I turned eleven days old.
I blinked. The lights shone straight at me.
Oh.
Bright things glared at me. Hard things.
I couldn’t smell them. Worried, I shook my head and growled. It came out as a high-pitched squeak.
I stepped backward till my tail touched MamaGrace.
Quincy and PittyPat lay beside MamaGrace. Quincy’s eyes-opening video had over 10,000 views. PittyPat’s video had thousands of views.
I closed my eyes.
MamaGrace purred and talked at the same time. “No, dear. Keep your eyes open.”
I turned to look at her.
“No, dear. Never look away from the camera. Turn around. Let the world get a good look.”
I spun around, but too fast. I tumbled to the ground, biting my tongue. Ouch! I swiped a paw across my mouth.
From beyond the lights, a harsh cat voice shouted, “Do that again. Look at your mama, then turn back to the lights and fall down. But don’t put a paw across your mouth.”
I trembled at the voice. “Who’s that, MamaGrace?”
“It’s just the Director. See that red light? That means the video camera is shooting. When the red light is on, you do what the Director tells you.”
I couldn’t see the Director, but I smelled him. Sweet and sharp. And I smelled the human camerawoman too. I looked around at MamaGrace. “I bit my tongue. That’s why I wiped my mouth with my paw.”
“Does it still hurt now?”
I moved my tongue around. “No.”
“Then it’s nothing to worry about, dear.”
“Why does the Director smell sweet and sharp?”
“He eats peppermint candies. Now do what the Director said. Do it all again but keep your paws off your face.”
Quivering, I turned back around to the lights and the Director.
As before, my feet got mixed up, and I fell down.
I looked up and blinked. And blinked. And blinked. The lights dazzled me.
Had I done it right?
“Wonderful!” called the Director. “That’s a wrap.”
“What’s a wrap?” I asked.
“That means you are finished acting for the day,” the Director said.
“Good job, Angel,” MamaGrace purred.
PittyPat and Quincy said, “Good job, Angel.”
The family’s purring surrounded me and wound into my heart. I’d done a good job!
“Now come here and snuggle.” MamaGrace rolled onto her back.
I lay upon her soft chest, with Quincy and PittyPat beside me.
MamaGrace’s heartbeat thumped. I loved her thumping heart.
Someone—the Director—stood beside Mama-Grace. He didn’t have soft hair like Mama. He was a hairless cat.
“She’s a natural. Yowza! Views will be sky high,” the Director said. “And she’s going to be a mixed-eye. One blue eye and one copper eye.”
What do blue and copper mean? I wondered.
“You can’t see her permanent eye color yet,” MamaGrace said.
“I can,” said the Director. “I know.”
Mama purred louder. “Then we have a chance.”
“Depends. Poplin Cat Foods is interested in a sponsorship. They’ll pay to support KittyTube for six months. But they want a star for the Kitten Adoption Month promotions. Can she do it? Can she become Top Kitten?”
“She’ll do it,” MamaGrace said. “She has to. We need the money to bring Albert home.”
I wanted to listen to the Director. But I was too sleepy.
Purr-r-r-r-r-r.