Heartache washed over the girl as Andrew slowly shut the flat door behind him, sinking onto the sofa with a heavy sigh. Anger and confusion churned inside him. Just moments ago, hed had a blazing row with his girlfriendall over a stray kitten.
The last half-hour had been a whirlwind: sharp words flying back and forth, accusations, desperate attempts to defend himself. It felt like the ground had vanished beneath his feet, leaving nothing but a weight in his chest.
Hed always loved Emily for her gentle nature, her kindness, the way she lit up every room. Their relationship had been effortless, like they fit together perfectly. But lately, shed been distant, wrapped up in caring for some scruffy little thing shed found on the street.
At first, Andrew had brushed it offso she had a soft spot for animals, especially the helpless ones. But bit by bit, her obsession with the kitten took over. Every conversation circled back to vet visits, medicine schedules, fretting over its health. It was like all the love and attention she once gave him had been redirected to this scrawny, half-blind cat.
When the argument finally erupted, Andrew didnt hold back. That kitten was taking up more space in her life than he was. Pouring time and money into a lost cause? What was the point? Why not just get a proper, healthy petone that could actually bring them both joy?
Emily took it badly. She called him heartless, selfish, said he didnt understand what really mattered. The harder he tried to explain himself, the clearer it becamethey saw the world in completely different ways.
It had all started on an ordinary morning. Emily had been heading out when she heard a tiny, pitiful mewling by the doorstep. At first, she thought shed imagined it, but then she spotted hima tiny ball of fur, shivering and filthy. Without a second thought, she scooped him up and rushed him to the vet.
The kitten was in bad shape: skin and bones, infected eyes, barely able to stand. The vet warned hertreating him wouldnt be easy or cheap, and there were no guarantees. But Emily refused to give up. She spent hundreds on treatments, syringe-fed him, cleaned his wounds, dripped medicine into his eyes every few hours.
A month later, the infection was gonebut his sight wasnt coming back. The kitten was completely blind. Friends told her to surrender him, even suggested putting him down. Why put herself through all that for a cat that would never have a normal life?
But Emily couldnt abandon him. Shed saved himnow he needed her more than ever. So she kept him, naming him Whiskers. The first few weeks were rough; he bumped into walls, tripped over everything. But soon, he learned his way around the flat, weaving between furniture like he had a map in his head. Before long, he was using his litter box perfectly, never missing a beat.
And then came the real magic. Whenever Emily sat down, Whiskers would hop into her lap, curling up with a soft purr. If she was upset, hed nuzzle her hand, his steady warmth a silent comfort. He might not see, but he knew her better than anyone.
Everything was perfectuntil the night Andrew snapped. He called her foolish for wasting time and money on a “useless” animal. Why not just get a proper pedigree cat instead of nursing some hopeless case?
His words cut deep. How could he not see what Whiskers meant to her? She tried to explain, but Andrew just scoffed and left, tossing one last cruel remark about her throwing good money after bad.
Thats when it hit her. The real blindness wasnt Whiskersit was Andrews. He couldnt see the love in that little cats heart, the loyalty that asked for nothing in return.
In the end, the breakup was quiet, almost a relief. Emily realised she didnt need someone who couldnt recognise the worth of a living, loving creature. And now? Now she had Whiskersher tiny, sightless guardian, always there to remind her what really mattered.
