Jessie meets Princess

  12+   Mim, the dog's mum's sister, picked them up in her little blue car. When mum opened the passenger door, the dog, named Jessie, jumped up and straight onto Mim's lap, licking and wagging her whole body. Mim had a huge smile on her face. 'Mae, look who's here!' The 5-year-old in the back called 'Jessie' and the little dog jumped through the car and onto the kid's lap. Mae was a bit unsure with the dog. Jessie was full-on.

'Come here!' the dog's mum called, pulling Jessie back into the front of the car onto her lap. 'We are going to see kittens!' On the way to the vet, Mim asked, 'We are just looking, right?'

'Of course, we are just looking,' Jessie's mum said. Having a kitten was supposed to be really difficult, and she already had the habit of staying home alone a lot. Her family thought she would become a crazy cat lady and never leave the house. 'They probably don't have a girl who likes Jessie, and I can't afford one until the end of the month. Mim you want a cat, don't you? Maybe you will fall in love with one of the kittens or the mum cat.'

Mim wouldn't jump into anything that wouldn't be right for her lifestyle. 'I want an older cat, an old fatty that just lounges about, a kitten is too much, but we will look.' Mim's sister was so happy she and Mae were coming to see the kittens, they had just had such a dark period with the illness and death of their dad.

*

The vet surgery was empty as they walked in, Jessie was nervously shaking and wagging her tail at the nurses. 'Through here.' The little dog's mum was a bit nervous, how is she going to react to all the kittens? Worst case, she barks and snaps at the kittens.

They went into the small room and saw five little kittens of different colouring. They were so small and cute, but would they actually be taking a kitten home today? Mae sat in her mum's lap and looked at the babies. Jessie's mum cautiously watched Jessie, who was calm and happy in the presence of the fluff balls. She wanted to smell each kitten — the kittens weren't that sure. Jessie just stood there wagging her tail, taking it all in.

There was one cat that Jessie's mum already had her eye on, the little black white and orange kitten, who was so confident and walked right up to Jessie. 'Are they boys or girls?' she asked. 'And how old are they? '

'They are three months old they are all boys except this little calico girl, and she is available.'

Jessie's mum had fallen in love with the pretty girl, who looked strong and playful enough to take on Jessie. Just then one of the boys darted towards Jessie and hissed and clawed. 'That one doesn't like dogs,' she said to the nurse. 'And does the little girl have a name?'

'Yes we call her Faleen, but you could change it if you wanted.'

'I was thinking Princess,' said Jessie's mum and that was settled.