“So cute… but don’t come home with another dog!” My sister yelled at me.

“Fine..” I said back to her.

Our house had become a zoo, we had lizards and snakes, a few geckos, fish, cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, ferrets, mice, anything you can think of! It was kind of my fault, I’m a vet, so I work with animals all of the time, I love to be around them. My sister however, is much different than me. She’s a lawyer, she is afraid of most of the animals here! Except the cat and dog’s. She is always willing to help them, but never wants them to stay long.

“Sara! Did you hear me? No more animals,” she yells again

“Yeah, yeah I heard you,” I respond nonchalantly

The way we live is complicated, our apartment is full with plants, cages, food bags, and animals. It’s my job to take care of all the animals and make sure they are healthy. Grace just cleans and does the dishes.

“She doesn’t get it does she?” I quietly ask my gecko Luna, she licks her eye, “Thank you!” I say to her as if her eye lick meant something. I stand up from my lowered position from talking to Luna and look around. The room has white walls that look purple from plant lights we have hanging, along with wall to wall vegetation. Then the cages for the birds, hamsters, ferrets, and mice on one half of the room, and the terrariums for the fish, lizards, snakes, and geckos on the other. On the floor are 3 dog beds, 3 food and water bowls, and many, many toys. “Maybe she is right,” I think to myself

“Sara,” Grace says “Did you hear me?” she asks

“Oh, no I didn’t,” I say snapping out of my trance

“I said I’m going to work.” she said

“Okay have fun, I’ll be leaving soon as well,” I responded

On my way to work, out of the corner of my eye I saw a box on West Broadway, in front of a blood-red mansion with an ornate gate with all sorts of winged creatures. I couldn’t help myself. I turned the car around and pulled up next to the box. I couldn’t believe my eyes, a small kitten only a few months old, by the looks of it she had been in the box for a while. I scooped the box up in my arms and hurried to the clinic.

After work I was able to bring Tigris home (that’s what we decided to call her because of her impressive dark brown stripes on her black fur)

“Grace!” I said in a sing-song voice

“Oh, no. You didn’t,” She said

“Oh yes I did!” I say excitedly and I hand her Tigris to hold

“I said, ” No more animals!” she huffs at me

“No, you said “Don’t come home with another dog! and I didn’t,” I respond

“Fine, but only because she is still a baby,” Grace says as she cuddles Tigris in her arms.