“She’s finally down for a nap,” Marie said with a sigh, sinking into the couch cushions.
“I didn’t know it was possible for anything to have that much energy,” Liam groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I knew she would have a weird sleep cycle, but I never imagined anything like this.”
Marie’s eyes widened. “I know! She had me up at 5am this morning, crying because she was so hungry. Sometimes,” she said, sliding a glance at Liam, “I just think she’s bored, or wants to prove she can boss us around.”
“I’ve thought that too,” Liam admitted ruefully. “I’m torn between being charmed by her curiosity and intelligence, and totally annoyed by it. Which I know, is probably not the nicest thing to say. At least she can’t understand us.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Marie said slowly. “I swear she can. It’s something in the way she watches us, like she knows every word we are saying.”
Liam grunted, and they sat quietly for a few minutes, lost in thought.
He broke the silence. “I think we’ll need to get some new toys for her soon.”
“Why? She has so many.”
“She seems to be bored of them already. And with a mind as energetic as hers seems to be, she’ll start acting out if she doesn’t have better or more complicated stimulation.”
“Hmm… I suppose so.” Marie sighed again. “And we will need to start introducing new food, soon.”
“Ugh, I forgot about that. That should be done slowly over a few weeks, right?”
“Yup.”
“They grow so fast, don’t they?”
“They really do.”
Liam yawned, then smiled a little. “I remember when we brought her home; she was so tiny. Now look at her.”
They both looked across the room at the small cat curled up in their best armchair.
“Who knew getting a cat would be so much like having a baby?”
© The Lightning Tower, 2020