Free Through The Pieces by Bobbi Jo Bentz Page B

kitten, an orange tabby. I had the litter box and food dish ready, stashed in my closet. I grabbed my coat and followed Buck to the car. He told me to get the cat from the backseat, and he would get the rest.
    "What do you mean ‘rest’? The rest of what?"
    "Claire, I couldn't come over for Christmas and not bring gifts."
    "Oh Buck, you really shouldn't have! I didn't even get you anything." How embarrassing. "I spent everything on Maggie, and with this new place--I hate to say I am running low on funds."
    "Claire, at least I get to enjoy spending Christmas with you and Maggie. And you are making me food. I usually order takeout or work on Christmas. I really should be thanking you." This man could melt my heart. He grabbed two big bags and followed me upstairs. Maggie was busy on her iPad when we came in.
    "Maggie, I have one more gift for you." She looked up at me with a questioning look on her face. "But I have everything I wanted and more." She jumped off the couch and ran towards me as I set the box on the table. The kitten inside made it clear it wanted out. Maggie froze in position. The kitten let out another protest and she carefully opened the top of the box just as the kitten let out a cry for help. Maggie immediately scooped it up and clung to it. The smile on her face was priceless.
    "Is it mine to keep?"
    "Yes, your very own kitty, and it’s a girl."
    "A girl! You're a girl. And you're so sweet and pretty." She was snuggling the kitten against her face. "Thank you, thank you, Mommy. I love her. What's her name?"
    "You get to pick her name. I have the food, litter box, and collar for her."
    "Did you hear that? I get to pick your name. What should we call you?" Maggie gushed to the kitten. "I am going to call her Pippi because of her red hair. Just like Pippi Longstocking."
    "Pippi, that's a wonderful name." Tears pricked my eyes.
    "Do you like her Buck?"
    Buck smiled at the exchange. "I do, and she is the cutest kitten I have ever seen."
    I reached down to pick up the wrapping paper just as Maggie set Pippi on the floor. The kitten gave a mighty leap and landed square in the middle of the paper, then raced around the room like an orange blur. Maggie and Buck sat on the couch and watched, each with a look of pure wonderment on their faces. They laughed when Pippi pounced on the paper.
    I was floating in my joy as I went to the kitchen to check on the egg bake. It was bubbling up nicely. I shut the oven, and it was then I noticed the two large red bags by the table. How nice of Buck to bring gifts for Maggie. I put a water dish and some food on a rug near the door and returned to the living room.
    "So, before we eat, do we want to clean up this wrapping paper or should we leave it until after brunch? Oh, and Maggie can you get Pippi's litter box out of my closet? But be careful it’s heavy. Put it in  the bathroom."
    Maggie jumped down from the couch. "Sure, Mommy. Pippi, come on, let's get your litter box. I will show you where you need to go potty." She tried unsuccessfully to get Pippi to follow.
    Pippi was too interested in attacking the wrapping paper and getting it stuck on her claws. She would shake her paws to no avail, then try to take a step, stop, and shake again. This continued until Maggie came to her aid and gently pulled the paper free. Maggie took her to my room and began her new duty of taking care of a kitten.
    While Maggie and Pippi were out of the room, I began picking up the discarded wrapping paper. Buck pitched in until every last piece of tape and paper was cleaned off the carpeting. He then grabbed the trash bag and set it outside the door. Wow, he really was one of the kindest man I had ever met. He went to the closet, rolled out the vacuum cleaner, and began to vacuum. He looked up at me as I stood there dumbfounded.
    "Buck, thank you. Thank you for so much. I don't even know where to begin."
    He wrapped the cord on the vacuum and returned it to the closet, then came to stand next to