Hurt flooded the girls heart.
Oliver slowly closed the flat door, sighed heavily, and slumped onto the sofa. Anger and confusion churned inside him. Hed just had a blazing row with his girlfriend, all because of a stray kitten. The last half hour had raced bysharp words flying, accusations thrown, desperate attempts to defend himself. It felt like the ground had vanished beneath his feet, leaving nothing but this crushing weight in his chest.
Emily had always drawn him in with her gentle nature, her kindness, the way she wore her heart on her sleeve. Their relationship had been easy, naturallike they just *fit*. But lately, shed been pulling away, pouring all her energy into caring for some random stray shed found.
At first, Oliver had brushed it off. Fine, she loved animalsespecially the small, helpless ones. But over time, it became an obsession. Every conversation turned into updates on the kittens treatment, its health, her endless worries. It was like all the attention shed once given *him* had shifted to this sickly little cat.
When the fight finally erupted, Oliver didnt hold back. That kitten was taking up more space in her life than *he* was. Caring for it was a wastetime, money, emotion. Why not just get a proper, healthy pet they could *both* enjoy? Why pour everything into a creature that had no real chance at a normal life?
Emily took it badly. Called him cold-hearted, selfish, said he couldnt understand true compassion. The harder he argued, the clearer it becamethey just didnt see things the same way.
It had been an ordinary morning when Emily first heard the tiny, pitiful mewling outside her building. She almost ignored it, thinking it was just the windbut something made her look. And there he was: a shivering little ball of fur, filthy, bony, eyes crusted shut, barely able to stand.
She didnt hesitate. She scooped him up, rushed him to the vet. The diagnosis hit hardsevere eye infection, likely going blind. Treatment would be expensive, gruelling, with no guarantees.
But Emily refused to give up. She spent hundreds of pounds on meds, vet visits, round-the-clock care. Every day, she cleaned his eyes, fed him by hand, kept him warm.
A month later, the infection was gonebut his sight wasnt coming back. The kitten was blind. Friends told her to surrender him, even suggested putting him down. «Why put yourself through this?»
But Emily wouldnt abandon him. *Shed* been the one to save him. Now he needed her more than ever.
She named him Whiskers.
Those first weeks were toughhe bumped into walls, stumbled, struggled to find his way. But he was clever. Soon, he learned the flat like the back of his paw, never missing his food bowl or litter tray.
Then something amazing happened. Whenever Emily sat down, Whiskers would hop into her lap, purring like a little engine. If she was sad, hed nuzzle close, as if he *knew*.
Everything was perfectuntil Oliver blew up.
«That cats a waste,» hed snapped. «You shouldve got a proper pet, not a broken one.»
The words cut deep. How could he say that about something so full of love? She tried to explainWhiskers wasnt just a cat. He was *family*.
Oliver just scoffed and left, muttering about «throwing good money after bad.»
Thats when it hit her. The *real* blind one wasnt Whiskers. It was Olivertoo blind to see loyalty, love, the kind of bond that mattered.
Breaking up was easy. She didnt need someone who couldnt understand that.
Now, she had something bettera tiny, purring friend whod always be there.
