Until You (Westshore Series #2)

03 | Selflessly Saving a Cat

☾ Hailey ☾

It was a new week, and it was my favorite day of the week because I got to see Gracie. I had planned the day perfectly so I could maximize my time with her before I had to tutor Kenji. I was only meant to have her until 5 pm so I could get to Kenji's at 5:30 but it was 630 and our deadbeat dad still hadn't shown up.

Gracie was only seven, so she was of course clueless about this. I had distracted her with ice cream so she couldn't see how frustrated I was. My phone rang for the third time in three minutes, and I knew who it was.

I move away from Gracie and answer the call before it jumps over to voice mail. "I know, I'm sorry! I told you I'm running behind," I say to Kenji, trying to not let the stress get to me. I know he has been waiting an hour for me to show up. I am never normally late and the fact that he is waiting on me only makes me more anxious

"Sorry, you worship your planner like a bible so the fact that you are over an hour late is worrying...I had to call to make sure you were still with us. You better have a good reason for being so late Haybail."

I look down at Gracie who takes a bite of her ice cream and my teeth hurt just looking at her. She smiles at me, ice cream all over her chin. I try to wipe it off but she jumps out of the way.

"Maybe I am busy solving world hunger," I grumble. "Or running a marathon. Or streaking naked through the quad."

"Are you doing any of those things?" He challenges.

Gracie pipes up, "Why were you running naked?" She asks, bursting into a fit of giggles.

"I wasn't really naked. I'm just being silly." I pat her head.

"Why are you with a child? Do you have a kid? I happen to love MILFs! Where are you?" He questions and I groan.

"It's my little sister and I'm just waiting for her ride." I reach my arm out and Gracie holds onto it swinging like it's a monkey bar. I forgot that sugar at night may not be a good thing.

"Bring her here," Kenji says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Umm. I don't know if that's a good idea." I bite my lip.

"Please. It's not a big deal, we have a tire swing she would love."

"Fine." I hang up without any goodbye and lean down to Gracie.

"Remember that guy I told you about? The one I am tutoring?"

"The annoying one?" Gracie asks and I laugh.

"Yes, that one. We are going to his house for a visit. I heard he has a tire swing."

The way Gracie's whole face lights up makes the trip worth it.

I make sure to park down the street at a different address so I can send my dad an address that isn't Kenji's when he finally shows up.

But when Gracie and I start walking down to their house we hear a meow.

I look up and see a cat. In a tree.

I may be cold-hearted but not when it comes to animals and in the highest, spindly branches of the tree sits a cat. For all that I've heard about cats in trees, I've never actually come across one.

I stop and listen to it meow for help. "Are you stuck little baby?" I call up.

Gracie looks horrified. "Hailey. We have to save it."

The cat screeches its affirmative like a miniature murder victim. It is small but wonderfully fat, with fur so gray as to seem almost black, and piercing eyes that said, Surely you won't leave me here?