
“How’s Miss Julia and George?” Bobby croaked, his voice thin and strained.
Feeling more himself now that he had something to do, Chad took Bobby’s mother’s arm and led her across the living room. “They’re in here and both are fine,” he assured them.
* * *
Julia stood when Bobby and his mother entered the room. Mrs. Middlewood huffed as she wobbled forward, the large woman’s face red with exertion and eagerness.
Noticing Bobby’s mother’s faded muumuu and bathroom slippers, Julia cringed. “I’m sorry to make you come out so late,” she apologized.
Mrs. Middlewood waved her off. “No trouble, now where is the little mother?”
Guiding the woman to the perch on the edge of her bed, Julia pointed toward George.
The woman hummed to herself, rocking forward and back. “I see I’m a bit late,” she chortled, glancing up at Julia, who nodded silently.
Julia’s heart filled with mixed emotions over sharing her precious new baby kitten as she studied Bobby’s mother with wary curiosity. The woman’s appearance spoke of poverty and a simple life. Her thinning hair was gray, limp, and flat in the back, as if she spent most of her time reclining. The lines on her face spoke of poor health, sorrow, and decline, yet her pa
le eyes burned bright with pleasure as she watched the kitten lustily nurse. Her crooning voice spoke of a woman who had spent her life comforting others, with precious few to console her own moments of despair.
“Looks like we’ve got another one coming now, don’t we, little mother,” Mrs. Middlewood murmured.
Bobby reeled on his feet, his face a shade of pale green. Chad grabbed his arm, leading him to the window. “You sit here,” he instructed, plopping Bobby into Julia’s desk chair.
The little man nodded, his eyes huge and bloodshot behind his dirt-streaked glasses.
* * *
Three more kittens entered the world via Ringo’s bed before George expelled the last of the afterbirth, tidied up, and reclined back to watch her babies nurse. Chad had wandered over to join Bobby, more than willing to distance himself from the repellent birth conversation between Julia and Bobby’s mom.
Noting the glow of excitement fading from Mrs. Middlewood, to be replaced with a veil of fatigue, Julia offered to walk Bobby and his mother out.
Rising from the bed, Bobby’s mother observed Julia shrewdly. “Bobby has told me a lot about you, young lady.”
Glancing toward Bobby, Julia swallowed a bitter dose of self-doubt. How would Bobby describe her to his mother, she wondered. “Only good things, I hope.”
Bobbing her head in the affirmative, the older woman didn’t grin, yet the perception of a smile was there. Her bright eyes passed from Julia to Chad and back to Julia. “I can see for myself how things are.” She paused, her expression shifting through multiple emotions. Finally, she reached out to grip Julia’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here, Miss Julia.”
The words were simple and plainly spoken, but the emotion and meaning behind them left Julia feeling as she were missing half the story. She looked to Chad for answers, but he took Mrs. Middlewood’s arm to help her toward the door.
Hometown Series Box Set Page 42
