Guy and Ailsa began to work each other's schedules. Wednesday night was fish and chips. Thursday night kebab and Sunday Night Pizza.

Thursday night was cleaning night when they would take turns in tackling the big jobs of kitchen, living room and bathroom. After which they rewarded themselves with a kebab and a large bag of maltesers.

Ailsa had several deadlines and interviews that meant she would sometimes leave the flat at the crack of dawn and not be back until the wee hours.

Guy had a rotation of on call and evening surgeries that would cause him to hold irregular hours.

When they were both home and not on the appointed take away nights they agreed whoever was home first would cook.

On a cold October evening Ailsa had placed her lasagne in the oven to cook when she heard Guy come in the flat.

"Ailsa!" He shouted from the hall. "Can you give me a hand?"

Ailsa went to the hall and found Guy carrying two large boxes.

"What on earth have you got in there?"

"Two sets of abandoned kittens. Well when I say abandoned more rescued from a kitten farm."

"Why have you brought them home?"

"They need feeding and keeping warm or they won't last the night. Their mums are with them. Poor cats they are in a terrible state. I wondered if I looked after the mums that you could feed the kittens?"

"Are you for real? Feeding kittens. I am SO up for that. Why don't we put them in the kitchen? I am cooking lasagne so the oven is on so it's boiling in there."

Ailsa took a box from Guy and followed him into the kitchen. She observed as he took out the small feeding pipettes and placed them on the counter.

He took a small carton of kitten milk out of his bag and left it to warm next to the oven.

She watched as he carefully opened each box. She noted how he soothed the cats. Talking to them before beginning his treatment.

Ailsa knelt down next to Guy and peered into both boxes. There was a large grey cat with three tiny grey kittens. Then a large brown cat with two ginger and one black kitten.

"Oh, they are tiny Guy. How will I manage?"

"I will show you. I will make sure the mums are ok. They need to rest. They have no milk for the kittens they are so weak."

Ailsa' eyes filled. "They won't die will they? I mean you will save them. How could anyone..."

"I know Ailsa." He soothed. " someone who was thinking of money and couldn't care less about the lives of the animals in their care."

"That is outrageous! I want you to tell me more when we have saved these kittens."

"There are puppy farms too. Disgusting way to earn a living. I can't imagine wanting to live off of another's misery."

"Oh Guy look! The kittens are moving around."

"That's good. Take the one that looks the weakest and feed it first. Here this grey one." Guy gently picked up the kitten in a warmed towel. He wrapped the kitten and began to drip some kitten milk from a pipette he had prepared earlier.

Ailsa took the kitten and followed his instructions.

"Is this correct?" She queried.

"Perfect. Now when he has finished that one you can then start on the other grey one there."

"I take it we need to do this regularly tonight?"

"Every three hours I am afraid Ails"

"Best set my alarm. Now whilst I am doing this I want you to tell me all about the bastards that do this. I want to know who is responsible and why this is allowed to go on."

"I am happy to give you all of that information Ailsa and more." Guy gave a weary sigh. "However, we need to keep these cats alive and then get them ready for adoption "

"Could we have one?" Ailsa looked at Guy pleadingly .

"Are you sure? You see it's a twenty year commitment having a kitten. That is one of the main reasons that cats end up being abandoned. People have no idea of the length and depth of the responsibility."

"You are right! I am just being soppy and not thinking this through..will they be difficult to rehome?"

"Not these ones. They are so called pedigree cats. They are Maine Coon cats. Very sought after. Which is why these poor mums have been having litter after litter. These kittens will fetch put to £500 each."

"Good grief! That much?" Ailsa placed the kitten back in the box and took the next one.

"The authorities try to clamp down on the breeders however due to the popularity people are so desperate for a kitten they don't care about the condition of it's parents."

Guy and Ailsa worked through the cats and kittens. When they were all seen to Ailsa dished out dinner. Guy wolfed down the food and then made careful notes about the cats and kittens before going to bed for the few hours before repeating the cycle again.

"You know Guy something has to be done about this. People should know."

"Then tell them Ailsa. The more people are aware the better."

"Then I will write about it." Ailsa went to her laptop and the words poured from her for the first time ever.