Allison (2 page)

"I'll never give you away," Allison said, stroking Mei Mei's hair.

The doll stared back but said nothing.

Suddenly the girl sat up and cried out. "Allison isn't my real name! Do you know what my real name is?"

"Meow!" Mei Mei answered.

But it was only the stray cat again, looking in from the outside.

"Don't you have a mommy?" Allison whispered.

She went to the kitchen, poured a little milk into a saucer, and took it out into the garden. The cat followed her with his eyes. Gently, Allison set the saucer down and waited.

After a while the cat stole over to the dish and lapped the milk, softly at first, then noisily, until it was all gone. The cat looked up, licked its mouth, and cried. Slowly, the girl reached out and touched the cat and the cat purred.

"Look! I made friends with the kitty!" Allison called.

Mother came rushing to the door.

"Be careful! Cats have sharp claws," she said.

"He doesn't scratch. Look!" Allison lifted the cat in her arms.

"He likes you," Father said from the doorway.

"May I keep him?" Allison asked.

"He's so big. Wouldn't you rather have a nice kitten instead?"

"I want this one," Allison cried. "He doesn't have a mommy or a daddy."

"Cats chew things. He could ruin your toys," Father said.

"I won't get angry," Allison said. "I'm sorry I broke your things."

"We'll fix Andy. He'll be all right," Mother said.

"I'll have my mitt and ball bronzed like I did for your first shoes," Father said.

"But do you think the kitty wants to live with us?" Mother asked.

"Yes, he does! He likes us. He wants a home," Allison said.

"Looks like our family is getting bigger," Father said.

"He can be part of our family?" Allison asked.

"If you think he will be happy with us," Mother said.

"Yes, oh yes!" Allison cried. "He will be happy with me, with Mei Mei, with Mommy and Daddy."

"What should we call him?" Mother asked.

"A real boy's name," Father said.

"I'll have to think about it with Mei Mei," Allison said.

"Meow!" the cat cried.

Everyone laughed.

The stray cat wasn't a stray anymore.