Late again! In three minutes, she dashed into the bathroom, applied her makeup, threw on her coat and boots, then leapt into the lift.
Eleanor jolted awake, already behind schedule! With astonishing speed, she readied herselfswiping on mascara as she stumbled toward the door, giving her reflection a quick glance, and tugging on a trench coat and ankle boots. Barely three minutes after opening her eyes, she was already descending in the elevator.
Stepping onto the damp pavement, she noticed the fine September drizzle, but there was no time to dash back for an umbrella. Her alarm had betrayed her. Eleanor sprinted for the bus, dread pooling in her stomach at the thought of missing work. Her boss was relentlessa single tardiness counted as a full days absence, with the threat of dismissal looming.
Mentally resigning herself to disaster, she bid farewell to her favourite clients, her bonus, and her last remaining day off. The hurried passers-by, lost in their own worries, seemed just as indifferent to one another. The world was grey and dreary, and the rain only made it worse.
A few hundred yards from the bus stop, Eleanor skidded to a halt. A sodden kitten crouched near a weathered bench, its feeble mews barely audible over the patter of rain.
She hesitated. Rush ahead or help the helpless creature? Her heart won. Whatever scolding awaited her, it was worth it.
Kneeling, she noticed the kittens leg bent awkwardly. “Good heavens! Who did this to you?”
Doubt vanished. She couldnt leave it. The poor thing trembled, soaked to the bone. Wrapping it gently in her cream scarf, she bolted for the bus, deciding to sneak it into the office and figure things out later. Her kind heart refused to abandon the little orphan.
Her stealthy plan failed. Just steps from her desk, near door twelve, her boss rounded the corner. “Thompson! An hour late! Where have you been? Whos meant to cover your duties? What on earth possessed you?”
The barrage of questions left her trembling, tears welling. “Look!” she finally choked out, loosening her coat.
The kitten peered up, pitiful and small, letting out a weak mewl. “Its leg was hurtI couldnt leave it in the rain”
Her words dissolved into tears. Already bracing to clear her desk, she flinched as a warm hand clasped her shoulder. Her boss scribbled an address on a scrap of paper and ordered her to leave at once. “Get that furry paw seen to.”
Stunned, Eleanor pocketed the note and turned to go. “And dont come back today,” he added.
Her heart sankuntil he continued, “Take the day off. Tomorrow too. And expect a bonus for your kindness. The world needs more like you.”
That boss, known to all as Charles Whitmore, had a reputation for sternness. But at the vets, the case was swiftly resolved: the kittens leg wasnt broken, just badly sprained. As the vet bandaged it, Eleanor recounted her bosss unexpected mercy.
Laughing, the vet revealed Charles had been an animal hero since boyhoodsaving pups from rivers, shielding strays from bullies. As an adult, he quietly funded shelters, starting with his first scholarship earnings.
Yet with people, Charles had grown distant after his familys tragic loss. The revelation struck Eleanor deeply. That evening, as the kittennow named Whiskersdozed on her bed, her phone rang.
“Hows our patient?” Charles asked.
Blushing, she gushed about Whiskers recovery and thanked him. He invited her to dinner, and they talked long into the night.
What bound them was mutual understandingand love for creatures in need. Together, they nursed Whiskers back to health, and soon, their shared passion grew. No longer lonely, Eleanor found joy in her furry friend and the unexpected companionship of a man whose heart had been hidden too long.
