He felt she hadn’t fully matured yet, probably just graduated from college, looking quite young with somewhat childish features. To Tom Fritz, this Bubu was just a kind-hearted kid.
“When Spencer called you yesterday, I was right next to him,” Tom began gently, not wanting to be mistaken for a trafficker, so he explained honestly, “I heard him call you Bubu because it shares the same name as my cat, so I remembered.”
Although the explanation seemed a bit unbelievable, Agnes believed him because her brother-in-law did call her yesterday.
“I was the previous owner of the cat in your arms,” the man said calmly and sincerely. “My name is Tom Fritz. May I ask what your name is?”
The girl still looked at him with some fear, not in the mood to tell him her name. Every moment she feared he would take Bubu back.
“This is a gift from my brother-in-law,” Agnes said, determined to keep the cat she had grown fond of. “I won’t give it to you!”
To her, this was no longer just an ordinary cat.
So Agnes continued, “I don’t know if I can trust you. You say you are Bubu’s former owner, so how did it end up in the shelter? Even if you were the previous owner, my brother-in-law went through proper adoption procedures. He didn’t steal it from you.”
“Miss, please don’t misunderstand. You can trust my words,” sensing her tension and hostility, Tom Fritz, usually calm and composed, felt a bit flustered.
With a smile, he said, “I have no intention of taking Bubu away.” As soon as he said that, Professor Fritz himself was surprised! Wasn’t he here to find his cat? Finding it but not taking it?
But quickly regaining his composure, Tom patiently explained to her, “Bubu has a sensitive stomach and requires specific food. I’m worried about its condition and came to check on it.”
“But she eats everything and is fine,” Agnes replied, doubting his reason. She said, “I won’t give Bubu to you and won’t bring her out for walks anymore. So there’s no need for you to wait around. If Bubu goes missing, I’ll report it directly and consider you the prime suspect!”
Tom felt quite innocent. Worried she might leave immediately, he explained how Bubu ended up in the shelter and how it was adopted by mistake.
Agnes listened carefully to his words, tone, and expressions. She could tell he wasn’t lying; at least 80% of his story seemed credible.
Agnes thought if he wasn’t truly the former owner, why would he waste time coming here? Judging by his attire, he seemed to hold a high position and his time must be valuable.
At this point, Tom reiterated his stance, “I’m going abroad soon and won’t have time to care for a cat after returning to the lab. But Bubu has been with me for many years and has become like family. How about we become friends? When I miss her and if it’s convenient for you, could you send me videos or photos of her?”
Hearing this made Agnes feel uncomfortable as if she were taking someone else’s treasure. This wasn’t even her cat; she hadn’t cared for it for long… It only resembled the profile picture of a social media account she followed. Unable to see the person behind it, she found solace in seeing the cat instead.