I looked up, and Elara was wearing a flattering expression.
Suddenly, I heard a faint meowing sound and asked, "You actually brought the kitten?"
I listened to the meowing, which seemed to be coming from outside the door.
Elara said a bit sadly, "This kitten is just over two months old, and probably just weaned. It was meowing by the roadside, looking so pitiful. With so many cars passing by, what if it got run over? I was worried it might get killed, so I brought it over."
Looking at Elara's expectant eyes, my heart softened. "Bring the kitten over and let me see."
Elara said happily, "Ms. Martinez, I was worried you wouldn't like it, so I left it at the door. I'll bring it in now."
Elara walked in with a cat carrier, and I saw a white kitten inside the black carrier. She unzipped it and took the kitten out.
Looking at the kitten, I remarked, "It looks pretty clean, so it probably hasn't been abandoned for long."
Elara played with the kitten. "Ms. Martinez, don't worry. I've already taken it for a check-up. No fleas, and it's been vaccinated. It's very clean."
The kitten snuggled in her arms, seeming to enjoy it.
Elara handed the kitten over, and I took it. Its fur was soft, and its body was small, almost fitting in my palm.
I tried to pet its head and then its chin. It stuck out its pink tongue and gently licked my palm, which felt a bit ticklish and wet.
I softly said, "It's so cute. Since you've already brought it, let's keep it here for now until we find a suitable adopter."
Elara's eyes lit up, and she asked in disbelief, "Really? Ms. Martinez, you're so kind! I'll take care of it daily and won't trouble you much."
I said with a smile, "It's okay. It adds some liveliness. Besides, it might even bring me good luck."
I named the kitten "Oliver."
Oliver quickly adapted to the new environment, exploring the ward and even leaving a few paw prints on my sketches.
Elara asked a bit awkwardly, "Ms. Martinez, won't it be inconvenient to keep it in the ward?"
I was stunned; I hadn't considered that. But since I was the only one in this ward, it shouldn't be a big problem.
Although I thought so, I still felt a bit uncertain. I would ask Brian when he came back.
With this thought, I said, "Let's keep it for now. If it really becomes impossible to keep it, we'll send it to the pet hospital first and bring it home after I'm discharged."
I didn't expect that in such a short time, I would already feel a bit reluctant to part with Oliver.
The thought of sending Oliver away made me feel empty inside.
Elara said Oliver was abandoned. Weren't I another kind of abandonment?
My only relative left was Henry, but he didn't care about me. Even when I was sick and on the brink of death, lying in a hospital bed, he knew nothing.
But I was a bit luckier than Oliver. At least I could take care of myself. I had friends, and even without Henry, I wouldn't starve.
But Oliver was different. Without me, he would die.
Thinking this way, Oliver and I seemed to share a bit of the same fate.