It was a bright, early morning, and the sun was barely peeking through the clouds when Dawn burst into the kitchen, humming a loud, off-tune melody that echoed off the walls. The sleepy household stirred, none too pleased by her sudden, energetic presence. Nico, the cat with a sleek black coat, flicked his tail in irritation as he leapt off the countertop where he had been napping. Bali, the golden retriever, let out a grumpy groan, stretching lazily in the corner, while KT—short for Katya—was already juggling too many tasks, trying to prepare milk for her furry companions.
KT sighed, wiping a stray lock of hair from her face, and muttered under her breath, “Why does she have to be so loud in the morning?”
Dawn, completely oblivious to the chaos she was causing, clattered around the kitchen, pulling open drawers and slamming cupboards. Her enthusiasm filled every corner of the room as she chattered about the day ahead, her plans, her dreams, and even the weather forecast. Nico flattened his ears and leapt up onto the windowsill, trying to escape the noise, while Bali simply flopped onto his side with a resigned huff.
“Dawn, could you please not do that right now?” KT’s voice was strained as she tried to pour milk into a small bowl without spilling it everywhere. She was trying to feed Nico, who preferred his milk slightly warm, and Bali, who was eagerly waiting for his turn, tail thumping impatiently on the floor.
But Dawn, in her typical whirlwind manner, didn’t notice KT’s frustration—or at least, she pretended not to. She darted over to KT’s side, poking at the milk carton and commenting loudly, “Oh! You’re using the organic one today, huh? Isn’t that so much better for them?” Her tone was bright, but the sheer volume of her voice sent Bali’s ears twitching and made Nico narrow his eyes in disapproval.
KT gritted her teeth. “Dawn, please. Can you just… give me a second?”
But Dawn was already off on a tangent about her latest cooking experiment and how it might pair with the milk. She grabbed a spoon, clinking it against the counter, then sang a few more lines of her made-up song. It was enough to make Nico leap off the windowsill and flee into the living room, while Bali groaned again, this time louder.
Finally, KT snapped. “Dawn, I’m trying to feed them. If you keep doing that, nobody’s going to get what they need.”
Dawn froze for a moment, looking sheepish. “Oh… sorry. I just thought—”
KT sighed, softening her tone. “It’s okay. Just… a little quieter, okay?”
Dawn nodded, her energy subdued—for a moment. She watched quietly as KT finally managed to feed Bali, who lapped up his milk happily, and then set the warm bowl in front of Nico, who sniffed it cautiously before taking a tentative sip.
KT looked at them all—Bali, Nico, and even Dawn—and smiled despite herself. They might all drive each other a little crazy, but they were family. And in the end, that was what mattered most.
