Free Matthew's Choice by Patricia Bradley Page B

followed Matt as he hurried out of the hospital. It was already dark, but still not too cold. Miss Allie told him to zip up his jacket, though, and Noah did. He wished his mom would wake up so he could ask her about Matt. Noah kind of liked him. His uncle didn’t talk to him like he was a baby.
    “I’m parked over here.” Miss Allie pointed to the left.
    “Me, too.” Matt jogged to a small black car parked beneath the security light and opened the passenger door. A loud wail spilled out into the night air, sounding almost as scary as the siren Noah had heard earlier.
    “What in the world...” Miss Allie peered over Matt’s shoulder as Noah drew closer to her.
    “I’m sorry, Kiddo,” Matt said as he turned around, cradling a small ball of white and black and orange fur.
    “Matthew Jefferies, did you leave that kitten in your car all this time?”
    His uncle stared at Miss Allie. “Where was I supposed to leave it? It’s not that cold, and Kiddo has a fur coat and an old T-shirt.”
    Noah edged closer to Matt. The kitten fixed its dark eyes on him and wailed again, but not as loud. Noah held out his hand, and the kitten rubbed his finger with the side of its face.
    “Want to hold Kiddo?”
    Noah nodded and Matt placed the kitten in his arms. Kiddo nudged his chest. “I think she’s hungry.”
    “You think so?” his uncle asked. “And how do you know it’s a she?”
    Noah rolled his eyes. “It’s a calico.” Boy, his uncle was dumb. Everyone knew a calico was a girl kitten. He looked up. “Do you have anything to feed her?”
    Matt was looking at him with a funny expression in his eyes. The kitten nudged him again and meowed just as loud as before. “When I bought the pet carrier, I picked up a couple of cans of kitten formula and some solid food. Why don’t we go to my house and feed this kitten before we go eat?”
    His uncle had a house in Cedar Grove? He bit his lip. Maybe he’d go with him long enough to feed Kiddo.
    “I have an idea,” Miss Allie said. “Why don’t you two go to the house while I pick up the burgers? If there’s a table and plates and stuff, we can eat there.” She looked at Noah. “You okay with that?”
    He cut his eyes up at Matt, then back to the kitten. His uncle didn’t know much about kittens. He rubbed the top of Kiddo’s head, and she tried to find his fingers, looking for something to eat. “I guess I better. You’d probably feed her too much and then she’d get sick. But I’m not calling her Kiddo. That’s a stupid name.”
    * * *
    O NE SMALL VICTORY . Matt felt like cheering, and he really didn’t blame his nephew for being suspicious. His conscience pricked him. He should’ve stayed in touch with Mariah. He should’ve known about Noah. Allie left him to get her car while he buckled Noah in the passenger side of his convertible then hurried around to the driver’s side.
    “Wait!” Allie flagged him down before he got out of the parking lot. “You didn’t put him in the backseat!”
    Matt lowered his window. “What?”
    “It’s dangerous for a child Noah’s size to ride in the front seat.”
    Mentally he kicked himself. He didn’t know anything about raising cats or kids. A quick glance over his shoulder told him what he already knew. No way would the kid fit in the back with all his stuff. “We’re just going a few blocks.”
    “Matthew! It only takes one accident.” She looked past him to the backseat. “Oh, I see your problem. Why don’t I drop him off then go get the burgers? Cedar Grove isn’t that big and it won’t take ten minutes longer.”
    After transferring Noah and the kitten, Matt led the way, passing by the housing projects on Beaker Street. Allie had said Noah and his sister lived somewhere around here. The boy would need clothes no matter where he stayed, and maybe they could stop by their house and pick up something for him to wear. A mile later, dread leached its way into his stomach. Maybe staying in his mom’s