When he returned home from work, the cat was gone.
James was a humble young man, with no bad habits to speak of. For his 25th birthday, his parents gave him a flat. Well, not quite a gift; they helped him with the money for the deposit on his first mortgage, and so he began living on his own. James worked as a software developer and preferred a quiet, solitary life, rarely socialising.
To keep loneliness at bay, James decided to adopt a kitten. The little tabby had a deformity in his front paws. The family that owned the kittens mother wanted to put him to sleep, but Jamess heart went out to the poor thing, so he brought him home. He named the cat Handsome. They had a good life togetherJames would rush home from work just to be greeted by Handsome, waiting patiently on the doormat in the hallway.
After a while, James started seeing a girl from work. Her name was Harriet, and she was spirited and outspoken. Not long after they began dating, she moved in with him, quickly making the arrangement permanent. Harriet took an instant dislike to Handsome. Right away, she asked James to get rid of the cat, but he refused, explaining that Handsome meant the world to him.
Harriet didnt give up, and kept pressuring James to get rid of the cat. Eventually James stood his ground, insisting that Handsome would stay. Harriet argued that the cat was embarrassing, saying that their friends were disgusted by his paws whenever they visited. James felt torn between the two, because he cared for them both.
On top of this, his parents made no secret of their disapproval. They found Harriet rude and full of herself, and urged their son not to rush into anything serious, suggesting he should take more time before making things official.
One evening, Harriets parents visited them for the first time. It was then that James realised he didnt want to share his future with Harriet. As soon as her father stepped through the door and saw Handsome, he laughed and called the kitten a little oddball. James couldnt help but defend his pet, but Harriet and her father spent the entire evening poking fun at the cats looks, coming up with all kinds of suggestions about where they could send him off. Harriets mother laughed along with them.
The following day, when James came home from work, Handsome was nowhere to be found. Alarmed, he asked Harriet where the kitten was. She coldly replied that she had taken Handsome to the vets and left him there.
James immediately set out to find his beloved companion. He searched for hoursfive, to be exactuntil he finally found Handsome. The cat purred gently as James scooped him up, clearly grateful to be reunited with his owner.
Returning home, James told Harriet to pack her bags and leave. He realised there and then he didnt want someone so callous in his life anymore.
The next morning, Harriet quietly collected her belongings and left, deeply offended. She never dreamed that a cat could mean more to James than she did.
Now, James and Handsome share their flat, and every evening the cat joyfully greets his person at the door after work.
Sometimes, its the simple bonds that teach us what truly matterskindness, loyalty, and standing up for those who rely on us, even when others dont understand.
