Isabella was trying to read, but it was raining hard and she was thinking about the kitten again. She hoped it had somewhere to go to get out of the rain. She got up and went to the window and stood there watching the storm. Her mother entered the room with a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk.
"Worried about your little furry friend Isabella?"
"Yes Mother."
"Your grandmother made your favorite cookies, peanut butter; let's think about what to do about the kitten while we have our snack."
Isabella felt better; she knew she had a lecture coming about the worry she had caused, and she knew she deserved it. However, she also knew her mother was going to help her. They talked about other things, like the garden and how the rain was needed, while they enjoyed the cookies and milk together. Once they had finished her mother tucked Isabella into bed.
"What does this kitten of yours look like Isabella?"
"It's yellow and white and fuzzy, and so cute even though it's kind of dirty and skinny." Isabella laughed.
"But it won't come to me."
Isabella�s mother didn't answer right away. She sat and stared out the window for several moments.
"Maybe the kitten is trying to tell you something. Have you listened?
"I don't know what you mean Mother. How could the kitten talk to me?"
"You're trying to do a good thing by helping and feeding the kitten, but maybe the kitten needs something else from you. Maybe this kitten is trying to tell you the kind of help it needs. You must pay attention and see what it has to say to you. It may not be able to speak with words but it can talk to you in many other ways. Listen with your hearts ear, and you may be surprised what you will learn." Her mother switched off the light and kissed her on the cheek.
"Goodnight Isabella, I know you don't understand, but if you think about it and try it, you will. You have a natural connection with the animals, trust that and see where it leads you."
She stopped in the doorway of Isabella�s room and smiled.
"Isabella I know you did not mean to worry us tonight, but you must be more responsible in the future. If you find that you're going to be late you must promise to let us know. Your grandmother and I were very worried when you didn't come home."
Isabella felt a tear run down her cheek, she was truly sorry she had worried her mother and grandmother so much.
"I'm sorry Mother. I promise it won't happen again.
"I'll pick you up after school tomorrow, so that will give you a little more time with your kitten. Then she closed the door and was gone.
Isabella lay there for a long time trying to understand what her mother had told her before she finally drifted off to sleep.
Isabella thought the day would never end. She had thought about what her mother told her the night before and had decided that she was going to watch and listen to the kitten this time. The past few days Isabella had only been interested in catching the kitten; today she would try a new approach. When at last the school day was done she hurried to the playground to find the little yellow kitten. She had decided to call the kitten Chance, because it was by chance that she had discovered it. She had been chasing after a ball and had stumbled upon the kitten. Chance was in the usual place looking at Isabella with expectation; Chance knew she had food in her pocket. This time instead of trying to get the kitten to take the food from her Isabella sat the food down and walked a few steps away. Chance was not sure what to do. He watched Isabella suspiciously before slowly walking towards the food.
The kitten grabbed the food and ran with it dangling from its mouth. This time Isabella followed Chance to see where he took the food. In the days before Isabella would have left for the bus by this time, but since her mother was picking her up today she had a little more time. Chance kept looking back to see where Isabella was, in fact she thought the kitten slowed down so that she could follow.
"I'm listening Chance, just like my mother told me to. You want me to follow you don't you?"
Chance looked back at Isabella one more time then disappeared into a deep window well hidden behind some bushes. Isabella knelt down and gently pushed the bushes out of her way so she could see where he went.
"Oh my!" Isabella gasped.
Isabella could hardly believe her eyes. There, in the window well were three more kittens! Chance had been bringing the food back to share with the other kittens. Now Chance wasn't running from her, in fact, he was very friendly.
"So this is what you've been trying to tell me, I'm sorry I didn't listen before."
Her mother had been right, but then she was always right. She shook her head and laughed. Isabella thought that Chance was a very special kitten; he had shared the food she had given him with the other kittens and had led her to them. She saw her mother pulling up in her van and waved to her. Isabella couldn't wait to tell her mother about the other three kittens and ran to the van to meet her.
"I listened like you told me to! There are more kittens! That's what Chance has been trying to tell me! Hurry Mother I want to show you!"
Isabella's mother laughed and followed her excited daughter. After several minutes of playing with the kittens her mother went to the van and came back with a large box.
"Let's see if we can get these kittens, I brought a box to put them in and some food."
With little effort they managed to gather up all the kittens. There was another yellow one just like Chance and two gray kittens. At first they were afraid of riding in the van, but once Isabella gave them some food they calmed down, soon they were curled up together and sleeping. Except for Chance, who was sleeping peacefully on Isabella's lap.
"Thank you Mother."
Her mother reached over and gently rubbed the sleeping kittens head.
"You already knew Isabella; you just needed a little reminder."
Now Isabella understood all that her mother had told her the night before. The kitten HAD been trying to tell her something. But Isabella hadn't been paying attention. She was thankful now that she hadn't been able to catch Chance right away. She wouldn't have known to look for the other kittens and something bad might have happened to them. She would always remember what she learned from this experience. For now she was content to enjoy the company of her new kitten. Isabella knew they would be great friends for many years. She looked forward to all the adventures they would have together.
Willow Riverwoods 22006 (LKM)