Destiny climbed onto the bus.
Jake had worked hard.
He’d taken out some of the seats. He’d put in a skinny table.
He’d swept the floor.
Cats were running all over the place.
Up on the seats. Up on the table.
Mrs. Terrible Thomas was asleep in the driver’s seat.
Mitchell shook his father’s hand.
Destiny picked up Orange Ice Cat. She could hear her purr.
She was the cutest cat in the world.
Then everyone waited.
Jake had gone to get Ms. Katz.
Peter Petway was writing a story for the Zigzag News—Read All About It.
Beebe was tying a pink ribbon around the gray cat’s neck.
Destiny looked out the bus window.
Now Jake and Ms. Katz were hurrying across the school yard.
“Surprise!” everyone yelled.
Ms. Katz looked around.
“It’s the new poetry place,” Destiny said.
“Lovely,” Ms. Katz said. “Just lovely.”
She looked at the gray kitten. “A pink ribbon,” she said.
“The kitten is for you,” Jake said.
Ms. Katz blinked. “That’s another surprise.”
“I’m taking a black and white cat,” Peter Petway said. “She looks like a newspaper.”
“A striped one for me,” said Mitchell.
“Me too,” said Charlie.
“I’m taking the other black and white one,” Mr. Oakley said.
“She’ll love to climb my pear trees.”
Destiny was still holding Orange Ice Cat.
Too bad. All she had were fourteen fish. They gulped in water. They flicked their tails.
“I was thinking,” Destiny’s mom said. “Orange is your favorite color.”
“That’s right,” Yolanda said.
Destiny’s mom nodded. “And fish aren’t very exciting pets.”
Destiny held Orange Ice Cat a little harder.
“Here’s the rest of the poem,” Yolanda said.
“Destiny really tries.
She’s going to get a super surprise.”
Destiny took a breath. Orange Ice Cat was going home with her!
Mitchell whistled. It was loud. It was piercing!
“Read all about it in the Zigzag News!” Peter Petway said.
Destiny nodded. Orange Ice Cat purred even louder.
It had been the best week at the Zigzag Afternoon Center.
