Page 9 of The Two Halves of My Heart

“What?” we both whispered back.

“That.” We were all silent for a moment, and a little meep sound came from the bushes near the old, broken caravan. Grace stood to investigate, but before she could, a small ball of fluff rolled from the weeds and into the dusty path. A tiny kitten sat in front of her, squeaking for attention.

“Oh my god, look how sweet he is.” She moved to start petting the kitten and stroked its little head. The minute she touched him, he began purring, like he’d just found his voice.

Grace settled down in the dust and picked the kitten up, resting it in her lap.

Maddison and I looked at each other and then back to Grace. “What do we do?” Maddison asked.

“What do you mean?” She looked up, squinting in the sun.

“Shall we take it?” Maddison suggested.

“We can’t take it. It’s probably got a mummy cat somewhere,” I said.

“But look, Oliver. It’s so cute.” Maddison crouched next to Grace, petting the kitten with her.

“Mum would go mental if we took a cat home.”

“Would she?” Grace looked up to me with hope written all over her face. She’d already thought about the kitten as hers, I could see it in her eyes. And in that moment, I’d do just about anything to be able to give it to her.

“Yeah, Oliver is right. Shall we go back?” Maddison kicked a few stones around, seemingly bored with the small thing that had all of Grace’s attention.

“We can’t leave him.” Grace’s voice cracked.

“We can’t take him. He’s small. And looks fine. He’s going to have a mummy cat somewhere,” I tried to reassure her, but tears were pooling in her eyes.

“You sure?” She looked at me for reassurance.

“I’m sure. Come on, let’s go now.”

Grace put the furry thing down, but it immediately started to cry at her. She stepped away, but the cat followed, wanting her to return and give him more love.

“Oliver, he’s following me. He wants to come home,” she whined.

“Will your mum let you have a kitten?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice quivered.

“Maddison, start riding back with Grace. I’ll make sure he doesn’t follow us.”

He nodded and lifted Grace’s bike from the dirt for her. She climbed on and looked at me as I held the kitten.

“Go!” I shouted to them. They both started to pedal back the way we’d come, a cloud of dust blurring them from sight.

“Right, little fluff ball. I know you want to go home with her, but you have to stay.”

The kitten squeaked at me, crying as if I’d taken away the best thing in the world. I knew how he felt.

“I’ll make a deal. If you’re still here in a week, I’ll come back. You’d be the best birthday present in the world for Grace. Deal?”

The kitten seemed to start purring as if happy with the deal. Of course, I had no idea if Grace would be allowed to keep him, but right now, all I wanted was to be the boy who gave his best friend the best gift ever on her birthday.

A week later, I sneaked out on my own and cycled to the same spot and waited at the falling-down gate. “Here, kitty kitty.” I sat down and made little kissy noises to encourage him out. Minutes passed, and the afternoon air began to chill as the evening drew in.

Grace had been moody since we’d left the kitten. She’d been quiet all the way home, and it made me feel helpless. She’d gone home and didn’t want to come out again like usual. Mum told me that sometimes girls needed some time to themselves and that it didn’t mean Grace didn’t like me anymore, but that I had to continue to show her I was the friend she needed me to be.

Even her birthday meal and chocolate cake at our house couldn’t bring her back to her usual self.

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