**Diary Entry**
Blast it all! Laura glanced at her watch and quickened her pace, though she was already nearly running. “Im going to be latehell have my head for this.”
The bitter November day was no weather for a stroll. Slush, a grim grey sky overhead, and that wretched drizzlehalf rain, half sleetmade every step miserable. Overnight frost had turned the puddles to thin sheets of ice, and Laura, her nose buried in a thick scarf, winced every time her feet slipped. Near the bus stop, she finally went down hard, landing with a splash. Unable to help herself, she swore under her breath.
“Blimey! Mum always said swearing in publics not on, you know.”
A boy of about ten smirked at her from the pavement.
“Need a hand?”
Laura shook her head. What good would it do? Her cream-coloured coatbought for style, not practicalitywas now a soggy, mud-streaked mess. The puddle hadnt been deep, but it was enough to ruin her day. James would be furious.
“Not in a rush anymore, then?”
The boy wasnt letting up. She stood, brushing uselessly at her coat, feeling the cold seep through her soaked trousers, and shot him an exasperated look.
“Dont get cross! Didnt mean to offend you. Its justhere! Take him, yeah? Ive got school, and hell freeze out here. Cant keep himweve got dogs. Already missed first period. Mums sharp as a tack, but if I bunk off the rest, shell have my hide.”
A tiny kitten shivered as the boy pulled him from under his jacket.
“Lucky cat” Laura murmured, reaching out to stroke the little thing.
“Lucky? What dyou mean?” The boy frowned.
“Lucky. Look at his coatall mixed colours. They say cats like that bring fortune, happiness, money to a home.”
“There you go! Hes yours, then. For luck! Go on, take him!”
Laura shook her head again. “Cant. Wont have time for him.”
But the boy was already shoving the kitten into her hands. With a wave, he darted onto the arriving bus.
“Hell bring you happinesspromise!” His words vanished into the street noise, and Laura suddenly realised she was standing there, drenched, filthy, clutching a kitten. Late for everything, with nowhere left to hurry to.
“Well, then” She huffed a laugh, remembering his comment about public swearing. “Suppose the days not so dull now. What am I to do with you, eh, little luck?”
She cradled the shivering creature closer. “Never had a cat before. What do you even eat?”
The kitten mewed pitifully, and Laura sighed. Couldnt very well abandon the poor thing. For some reason, her heart achedfor the kitten, for herself. Adrift, unneeded, ever since Mum had gone.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Tucking the kitten into her coat for warmth, she checked the screenJames. Her stomach knotted.
“Where are you?” His voice was ice.
“Near home, at the bus stop. I fell.”
“You *what*?”
“Slipped. Fell.”
“Right. Cant even stay on your feet? How much longer do I have to wait?”
Laura exhaled, calculating how long itd take to clean up.
“I asked you a question! Mumll be livid if were late.”
“I” She started to reply, but the kitten chose that moment to sneeze, poking his pink nose out from her coat. Laura jolted, nearly dropping the phone. “James, I dont think were going today. Im soaked, filthy”
“Do you *hear* yourself? Is this a joke to you?” James exploded, and Laura held the phone away from her ear. “We planned this for ages! Mums gone to troublelaid out a spread! Im bringing my fiancée, and you”
“Weve met her before. She *knows* were engaged.”
“And that makes it fine, does it?” His rage crackled down the line.
Laura stayed silent, staring into the kittens oddly intent green eyes.
“You listening? Whyre you quiet?” The tirade faltered; James was calming. Always the samefirst fury, then reason. Shed never understood it at first. James was her first proper boyfriend, the first shed stayed with long enough to learn his rhythms. Shed had nothing to compare it to.
Her childhood had been quiet. Mum, Gran, Grandadno one ever raised their voice. Dad died when she was tiny. Mum had buried herself in work, in caring for her parents, in Laura. A late-in-life child, like Mum had been.
“Why so late, Mum?”
“Because I was daft. Chose career first. Surgeons hoursalways on call. Couldnt step away. Shouldve started sooner, love. Shouldve had more than just you. When Im gone, wholl you have?”
Laura had hushed her, refusing to think about it. But Mums fearof not seeing her grow uphad been palpable. Every milestone Laura passed, Mum exhaled in relief.
Laura never knew about the illness until it was too late. Mum kept it hidden. Only at the end did she sit Laura down.
“Done all I can for you, love. Now youre on your own.” Mum handed her a folder. “Flats yours, car too. Youre quite the catch now. So choose carefully. Dont rush. Watch how he acts when it matters. If he puts you first, *then* marry him.”
“Howll I know?”
Mum had smiled. “Your dadwe barely knew each other at uni. Both broke students. Then my mum fell ill. Dad nursed her while I took exams. First time Id been without their help. First month I managed. Secondgot sick myself. Proper pneumonia.” Shed chuckled. “Doctors make the worst patients. Flatmates had all gone home. Your dadfound me delirious, half-dead. Took me in, bought medicine, even pawned his mums ring to pay for it. Wed barely spoken before that.” Shed touched her wedding band. “He got it back, gave it to me when we married. Thats the sort of man you want, Laura. Not wordsactions. Promise me youll wait for that.”
“Promise.”
“And never let *anyone* shout at you. Or worse. See that, you walk away. Fast.”
Now, meeting the kittens steady gaze, Laura remembered every word. How had she forgotten? Was James anything like the man Mum described?
“No,” she said aloud, startling herself. She lifted the phone again, cutting off Jamess rant. “Do you love me?”
Silence. Then
“Whats *wrong* with you? Ive been going on for an hour, and you ask *that*?”
“Yes,” Laura said simply, stroking the kitten nestled against her.
James had no answer.
“Be happy, Jamie. Hope you find someone you *can* answer that for.” She hung up.
The walk home was a blur. Her coat weighed a ton. By the time she collapsed in her hallway, tears were streaming. Two yearsgone. Why hadnt she remembered Mums advice sooner?
“Because I was scared to be alone!” she shouted, startling the kitten.
He arched his back, hissing.
“Shh, its alright.” She scooped him up. “Odd little gift, arent you?”
Skinny, scruffy, but affectionate. He wolfed down milk like hed never eaten. Laura, watching, realised she was ravenous too. She poured herself a glass, tore off bread.
“Talking to a cat. Rock bottom.” She smirked. “Or maybe youre my only company now. Sochat it is.”
The kitten gave her a look so piercing she shivered.
“Too clever by half.”
She bathed him, then curled on the sofa, flipping channels mindlessly. James never called back.
Good.
The next day, she cleaned flat, then sat cross-legged with her laptop.
“Youre a bad influence.”
The kitten batted her hand, rolled onto his back.
“Fine. Maybe its time for a change.”
Shed wanted to leave her joba small furniture showroom where clients only wanted bland kitchens. At home, shed sketched bold designs, but they gathered dust.
Thenher breath caught. A design competition. She skimmed the details, but the kitten pounced on the keyboard, sending her scrambling.
“Oi! *Stop*!”
Her frantic clicking landed her on a registration page.
“Blimey”
Her hands hovered. “What if my ideas are rubbish?”
The kitten stretched, unimpressed.
“
