Nathan Alan Willoughby Proves His Worth

Nathan Alan Willoughby noticed something was different with Edie. Since coming to live with her after she adopted him from the Westwood Rescue Home for Good Cats, she greeted him cheerfully when she returned to him after work.

But lately, she was sad. Sometimes, Edie would tear up and blow her nose a lot. When this happened, Nathan Alan Willoughby sat very close to her.

One night, Edie didn't come home until much later than normal. When she did, her tone of voice was different, and she was slurring her speech. This frightened the large cat. Erratic behavior reminded him of the scary people he saw digging in the dumpster when he was dining on leftover pizza.

Edie picked up the cat and swung him in her arms, "Yerrrssuch a goood kittykittykitty..." she said. She spun him in every tightening circles. Nathan Alan Willoughby, despite his iron clad stomach from dumpster food, was not prepared for the whirling behavior. When Edie stopped and snuggled him under her chin, he made a peculiar noise, "mow-wow-wow-wow....mow-wow-wowowww." Then he threw up. Unfortunately, this triggered sympathetic behavior in Edie. She dropped the cat and sprinted to the bathroom.

Nathan Alan Willoughby stood as still as he could, his body still weaving from the unwanted merry go round. Then, he heard Edie sobbing. He headed towards her just as she came out of the bathroom. She had a towel in her hand, blotting her eyes as well as her mouth. She slumped to the floor and let the tears flow.

"How could he? How could he flirt with me - eat lunch with me every day - and he's married?" She buried her head in the towel. The large cat was still wary, but he walked up to her anyway. He gently put one paw on her leg and squeezed his claws ever so much.

Startled, Edie squawked, "Ouch!" temporarily stopping her crying. Nathan Alan Willoughby gazed into her eyes, his purr filling the apartment. She set the towel down and gently picked him up. She breathed in his fur, listening to his comforting humming noise. At the end of his purr, he made a small squeak. Edie smiled and looked at him, "Oh, Cat, you are still here, still faithful."

She stood back up, picking the towel up and walking into the kitchen. "Perhaps I don't need to think of him anymore than he thought of me." She poured cat food in Nathan Alan Willoughby's bowel. He stood staring at her, still purring.

Edie leaned down, "You, Big Guy, really know how to show a girl she's special."