Free The Cat Sitter’s Cradle by Blaize, John Clement Page A

listen.
    “We’ve been dating for a few months, and my parents don’t even know about it, and
     if they find out they’ll kill me. And he came over last night and I told him I was
     pregnant. And then he started saying that I don’t really know him and there are things
     in his past that nobody can change and he isn’t any good for me … and now everything
     is just ruined !”
    I patted her back some more while she sobbed and snuffled and blew her nose into a
     tissue.
    “I just want to get out of here! And he won’t even answer his phone and I don’t know
     what I did to him. What did I do to him? Why would he treat me like this? Why won’t
     he just tell me what’s wrong?”
    She looked up at me with big brown eyes welling with tears. The angels in the overhead
     mural were all flying around with their harps and flutes, gazing down at me too, waiting
     expectantly for me to say something brilliant and comforting. I couldn’t think of
     a single thing to say except “love sucks,” and I didn’t think that would go over too
     well.
    “I think it might be a good idea to talk to your mom about this.”
    “I can’t talk to my mother about anything! And she already told me I was spending
     too much time with him and not to talk to him again. But of course it’s okay for her
     to talk his ear off every time he’s here.”
    “Your mother knows him?”
    She threw her arms out with her palms up, as if to say That’s all, folks! but instead she rolled her eyes at me. “Duh? It’s Kenny!”
    I tried not to let my jaw hit the floor.
    “Kenny Newman? The pool boy?”
    “He’s not a pool boy. He just cleans pools for money. He’s an artist and he’s the
     most amazing guy I’ve ever known! Nobody knows him like I do.”
    Now it was me that felt like falling to the floor in a heap. Not because I felt sorry
     for Becca (although I did; this was certainly a pickle she was in) and not because
     I was mad at Kenny for putting her in this situation (it takes two to tango, after
     all), but because it was just so stupid and irresponsible on Kenny’s part. How in
     the world could he allow himself to get involved with the daughter of one of his clients?
     A teenager, for God’s sake! It made me wonder, too, if Paco and Michael hadn’t been
     right about Kenny—that there was something suspicious about him, something he was
     hiding. And right this very minute, he was in the house of one of my clients, caring
     for the beloved pets of people who trusted me implicitly. Perhaps I had made a huge
     mistake in hiring Kenny. Perhaps he wasn’t at all who I thought he was.
    Becca must have noticed I was a little distracted.
    She stood up and said, “Ugh! You think I’m a total idiot, don’t you?”
    “No, I just think you’re in over your head and maybe your mom could help.”
    She put her hands on her hips. “You know, I’m not a little girl. I’m in college. I
     don’t need help from anybody.”
    “Becca, that’s not what I meant at all. This wouldn’t be easy for anyone. You’re in
     a very difficult situation, and of course you’re upset. You just have to think about
     what’s best for you.”
    “Oh, really? No shit, Sherlock!”
    She threw her sodden tissue at the trash can and stormed out of the room. Before she
     even got to the door she was crying again and was only about halfway to the bedroom
     when she turned around. With her head hanging down, she clomped back into the bathroom,
     tears streaming down her cheeks.
    She said, “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay, honey.”
    She stepped into my arms and hugged me. I suddenly felt like I was hugging a younger
     version of myself, remembering what it was like to feel alone and helpless. When our
     mother left, as young as I was, I knew she was never coming back and I knew my life
     would never be the same. But my brother was there for me. He filled in the holes that
     my mother made. I couldn’t have survived without him. Everybody needs someone