Chapter 2 2

Leonardo disbelieved his wife's sudden change that Xano needed.

At home, Xano is lying on the soft sofa, so small, he observes the immensity of what will now be his home.

"I had no one, I was put in a box and thrown away like trash. Now I'm here in this soft place that the human put me in, so I can be comfortable," Thinks the kitten.

So tiny, he gets up and uses his nails to try to fluff up the huge sofa so he can have his trademark look.

"If I'm going to live with these humans, I have to mark my territory, leave the mark of my little nails"

When remembering the human, Xano remembers that she seemed sad when he arrived.

"Poor human, her eyes were swollen; I hope they go away, because she is a beautiful human; she has a huge volume in front of her; is it comfortable for me to lie down?"

Xano is only forty-five days old, he is still a child, but he is enormously curious to know more about those who will be his humans.

He can't stop thinking about the woman named Emily and the human.

"I hope they don't take long, this huge house scares me a lot"

Terrified, he hides among the cushions and feels protected there.

"I will stay here until my humans return."

With this thought, Xano ends up falling asleep.

At the store specializing in animals, Leonardo and Emily buy everything Xano needs, from cat milk to transportation and scratching posts.

He is still too small to wear an identification collar, but even so, they ask the attendant to engrave Xano's name on a collar containing his name and the guardians' phone number.

This is how the store attendant does it, when they are paying for the gifts they bought for Xano, Emily remembers an important item to educate her kitty so that he doesn't get into too much mischief around the house.

"Babe, we have to buy the catnip."

"True, with love like this, our little one won't go around making mischief all over the house."

So, they take the last item and pay for their purchases.

They happily go home, and upon arrival, Emily goes straight to the living room to see her little friend.

If she is scared when she doesn't find him on the sofa, with her heart in her hand, she calls her husband, who went to the kitchen:

"Leonardo, Xano disappeared, I left him here on the couch and now he's not here."

Leonardo runs into the living room; it's not possible for the kitten to have disappeared; he's small, and even if he were curious enough to jump off the sofa, he would be scared of seeing such a huge house.

"Emily, calm down; he must be in the living room; I don't think he went out to explore the house; this house is huge for someone so small."

"I see it that way too, and I'll, help look for him."

So the two look for Xano throughout the room and don't find him until, giving up, Emily sits on the sofa next to the cushion that Xano is behind.

Searching in a mental reading of his house for places in the house where Xano could have hidden.

Leonardo continues his search tirelessly. As soon as Xano arrived, he made Emily happier and now she doesn't want Emily to lose that joy.

Not knowing where to look, he lifts the pillow and looks, puts it in place, and then lifts it again, finding the kitten sleeping, nice and loose.

"Look, love, where Xano was behind that pillow.

Emily looks at the little fugitive, who was sleeping on the couch like a baby."

"There's the little runaway.

Emily picks up Xano and puts him to rest on her belly."

Xano walks across the volume of his belly and lies down again.

"I must focus quietly, this bulge is very big and I could fall to the ground"

Cats land on their feet, but Xano is a child and doesn't know that.

Emily looks at Leonardo, and they look at Xano.

" Emily, it looks like Xano will be very attached to our unborn baby.

Emily gently caresses Xano's hair."

"He's still so little, but he'll be an adult cat soon. I hope you like our son."

"Xano, here is a beautiful baby growing up. I hope you become friends. In a few months, he will be born and I want you to ensure his safety."

Xano listens to Emily's words.

"Oh! So that's it; the human will have a baby; that's why that volume in her belly"

"She wants me to be her guardian, but how can I protect such a small being when I'm still a child?"

Xano opens his eyes when he feels the baby's movements in Emily's belly.

"My human said that her baby will be born in a few months; until then, I will be strong, fearless and courageous; yes, I will be able to take care of my human's baby."

Leonardo follows the entire scene of his wife's interaction with the kitten.

"Emily, I'm glad you liked the kitten I brought, he'll keep you company while I work.

Emily caresses Xano's fur, which rests peacefully on his belly."

"Leo, I appreciate you being patient with me, I've been a terrible wife to you."

As he sits next to his wife, Leo caresses his belly, looks into his eyes, and smiles.

"Forgive me, Leo, for being so silly!"

"No, Emily, you weren't stupid, you were just confused, and me not being there with you all the time due to work only made the situation worse."

"But now I have the company of Xano, and I just have to thank you, Leo, for this little creature you gave me as a gift."

Leonardo and Emily exchange looks and kiss passionately.

A kiss that, for him, was the certainty that they would overcome a

ll the most complicated situations that came their way.