What Are Pets For?
A soft pink glow slowly began to light the dark room, illuminating the furniture; a couch, bookcase, and piano. The bookshelf was overflowing with books of all sizes, from biographies to science fiction, all begging to be read. The top shelf, however, was dedicated solely to pictures. Dust-coated photos with dark brown frames filled it, so many that you had to move several to see the ones in the back. All of them showed the same group of people in different places; weddings, days at the beach, graduations, and many more. In all of them, one woman stayed off to the side, although she still participated with the others. However, there was one in the photos who looked completely out of place amidst all the fun; a furry, ginger cat, who was sitting on the armrest of the faded red couch at that very moment.
The cat opened his eyes slowly, the little light streaming through the thin curtains alerting him to the morning. He blinked repeatedly to get the sleep out, his pink nose twitching as he smelled his breakfast. His owner, who had always been an early riser, was laying out his meal before going on her morning jog. The cat jumped down from the armrest, landing silently, before trotting over to the kitchen door, slipping into the shadows of the door frame.
The woman in the kitchen looked up from the can of cat food in front of her, sensing a presence in the room. A small smile escaped her lips. The young cat, Felix, was always just out of sight, hiding from all the excitement. Felix looked up at his owner, fear in his eyes. Anne's smile faded slightly. Her brother had recently passed away, and left his cat in her possession. Never liking cuddling very much, she had just left the cat alone ever since he had moved in. Felix sensed Anne's coldness towards everyone, and wisely stayed away. Anne would never hurt him, but Felix didn't want to take any chances.
Anne placed the food down on the counter, then walked over to the door to pull her worn sneakers over her feet. Felix strode over to the counter and jumped up on it, keeping his eyes locked on his owner the entire time. Anne began to open the door, then paused, just as Felix took his first bite. Her brow furrowed, and she absentmindedly chewed on her lower lip. She walked over to her cat, her steps slow and indecisive. Her hand rose to the counter, pausing just before Felix's bowl.
Felix looked up at his owner, who had never shown any sign of affection towards him before. Somehow sensing how important this moment was, he abandoned his food and took a tentative step towards the woman's hand. His neck stretched out, and his nose touched soft flesh.
Anne pulled away, surprised at the contact. When Felix didn't flinch, she swallowed deeply and placed her hand on the cat's back. With trembling fingers, she rubbed the his back, with her eyes shut, her body rigid. A soft motor sound came from the cat's throat, and Anne paused briefly. When her cat didn't attempt to claw her, she continued her stroking. The motor sound grew louder, and Anne realized it for what it truly was; purring. A soft smile illuminated her face, filling out her usually hollow eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered softly, finally turning away from the cat and heading out the front door to begin her morning jog, feeling loved for the first time in many years.
And all Felix wished for at that moment was to be blessed with a human voice, because if he had one, he would have had only one thing to say.
'What are pets for?'
But I'll try to go back and fix those parts you mentioned.
