Free Beauty & the Beasts by Anne Weale, Janice Kay Johnson

wound into a knot on the crown of her head, but tendrils were escaping to curl over her forehead and along her slender neck. Eric’s hands itched to brush them back, coincidentally feeling the silk of her skin and the pulse beneath.
    The balding guy, his back to Eric, was still talking. Eric tuned in at the point where he was saying, “That cat spent every day on the back of the couch staring at the bird in its cage. Worried us, I can tell you. But darned if we didn’t come home one day from work and find that bird loose and the cat cowering under the bed. He never went near the cage again. We figure the bird spent the day dive-bombing him.”
    Madeline’s laugh rang out and Eric smiled in pleasure at the sound. How had a woman who liked people and animals as much as she did become so guarded much of the time?
    “Well, I’m not sure Misty here would ever bestir herself enough to contemplate eating a bird. If you want a lap cat, she’s for you, but don’t count on her chasing toys or mousing in your garden shed.”
    “You say she’s five or six?”
    “That’s our best guess.” Madeline handed over the cat, who wrapped her front legs around the man’s forearm and settled in cozily.
    He bowed his head, looking down at her. After a moment he said in a low gruff voice, “Since the wife passed away, my place seems so empty. Our last cat was hers more than mine. He was nineteen when he died. Her health wasn’t too good by then, so we didn’t replace him, but now…”
    “Cats are wonderful company,” Madeline said gently.
    “Well…all right.” He turned and Eric could see his face. He smiled ruefully down at the gray cat, which was purring nonstop. Misty knew which side her bread was buttered on. “I’ll take her.”
    Madeline reached for a flattened cardboard carrier and said, “You won’t be sorry. She’s a honey. Let me set this up for you to take Misty home in. I do have some paperwork for you, but it won’t take long.”
    The fellow, perhaps in his midsixties, filled out the form, wrote a check and took a shopping cart off to load up on cat food and litter. In her carrier, Misty went with him, presumably so she could be consulted. Eric suspected that some catnip and a plush bed and maybe an elaborate carpeted scratching post would be included in the final tab. Love made a man want to open his wallet.
    Madeline introduced Eric to the other volunteer, a young woman named Linda, who then left to run a quick errand. Things had quieted down, so once Linda was gone Madeline and Eric sat down behind the table and opened the bags he’d brought.
    “You did buy a milk shake!” She sounded delighted.
    “Chocolate okay?”
    “Chocolate is nirvana.”
    They’d adopted out two cats already, she told him, a six-month-old kitten to a couple who wanted a companion for one they already had, and now Misty.
    “Misty liked him, I could tell,” she said contentedly.“Nice guy. He’s stopped to look at the cats and chat before. I knew that eventually he’d fall for one. He gave us a hundred dollars.”
    A skinny blond girl, maybe ten years old, darted in the automatic doors and up to the table. “Do you have any kittens today?” she asked anxiously.
    “A whole litter.” Madeline pointed through the glass behind her.
    “Oh!” A radiant smile lit the girl’s face. “I’ll be right back!”
    Sure enough, in less than a minute she was hauling her parents through the doors. They looked willing enough, however, and a younger girl clutching Mom’s hand was bouncing in eagerness. They all poured into the room, followed by Madeline, who gave a last wistful look at her half-eaten cheeseburger.
    Eric watched through the glass, unable to hear the conversation but able to tell what was happening. They picked out one kitten right away, a playful black one with white feet that he remembered neutering just that week. It appeared that the girls liked an orange tabby, also, but the mother preferred a second