Claire LaZebnik - Knitting Under the Influence

David carried the box in and shut the door behind them.

“Where did you get it?” Lucy asked. She rubbed the top of the kitten's head. There was hard bone right under the fluff.

“He's cute, isn't he? I got him at the pound. You wouldn't believe what you have to go through to get a kitten there. They found him a couple of weeks ago, but wouldn't release him until this morning and by the time they opened, there was already a crowd of people all wanting him. Someone had actually been waiting there since five. So they held a live auction, with people bidding and screaming at each other and everything. It was pretty intense.”

“But you won?”

“Yeah,” David said. “I was determined.”

She lifted the kitten up high and peered at it from underneath. “It's a boy.”

“I could have told you that if you'd just asked. Or do you get off on looking at little animal penises?”

“I take what I can get,” she said with a laugh. She snuggled the kitten in both hands and put him against her cheek. “He's so soft.”

“Isn't he?” He was watching her, leaning back against the door, looking very pleased with himself.

“Are you just showing him to me?” she said. “Or actually giving him to me? Because-” Because she wanted him more than she'd ever wanted anything before. Why hadn't she ever thought of getting a cat before? She had thought about a dog, but never a cat. A cat made sense.

“He's all yours,” David said. “Although I’d like to retain some visiting rights.”

“Why?” Lucy looked at him, the kitten still caught against her cheek. He had started purring-it was like a tiny motor in her left ear.

“I got attached to him on the ride over.”

“No, I mean, why did you get him for me?”

“I don't know,” he said. Then: “I guess, ever since that night at the bar… you seemed so sad about having to kill animals for work and not having any as pets. I wanted to get you something. A dog seemed way too time-consuming and a fish just isn't all that much fun. Plus, I figured you could really relate to a cat, what with you both being rat-killers and all.”

“And cute,” Lucy said. “Cute little rat-killers, both of us.”

“Exactly. But if you don't want him, I could-”

“I want him,” she said. “He's perfect.”

“That's what I thought when I saw him. I thought about telling you, but I wanted it to be a surprise, and I didn't know for sure if I’d end up getting him or not.”

“Was it very expensive? I mean, if it was an auction-”

“It was a pound, Lucy,” he said. “People get animals at pounds because they can't afford pet stores. Don't worry about it.”

“That's not why people go to pounds,” she said. “It's for moral reasons.”

“Whatever. I could afford it.”

“I’d like to pay you back,” she said. “Tell me how much.”

For the first time since he'd arrived that morning, his grin faded. “Jesus, Lucy, just say thank you, will you? It's a gift.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Oh, David, thank you.”

There was a short awkward pause. She thought she should probably hug him or something, but she was holding the kitten in her hands and couldn't really. She looked around and said, “I’ll have to figure out where he can sleep and eat and everything. And kitten-proof the apartment.”

“Yeah, you might want to cover any live wires,” David said. “And no more inviting coyotes over for a cup of tea. Do you know if you're allowed to have pets in this building?”

“No,” she said. “It was never an issue, so I never bothered to ask.”

“If it's a problem-”

“I’ll move,” Lucy said.

“I was going to say I could take him in, but that works, too.” He leaned forward and touched the kitten's nose. “I knew you'd like him. Oh, and I have some stuff in the car. I’ll go get it. Some food and medicine for his eyes. They're a little gunky.”

She raised the kitten to eye level and peered at him. “Oh, yeah. I hadn't even noticed.”

“They said most of the kittens come in that way, but it clears right up with the drops. I also stopped at the drugstore for some other things-the pet store wasn't open yet. Let me go get it all.” He left the apartment and Lucy could hear him clatter down the stairs.

She sat down with the kitten on her lap. “Hello,” she said and rubbed the top of its bony-fluffy little head with her index finger knuckle. “I’m your new roommate.” The kitten pushed its forehead hard against her hand, then started to climb up her stomach, its long thin claws slipping through the knit of her sweater so she could feel their points prick against her skin. It was a delicious feeling.

She had thought the kitten was all gray, but now, as she studied it more closely, she saw that it had two little black lines between its eyes and two tiny black dots on the top of its nose.

She was still sitting there just looking at the cat when David reappeared at her open front door.

“Hey,” he said, dropping a couple of bags on the floor. “I got some kitten chow, too. By the way, they said to never give him milk or cream, because it could upset his stomach. Who knew?”

“I did,” Lucy said. “Because I had cats when I was a kid. But they weren't ever kittens.”

“Actually,” he said, “I’m fairly certain they must have been at some point. See, the mommy cat and the daddy cat love each other a lot, and he puts a seed in her-”

“You know what I mean. I only ever knew them as adults. I’ve never owned a kitten before.”

David sat down next to her. “Nothing cuter than a kitten.” He extended his index finger, and the kitten sniffed at it, then put his own paw on top. “He's shaking hands,” David said. “The world's most brilliant cat.”

The kitten put his mouth on the end of David's finger and tried to suck at it.

“He thinks you're a nipple,” Lucy said.

“I’m rethinking that whole brilliant thing.” They both watched the kitten mouth David's finger. “What are you going to name him?”

“I hadn't even thought about it yet. You sprang this on me pretty suddenly.”

“How about calling him David?”

“You want me to name my cat after you?” She raised her eyebrows. “That's asking a lot, don't you think?”

“Maybe,” he said. “But think of how much fun we could have with this. You could say things like, ‘David slept all curled up against me last night,’ in front of other people and make them wonder what's going on between us.”

“You'd take way too much pleasure in that.”

“Come on,” he said. “Throw me a bone. It's the only way I’m ever going to get into your bed. Besides, David is a great name. He defeated Goliath, you know.”

“Fine,” Lucy said and raised the kitten into the air. “I dub you David the cat. And if you're anything like the guy you're named after, you'll be an enormous pain in the butt.”

“You like him, don't you?” David poked her with his elbow.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” She put the cat on the sofa next to her so she could give David a hug. “Thank you,” she said. “This may be the best present anyone's ever given me.”

“You're very welcome.” They released each other and he sat back. “Did I mention that I got up at six-thirty in the morning just for you?”

“You want a cup of coffee?”

“I thought you'd never ask.”

Lucy went into the kitchen and busied herself pouring the water and measuring the coffee. The whole time, her heart sang with joy. She was in love with a pound of gray fur. And his name was David.

Sari walked into Lucy's apartment the next Sunday, greeted her, dropped a bag of bagels on the table, pulled a brand-new skein of yarn, a needle, and her knitting magazine out of her workbag, sat down at the table-and sneezed. And sneezed again. And three more times.