Kitten Chaos (Must Love Pets #2) by Saadia Faruqi

Author:Saadia Faruqi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Marmalade is a very strange goat. We spend only a few minutes pet sitting him before we figure out the two things he adores: paper and kittens.

“Stop, you … goat!” Olivia hisses for the twentieth time, as Marmalade pushes his face into her backpack and nibbles at the flyers inside.

“His name is Marmalade!” Amir screeches for the twentieth time. He’s joined us on the grass now, his nose running and his hair all over his face like a hooligan.

Marmalade bleats, then lets himself be pushed away.

He’s clever, though, because he’s got a bunch of Must Love Pets flyers in his mouth.

“OMG, what’s wrong with him?” I squeal. “Why does he want to eat those things?”

“Goats eat all kinds of weird stuff,” Olivia says. “I read about it in one of my animal books.”

Olivia knows a lot about animals. Some of her knowledge comes from books, but some is from real-life experience pet sitting her aunt’s dog, Fifi.

I’m pretty sure she’s got zero experience dealing with a goat, though.

We watch Marmalade chew through the flyers, leaving bits and pieces scattered about. London shoos him away and collects the paper carefully so the kittens don’t eat it.

Uh-oh. Now Marmalade has discovered the kittens. He nudges Bella with his head, then Clyde. Missy runs under Marmalade’s legs, and he turns to sniff at her.

Then he licks her right on the head.

Amir claps his hands in delight. “They’re best friends!”

“It’s love at first sight!” Olivia coos.

“Ew,” I reply, but I’m smiling at this perfectly adorable picture.

Soon, Marmalade gets tired. He sits down on the ground, his head on his front legs, eyes closed. The kittens play around him, jumping on his back, clutching at his tail, rolling around in the grass right next to him. I can hear them purring happily.

Marmalade bleats a little bit, then goes quiet.

Maybe he’s just enjoying the sun. And the friends.

All of a sudden I wish Baba were here. He’d totally be enjoying this scene. My smile dims a little, like it always does when I think of Baba and all the things he’s missing.

All the things I’m missing because he’s not here.

“Smile, Imaan!” Olivia calls out.

I look up. She’s taken out her camera and is clicking away. I smile at her. Then I smile at Amir, who’s sitting cross-legged on the grass, elbows on his knees. He’s watching the kittens run around like it’s better than his favorite cartoon. I think of what he said in the morning, about not remembering Baba anymore.

Click-click-click.

I shake my head firmly. No need to be sad when the day’s so wonderful.

Right?

Right.

* * *

At noon, London and I go back to the main market to check on Dada Jee. He’s still sitting on his folding chair, but he’s lost his grumpy face. The watermelon lady is sitting nearby, and she’s laughing about something. On their other side is an older man selling apple pies, and he’s also laughing.

Dada Jee isn’t laughing, of course. I’m not sure he knows how to. But he’s looking relaxed.

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