You Drive Me Up the Wall!… I Can’t Eat Right, Can’t Dress Right, Can’t Do Anything Right! — Pavel’s voice broke into a shout. — You can’t do anything!… Can’t even earn proper money!… We never get any help from you around the house!… — Marina burst into tears, — …And there are no children…, — she whispered. Belka — a white-and-ginger cat of about ten, perched atop the wardrobe, silently witnessed yet another “family tragedy”. She knew, she could sense, that Mum and Dad truly loved each other… But she didn’t understand why they said such cruel words that hurt everyone. Mum, sobbing, locked herself in the bedroom as Dad lit one cigarette after another. Belka, seeing her family falling apart, thought, “There must be happiness in this house… and happiness means children… we need to find some children…” Belka couldn’t have kittens herself — she’d been spayed years ago, and as for Mum… the doctors said she could, but something just wouldn’t work out… The next morning, after her humans left for work, Belka, for the very first time, slipped out the window to visit her neighbour Pawsy — for advice. — Why would you want kids? — scoffed Pawsy. — Ours come with children, and I have to hide from them… they smear lipstick on your face or squeeze you until you can’t breathe! Belka sighed: — We just need normal children… If only we could find some… — Hmmm… That street cat Molly’s had a litter… five of them… — mused Pawsy. — Take your pick… Taking her chances, Belka leapt balcony to balcony to the street. Shivering nervously, she squeezed through the railings of a basement window and called out: — Molly, could you come out for a minute, please… From deep within came desperate squeaks. Carefully crawling through, eyes darting in fear, Belka began to cry. Under the radiator, on the hard gravel, lay five tiny, sightless kittens, nudging the air and wailing for their mum. One sniff told her: Molly hadn’t been back for at least three days. The babies were starving. Fighting tears, Belka gently carried each kitten to the entrance. Trying to calm her hungry, squeaking brood, Belka lay down beside them, anxiously watching the end of the yard, waiting for Mum and Dad. Pavel, silent as he met Marina after work, brought them home. As they reached the doorway, they froze — there was their Belka, (who had never set paw on the street alone), and five multicoloured kittens clambering to nurse from her. — What on earth? — Pavel was stunned. — A miracle…, — echoed Marina, and together they scooped up the cat and kittens and rushed inside… Watching Belka purr happily in a box with her new babies, Pavel asked: — But what do we do with them? — I’ll feed them with a dropper… once they’re bigger, we’ll find them homes… I’ll call my friends…, — Marina whispered. Three months later, still stunned by the turn of events, Marina sat stroking her “cat pack” and murmured, over and over: — Things like this just don’t happen… this just doesn’t happen… Then, she and Pavel broke down in happy tears; he swept her into his arms, and they both laughed and chattered at once: — I’m glad I finished building the house! — Perfect for a child to get some fresh air! — And let the kittens run in the garden! — There’ll be room for everyone! — I love you! — And I love you even more! Wise Belka brushed away a tear — life, it seemed, was finally coming together…

How you get on my nerves! Nothing I do is right not even how I eat, not even what I wear I cant do anything the way you want! Georges voice breaks into a shout.

You cant do anything! Not even earn a decent wage! Youre no help around the house, ever! Emma bursts into tears. And no children she adds, barely whispering.

Pearl, a chubby white-and-ginger cat of about ten years old, perches silently atop the wardrobe, watching the unfolding tragedy below. She senses, somehow, that Mum and Dad do truly love each otherperhaps deeply so. Thats why Pearl cant understand why they must hurl such hurtful words, the sort that make everything worse.

Mum, sobbing, rushes into the bedroom while Dad lights cigarette after cigarette, staring gloomily at the wall.

Pearl sees her family tearing itself apart before her eyes, and ponders: The house needs happiness and happiness means children I have to find them some children, somehow.

Pearl herself cant have kittens she was spayed ages ago, and as for Mum, the doctors say she might, but things just arent working out

In the morning, after her humans have left for work, Pearl, for the very first time, slips out the window and heads towards next door, to have a heart-to-heart with Molly, the neighbours tabby.

Why on earth do you want children? Molly snorts, Ours come in, and I run to hide Sometimes they smear lipstick on my whiskers, other times they squeeze me so tight I can barely breathe!

Pearl sighs, We need normal children. If only there were some somewhere

Well, that stray Maggie just had a litter out by the bins Theres five of them take your pick, Molly muses.

On a whim, Pearl risks it, leaping from balcony to balcony until she lands on the pavement below. Heart pounding, she squeezes through the iron bars of the cellar window and calls softly, Maggie? Could you come here for a moment, please?

From the darkness below comes a chorus of desperate squeaks.

Creeping inside and glancing nervously around, Pearl follows the sound of faint crying. Under the old radiator, right on the rubble, lie five mottled, blind kittens, snuffling the air, piping hungrily for their vanished mother. A sniff tells Pearl Maggie hasnt been around for days. The kittens are starving.

Her own whiskers damp with the threat of tears, Pearl carefully and determinedly carries each kitten to the porch.

Settling herself down beside them, she does her best to keep the hungry, wailing little gang in one place, all while watching anxiously for the return of her humans.

George, silent as ever, meets Emma on the way home, and together they return. At the front door they freeze in shock theres their Pearl (never once has she set foot outside by herself), lying on the step, and five squeaking, multi-coloured kittens trying desperately to suckle.

How on earth? George is at a loss.

It must be a miracle Emma echoes him. Scooping up Pearl and the kittens, they both dash indoors.

As they watch the contented Pearl curl up in a box with the tiny kittens, George asks, What do we do with them now?

Ill feed them with a little bottle and when theyre bigger, well find them homes Ill call up my friends Emma replies quietly.

Three months later, still overwhelmed by it all, Emma sits stroking the now robust feline clan, staring off into space and whispering over and over, Things like this just dont happen they just dont

But soon she and George cant stop laughing and crying, caught up in a swirl of joy as George lifts Emma and twirls her around, both speaking at once:

All that work on the house was worth it!

Yes, its perfect, just what a child needs space and fresh air!

The kittens can roam the garden too!

Therell be room for all of us!

I love you!

And I love you more!

Pearl, wise as ever, wipes away a single tear yes, life is finally falling into place.