Miss Walker was happy to see me. She sat me down toward the front of the classroom and all that day, she broke away from the other children and spent time working with me one on one to get me up to where everyone else was. At the end of the day, she told me I was caught up. It was as if I had not missed a moment. Emily heard her compliment me, but looked away quickly.
Henry was waiting outside with the wagon to take us home. This time, whether she had seen the foolishness of her stubbornness or she was just plain tired, Emily got in, too. I sat up front and as we started away, I noticed a sheet on the floor of the wagon, only it had a small hump in it and the hump suddenly moved.
"What's that, Henry?" I cried, a bit frightened. Emily peered over my shoulder.
"It's a present for ya all," he said, and reached down to lift off the sheet to reveal the cutest all-white kitten I had ever seen.
"Oh, Henry. Is it a boy or a girl kitten?" I asked, taking it into my lap.
"Girl," Henry said. "Her mamma's finished taking care of her. She's an orphan now."
She peered up at me with frightened eyes until I hugged and petted her.
"What should I call her?"
"Call her Cotton," he suggested. "She sure looks like cotton when she sleeps and buries her head in her paws."
Henry was right. The rest of the way home, Cotton slept in my lap.
"You can't bring it into the house," Emily said as we turned up the driveway. "Papa won't want any animals in the house."
"We'll find a place for her in the barn," Henry promised, but when we reached the house, Mamma was standing on the front porch to see how I was and I couldn't wait to show her my kitten.
"I'm fine, Mamma. I'm not tired or anything, and look," I said, holding up Cotton, "Henry's given me a present. It's a girl kitten and we've named her Cotton."
"Oh, she's so tiny," Mamma said. "How adorable."
"Mamma," I said, lowering my voice, "could I keep Cotton in my room? Please. I won't let her go out of my room. I'll feed her there, keep her clean and—"
"Oh, I don't know, honey. The Captain won't even tolerate the hound dogs on this porch."
I lowered my eyes sadly. How could anyone not want something as precious and soft as Cotton in his house?
"She's just a baby, Mamma," I pleaded. "Henry says her mother doesn't look after her anymore, either. Now she's an orphan," I added. Mamma's eyes grew small and sad.
"Well . . ." she said, "you've had a miserable time this past week. Maybe, for just a little while."
"She can't!" Emily protested. She had hung back just waiting to see what Mamma would do. "Papa won't like it."
"I'll talk to your father about it, don't worry, girls."
"I don't want that kitten in the house," Emily said an
grily. "It's not mine; it's hers. He gave it just to her," she fired, and charged through the front door.
"Don't even let that kitten peek out your door," Mamma warned.
"Can I show her to Eugenia, Mamma? Can I?"
"Yes, but then bring her to your room."
"I'll bring you a box and some sand," Henry said.
"Thank you, Henry," Mamma said, and turned to me, waving her finger. "But you'll have to be in charge of keeping the sand clean," she advised.
"I will, Mamma. I promise."
Eugenia brightened with excitement when I brought Cotton in to her. I sat on her bed and told her all about school, the lesson in reading Miss Walker had given me, and the sounds I was already able to read and pronounce. While I went on and on about my day, Eugenia played with Cotton, teasing her with string and then tickling her stomach. When I saw how much pleasure my little sister was getting, I wondered why Mamma and Papa never thought to give her a pet of her own.