Meena was just a tiny calico kitten, left behind like she did not matter. She cried in tall grass behind the barn, starving, shaking, and completely alone. Her mama had stopped caring for her, and Meena looked so small it felt like the world was swallowing her whole.
When Emily came back to the farm, she could not find Meena anywhere. Then she heard the weakest little cries, like a baby begging for someone to notice. Meena’s eyes were wide with fear, and her body was all bones under her fluffy fur.
Emily scooped Meena into her arms, and the kitten clung to her like hope. One pound of heartbreak, finally held in safe arms, finally chosen, finally loved.