Chasing Happiness by Raine English

meow. “You and your babies need to be someplace more comfortable than the back of my closet.” Ariana didn’t know the first thing about kittens, though, but Maggie did. Two of her cats had had litters.
    She got up and went over to her bedside table to get her cell phone. She’d taken Katie’s advice and turned it off, so after waiting a minute for it to come back on, she dialed Maggie’s number.
    The phone rang and rang before her husky voice said, “Hello.”
    “It’s Ariana. I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
    Maggie paused before saying, “No, that’s okay. I was just dozing.”
    “You’re not going to believe this. Tabby had kittens.”
    “Kittens? When?”
    “Today sometime. I just found her and the crew in the back of my closet.”
    Maggie let out a little laugh. “Cats love quiet dark places, but those babies are going to need a bed. Do you have a box large enough for Tabby to stretch out in and still allow the kittens space to move around?”
    “Hang on.” Ariana ran into the laundry room where she’d stacked a couple of boxes on a shelf, but knew as soon as she pulled them down that neither one would be big enough. “No,” she said into the phone. “I don’t have anything that’ll work.”
    “I do,” Maggie replied. “I’ll be right over. In the meantime, find some blankets you don’t care about. We’ll put them in the bottom of the box.”
    “Okay, thanks.” She hung up the phone, raced back to her bedroom, and opened the chest at the foot of her bed, then pulled out two flannel blankets.
    A couple of minutes later, there was a knock on her front door. After Ariana let Maggie in, they hurried to the bedroom, where they readied the box for the kittens and then gently placed each one inside.
    “We need to put them somewhere the momma cat’s going to feel secure,” Maggie advised.
    Ariana crossed the room to the far corner where she had a large oak rocking chair. She pulled it out from the wall. “How about back here?” she asked, pointing to the area behind the chair.
    “That should be perfect.” Maggie set the box with the kittens there, and a moment later, Tabby jumped inside.
    “Guess she’s not about to let her babies out of her sight for a minute.” Ariana chuckled. “Is there anything else can I do for her?”
    “You might want to keep her food, water, and litter box close by, at least while the kittens are so young. She’s not going to want to leave them for long.”
    “That’s a good idea.” Ariana gathered the items and then returned to the bedroom where she set them down next to the box.
    “That’s it. Tabby’s all set.”
    “Thanks for the help. How about a cup of tea?”
    Maggie hesitated. “It’s been a long couple of days. I really should get going.”
    Ariana’s lips curved up into a sly smile. “Isn’t there something you’d like to tell me?”
    Maggie stiffened; her eyes locked on Ariana’s face. “I… I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
    “I saw you come home with your overnight bag. You were gone most of the weekend. Come on, you might as well tell me. You’ve got a new boyfriend, don’t you?”
    Maggie pressed her hand over her face.
    “What’s wrong? I’m happy for you. I’ve figured for a while now that you were seeing someone, and I’ve been waiting for you to open up and tell me about him.”
    “Ariana, I don’t know what to say. I—”
    “Come on. I’ll put the kettle on. I want to hear all about him. Where did you two meet? What does he look like?” Ariana laughed as they walked into the kitchen. “We haven’t had girl talk in some time.”
    Maggie sank into a wicker-backed chair. ‘I don’t think now is good.”
    Ariana filled the teapot with water, put it on the stove, and then turned around to face her friend. “Why not? Are you afraid I might be jealous because you’re in a relationship?
    Perspiration lined her forehead. “No, of course not. That’s not it.”
    Ariana crossed her arms over her chest.