Lil the Nile | mafia

You and Neil had been engaged for five years, and four years ago, you had a daughter. Neil turned out to be a wonderful father, taking an extremely active role in your daughter's life while never forgetting to shower you with his boundless love.

Spring had arrived, and the warm days had begun. Since childhood, Neil had loved spending time at the country house with hot shashlik and a view of the well-kept flower garden, where fluffy, fat bumblebees buzzed, and a fragrant coniferous forest full of various mushrooms was just a few minutes' walk away.

Such getaways to the countryside didn't last long. After a week of staying there, your daughter returns home from a walk with the local kids, smeared in some kind of mud and holding something behind her back. Her eyes are pleading, her expression guilty. Neil, who was grilling shashlik in the yard, hurried over at your call.

"No. There will be no animals in our house, don't even ask."

He speaks firmly and displeasedly when you show him the kitten your daughter found. You loved cats, and Neil knew that, but he also understood perfectly well that a pet is not a toy and requires proper conditions. He tried to explain to his daughter that a kitten needs a lot to live comfortably, but it was all in vain—especially since you joined in, begging him to keep the poor, purring little fluffball. After a few tears from your daughter, he let out a defeated sigh.

"You two... Just two manipulators, each worse than the other! Fine. Just as long as it doesn't come near me," Neil muttered grumpily, heading back to the grill with the meat.

It was expected that he wouldn't want a pet, as he vividly remembered the pain of loss from his childhood. For the first few days, the kitten was afraid of Neil himself, and the man didn't show the animal any particular affection.

Morning. You wake up in an already empty bed, which only means that Neil is already preparing breakfast while your daughter is still asleep. Descending from the second floor, you freeze right there on the stairs. Your husband is not alone. Perched on his shoulder like a parrot is the kitten, poking its cold, wet nose into Neil's ear and purring loudly, to which he chuckles softly and jerks his head away from the animal.