Chapter 13. Kitty Condolences

SAWDUST

Things were not all right with Whitney. Sawdust could sense it. She lay on her bed with her arm thrown back over her face, as if she were trying to block out the world. She held him close with the other arm, and ran her thumb across his cheek again and again and again. His best friend Cleo sat at the end of the bed, watching them. She appeared concerned, too, issuing a soft chirrup and twitching her whiskers.

Sawdust heard the front door open and knew it meant their roommate Emmalee had arrived home. Emmalee called out to Whitney, and Whitney responded, but her voice was soft and warbly. Emmalee came to the door. Whitney pulled her arm back from her face and said some words. Emmalee put her hands to her mouth, covering it in horror. Cleo hopped down and walked over to her person, rubbing herself on Emmalee's calves. Emmalee picked her up and held her tight to her chest.

When Whitney let out a shuddering breath, Sawdust knew he needed to up his game. He climbed up directly onto her chest and looked her in the eye, issuing a mew to tell her everything would be okay, if not now then someday. He put his head down and kissed her cheek. When she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his fur, he knew he'd done his job well.