Case Study Log of Infant 87 [I87] #C87
“Caregiver”: Liliana Ikeda

I didn’t think today would be very special.

 

Well, I knew it would be special for Xilla. I had finally arranged for us to meet a kitten from the pet adoption agency. Despite her usual diva tendencies she had really turned herself around and her attitude was almost non-existent (to my face).

I woke up hearing Xilla’s excited noises and chatter as she got ready for the day. I was hoping she’d burn off some of her energy so that she wouldn’t scare the poor thing when it finally arrived. I also wanted to sleep a little longer, honestly.

 

However, once I heard her get into the shower I decided to get ready myself. Before the adoption folks arrived I had to start breakfast, pick up a few things in the living room, and do one last scan for anything a kitten might get into that they shouldn’t.

I was just getting the egg bake into the oven when I heard the bathroom door creak open and Xilla’s somewhat muffled voice call out to the room,

“Don’t look out here!”

“If you forgot your towel just say so!” I hollered back, holding in my laughter.

“Uhhh, no! Just don’t look!”

“Okay, I promise.”

I heard her footsteps hurry across the floor and her bedroom door slam shut. I didn’t know what to make of that but I set my timer and started cleaning the living room.

Not five minutes later the door opened and out stepped someone I didn’t recognize.

 

Xilla ran over to me and held out her arms. When she next spoke her voice was somewhat the same yet not the flutey quality I was used to.

“Do you like it? I tried really hard to look cool like you!”

 

 

I didn’t know what to say! It looked like we could be related.

 

She must have been looking at my old family pictures because I think she tried to look a bit like me at her age.

 

I reached out and hugged her. She squirmed but laughed all the same.

“I love you any way you look, Xi!” She pretended to be relieved.

“Phew!”

——

After our excitement she helped me finish up my cleaning and we ate breakfast. The adoption agency was planning to arrive around ten so we had just enough time to set out our cat supplies. Xilla told me that she decided to wear her disguise just in case the adoption agency wasn’t used to seeing a kid like her. Smart thinking. I sometimes take our neighborhood for granted. There are some places that don’t much care for aliens. That’s a topic for another time…

When the pet crate was brought in Xilla could barely contain herself. She did her best to calm herself down when they let the kitten out. It approached me first and gave my hand a nice sniff.

 

Then it turned to Xilla and her face lit up.

 

This baby had us under its spell already. We were doomed.

 

Xilla decided to name our kitten Kedi just like she used to call her toy cat when she was a baby.

 

We’re a cat family now.

——

Later that night Xilla changed back into her normal skin and came to sit by me on the couch.

“Kedi is sleeping on my bed!” She squeaked.

“Glad to hear it! I hope she doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night.”

“Nah, I’ll sing her back to sleep if she does!”

“Good plan, Xi.”

“Um, thanks for letting me finally get a kitten…”

“No problem, you earned it!”

——

 

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