My room is on the bottom floor and right on the edge, so I walk around the side to see where the sound is coming from. I spot a little white and gray kitten hiding underneath a piece of cardboard.

Without another thought I scoop him up and take him inside.

“What are you doing out there all by yourself?” I ask him, wrapping my arms around him. He seems to like it because he immediately starts to purr.

“You must be so hungry and cold,” I say, petting him softly.

My parents didn’t believe in pets (their actual statement, whatever the fuck that means) and that’s why we never had any pets growing up.

After warming up in my arms, the kitten starts to meow again. I pour a little water into a bowl. He takes a few licks and then meows again.

“Okay, let’s get some food,” I say, putting on my coat and covering my wet hair with a hat.

Luckily, there’s a convenience store at the gas station right across the street. Not wanting to leave him alone in the room or to put him outside, I take him with me.

I pick out some milk and canned tuna before I stumble upon the pet food aisle and just grab a few of their nicest cans of cat food to last him a few days. I grab a salad and a bag of pretzels for myself along with a can opener.

Back at the motel, after we both eat, we curl up together and fall asleep.

The following morning, Solly jumps on me around five in the morning and wakes me up meowing again, begging for more food. I crack open another can of food and get back in bed.

It’s almost checkout time when I wake up again to a horrible smell permeating throughout the room.

“Oh, shit,” I say, pinching my nose shut with my hand. I had completely forgotten that he would need somewhere to go to the bathroom and I didn’t get him anything even resembling a litter box.

Solly looks up at me with a puzzled look on his face.

“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. I’m the one who’s the moron here,” I reassure him.

There are no cleaning supplies or supplies of any kind so I do what I can with some paper towels and hand soap.

After straightening my hair to not make it look so much like a bird’s nest after sleeping on it wet last night, I put on some makeup and throw my stuff back into my bag. Not realizing that I have no intentions of leaving him behind, Solly sits by the front door giving me the biggest sad eyes I’ve ever seen.