“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made. Don’t you ever let anyone make you think otherwise.”
“Even with the patch?”
“Especially with the patch, baby.”
He lowered his gaze back to the drawing, and I faced the sink again before he noticed the tears in my eyes.
A little while later, the screen door flew open.
“Mom! Come look!”
Noah stood in the doorway cradling an orange cat carefully against his chest. Its fur looked dirty and dull, one hind leg bent awkwardly, and where its left eye should have been there was only a faded pink scar.
“Where did you find him?” I asked.
“Near the mailbox. He was just sitting there.” Noah stared down at the cat like he’d uncovered treasure. “Mom, he’s just like me.”
I stepped closer. The cat raised his one healthy eye toward me without flinching.
