c6e3324c4f84f7e6ed71c7cdde754b42

“Yes. She’s beautiful,” Hailey said proudly. “We chose her on Saturday and then went to pick her up that afternoon. Once we’d got food bowls and a basket and things.”

“Would it be OK if I came and saw her after school?” Isla said pleadingly.

“That’s fine, isn’t it, Dad, for Isla to come over later?” Hailey asked. “But can I show her some of the photos on your phone now?”

“Not right this minute,” said Hailey’s dad. “Max is already halfway up the road. Let’s get to school first and then Isla can look. You must have taken about fifty photos already, so it might take a while!”

Hailey sighed, but her dad just grinned at her and shooed them on. When they got to the school playground, he pulled out his phone and Hailey took it eagerly.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_10]

“Oh, she’s so gorgeous,” Isla murmured as Hailey started to scroll through the photos. The kitten was a tabby, with long silky fur and perfect little white boots on all four paws. “Are you keeping her in the dining room then?” she asked – all the photos seemed to be by chair legs or half under the table.

“Yes – the people at the shelter said it was the best thing to do in the beginning because we already have another cat. We keep Silky in one room—”

“Silky! Is that what you’re calling her? Because of her lovely long fur?”

Hailey nodded.“She really is silky,” she said, smiling down at the photo on the screen. The kitten was gazing out at them with big blue-green eyes. “Her fur’s so soft. She’s in the dining room and Pickle’s supposed to smell her through the door and get used to her scent and not feel too threatened. Then we’ll gradually introduce them to each other until they become friends.” Hailey sighed. “That’s the plan, anyway.”

“Isn’t it working?”

“Ummm, not really. Mum forgot to shut the dining-room door on Saturday afternoon – she says it was me but it definitely wasn’t! Then Pickle came in while we were trying to get to know Silky and he was furious. He was lashing his tail and hissing – I’ve never heard him make a noise like that. It was really scary! Mum had to grab him and take him out or I really think he might have jumped on Silky.”

Hailey’s nose scrunched up and she frowned. “He scratched Mum as she was carrying him out of the door and henever scratches. We’re supposed to bring Pickle into the dining room for a few minutes every day. But when we tried it yesterday, Silky ran behind Max’s drum kit and wouldn’t come out, and Pickle stomped up and down in front of the drums, hissing and spitting like anything.”

“It’ll be OK, Hailey,” her dad said reassuringly. “They just need a little more time. Pickle’s ten, you know. He hasn’t shared a house with another cat since we had Marmalade, but that was years ago. And then it was Marmalade who was in charge and Pickle was the kitten. He’s not sure what’s going on but he’ll get used to it.”

Hailey nodded.“I know. But I don’t like seeing him so cross. And I hate it that Silky’s so scared. When she can’t hear Pickle hissing outside the room, she’s really sweet and friendly, but even hearing him sniffing at the door makes her nervous.”

“Poor Silky. Poor both of them,” Isla said sympathetically.

“I just want them to be friends,” Hailey said. “Before Silky came, I imagined them snuggling up together on the sofa, and sleeping in the same basket.” She sighed again and handed the phone back to her dad. “But Dad’s right. They just need time to get used to each other.”

Hailey’s dad put the phone back in his pocket. “Don’t worry. They’ll be curled up together on the sofa in no time.”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

Isla peered under the table and flicked the piece of string she was holding. She giggled as the little tabby kitten settled into a hunting crouch, her tail swishing from side to side. She watched for a few seconds and then leaped on the string with fierce growls. Silky was so small and bouncy– she could fling herself around like a rubber ball, squirming and wriggling with the string.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_11]

“She’s so sweet!” Isla whispered to Hailey.

“I know,” Hailey said proudly. “I love her – she’s really funny.”

Hailey’s mum edged carefully round the side of the door, obviously trying to stop Pickle getting in. She had a food bowl in her hand and, the moment she put it down on the plastic mat, the kitten danced over to it, the string still trailing round her back paws.

“She’s forgotten about it!” Isla giggled.

“Do you two want to come and have some strawberry milk?” Hailey’s mum asked. “I got some as a treat.”

Isla would have preferred to stay and watch Silky for a bit longer, but it seemed rude to say no, so she followed Hailey and her mum into the kitchen. Pickle was still sitting outside the dining-room door and he tried to sneak in as they came out.