Late! In three minutes she darts into the bathroom, does her makeup, throws on her coat and boots, then hops into the lift.
Emilie jolted awake, already behind schedule. In a blur she managed to get ready: applied makeup while heading for the front door, glanced at the mirror, slipped into a trench coat and ankle boots. Just three minutes after waking, she was already in the elevator.
Stepping onto the street she noticed a light September drizzle, but there was no time to fetch an umbrella. The alarm had betrayed her. Emilie sprinted after her bus, terrified at the thought of missing work. Her boss was unforgivingany tardiness meant a lost day and the threat of dismissal.
Running through all the disastrous scenarios that day might hold, Emilie already mentally said goodbye to her favorite clients, her bonus, and her remaining day off. The hurried pedestrians seemed lost in their own thoughts, indifferent to one another. The world was gray and gloomy, and the rain only worsened it.
A few hundred meters from the bus stop, she halted abruptly, spotting a drenched kitten curled beside a worn bench. It tried to mew, but only silent sighs escaped.
Emilie hesitated: keep running or help the helpless creature? She listened to her heart, knowing shed face her bosss anger either way.
Getting closer, she saw one of the kittens legs twisted.
My God! Who did this to you? she whispered.
With doubts gone, she couldnt abandon it. The shivering kitten was soaked to the bone. She gently wrapped it in her white scarf and raced even faster toward the stop. She decided to bring it to the office and deal with the fallout later; her compassionate heart wouldnt leave the orphan behind.
Her attempt to slip into the office unnoticed failed. Just as she reached door number12, her boss appeared around the corner.
Dupont! An hour late! Where have you been? Whos going to do your work? Whats wrong with you? he barked.
Questions rained down, and her guilt swelled. Trembling and speechless, tears welled up, bitterness creeping in.
Look! she managed, unbuttoning her coat slightly. The kitten poked its sad little head out, now a bit warmed, letting out plaintive mews.
Its leg is injured; I couldnt leave it in the rain It was alone she stammered, tears now freely flowing, hands shaking.
Still shaken, she thought about gathering her things and leaving silently, but a warm hand stopped her. Her boss pulled out his phone, jotted an address on a scrap, and ordered her to go there immediately to save the tiny paw.
Surprised by his sudden kindness, Emilie took the note, tucked her coldred hands into her pocket, and hurried toward the exit.
And dont come back here, he warned.
Her heart sank, but before despair could claim her, the boss added:
Today is your day off. Tomorrow, too. I commend your compassion; expect a bonus for your love of animals.
Everyone knew the boss as SébastienLeclerc, famed for his legendary harshness. Yet at the veterinary clinic the matter was resolved quickly: the kittens leg wasnt broken, merely a severe sprain. While the vet bandaged it, Emilie explained how shed found the animal and the unexpected intervention of her boss.
Laughing, the vet revealed hed known Sébastien since childhood. Hed always been a hero to animals, rescuing puppies from water and defending kittens from bullies. As an adult he funded shelters with his earnings, a generosity that began with his first scholarship.
With people, however, Sébastien had kept his distance, a change that came after a tragic family loss. This revelation struck Emilie deeply, and she thought of Sébastien for the rest of the day, feeling the urge to encourage him.
That evening, while the kitten rested contentedly on her bed, Emilie set up a little nook for her new friend. Shed named him Minou, a name she thought perfect. Her tender moment was interrupted by a phone callit was Sébastien.
Hows our little patient? he asked.
Blushing, Emilie eagerly reported on the kittens condition and expressed her gratitude. Sébastien invited her to dinner, and they talked long into the night.
What brought them together was mutual understanding and a shared love for animals. Together they cared for Minou and soon found a common passion for rescuing distressed animals. Emilies loneliness ended, and she and her fourlegged companion discovered joy and comfort in their newfound companionship.
Running Late! In just three minutes, she dashes into the bathroom, applies her makeup, slips on her coat and boots, then hops into the lift.
