Homeless

Chapter Twelve

The colony of cats is quiet when they arrive. The volunteers follow Gary and Dr. Mac to the clearing, and when Gary opens the first two cages, the cats race into the weeds. Gary explains he became an Animal Control officer to help animals and likes how the TVSR program is working out.

Maggie says someone’s coming. It’s Jamie’s mom, punching numbers into her phone, angrier than ever, demanding to know why they’re bringing in more cats instead of taking them out, and why it’s taking so long.

Gary explains the released cats are vaccinated, spayed, and no danger to anyone. Jamie’s mom gets Animal Control on the phone and demands a supervisor, shouting that she won’t endanger her kids in their own backyard, that she’ll fill the place with people, and that she’s called police and TV stations.

Gary’s face turns red. He forgot to hold the resident meeting explaining TVSR before starting. He may be a great Animal Control officer, but an absent-minded one.

Gary insists they finish what they came to do: release the cats, trap the next batch, and hold an emergency meeting tonight. Dr. Mac disagrees; Jamie’s mother is furious, and they should keep the cats at the clinic a few more days and release them after the meeting. The four remaining cats yowl, sensing they’re close to home.

Gary argues that isn’t fair. The cats have already been through enough stress and should be released now. Dr. Mac looks back at the truck and nods. As Gary heads back for more cages, Sunita points down the road. The emergency meeting may come sooner than planned.

A crowd has gathered around the truck, and it isn’t a welcoming one. Angry neighbors tell Gary to get rid of the cats, a man threatens to do it himself, and a woman demands to know who’s protecting the children. Gary ignores them and keeps carrying cages to the clearing.

Dr. Mac steps into the crowd and asks everyone to listen, but a police car arrives, followed by a TV news van and another Animal Control truck, and things spiral further out of hand. Gary’s boss waves him over for a tense conversation Sunita can’t hear; Gary may be in trouble.

Dr. Mac tries to calm the crowd, assuring them no one understands the risks of unvaccinated animals better than she does, and that the cats are being treated until any disease risk is ruled out.

Gary turns from his boss and silently loads empty traps into the truck. Sunita hears a whisper from a nearby bush, which rattles as Jamie’s face appears with Katie beside him. She glances at the arguing crowd and realizes no one noticed.

Sunita hurries over and asks what’s wrong. Jamie needs help. Mittens, the black cat they’ve been searching for, has been in labor since yesterday, and something seems wrong.

The police are talking to Dr. Mac, and the crowd has calmed, though the TV crew is still filming. Sunita asks to see Mittens first, and keeping an eye on the crowd, they cross the tracks to the clearing, where Mittens lies under a boxcar with one dead kitten beside her, straining as she tries to deliver the next one. Sunita doesn’t know what’s wrong, but knows Mittens needs the clinic.

She tells Jamie to take Katie home while she gets Dr. Mac, but as she turns to leave, a raccoon blocks their way out, teeth bared and saliva dripping. Sunita’s heart pounds. Raccoons are nocturnal and rarely come out in daylight unless they have rabies.