Rain fell on the quiet street. Marigold stepped onto her porch with her umbrella.
She spotted a tiny ginger kitten shivering in a puddle. She crouched and held out her hand.
The kitten flinched but couldn't stop shivering. She lifted it up and hurried inside.
Inside, she wrapped the kitten in a yellow towel and rubbed briskly. The kitten sneezed — 'mew-sneeze!'
Water flew onto her slippers as the kitten shook. She set down a bowl of warm milk and waited.
The kitten lapped twice, then curled up asleep beneath the table. Marigold reached toward it — its ears flattened.
She paused, then sat on the rug and began to hum. The kitten's ears perked up.
The kitten crept forward until its whiskers brushed her finger. It climbed onto her lap and purred loudly.
She smiled and rested her hands on its back. The milk bowl rattled with every purr.
Morning sunlight spilled across the table. The kitten slept curled against her newspaper. She patted the cushion beside her.