Big Litter of Kittens

The porch light glowed orange, and the front yard looked like a Halloween postcard — fake cobwebs, pumpkins with toothy grins, and one large cardboard sign that read:
“Welcome to the Purrfect Party!”

Inside, the smell of caramel apples and candle wax mixed with the faint jingle of a bell collar. Mara had gone all-in. Her costume — black cat ears, cat paw gloves, and a soft tail pinned to her shorts — was cute enough. But there was no hiding the centerpiece: her enormous, pregnant belly.

Eight babies. Eight. She joked that she was running a full kitten nursery in there.

She adjusted her ears in the mirror and laughed at her reflection. “Well,” she said to herself, “might as well own it.”

The door creaked open behind her. She didn’t even turn around before hearing a voice, half teasing, half stunned:

“Wait— is that all you?”

Mara grinned and turned, tail swishing. “Jess!” she squealed. “You made it!”

Her best friend stood in the doorway, also dressed as a cat — sleek black bodysuit, glittery whiskers, and wide eyes frozen somewhere between amazement and disbelief.

“I knew you were pregnant,” Jess said, “but I didn’t know you were this pregnant. Holy— that’s a whole litter.”

Mara laughed so hard she had to hold her belly. “Exactly! That’s the theme! I figured, if I’m going to have a litter, I might as well celebrate like one.”

Jess snorted. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously committed,” Mara shot back. “Now grab a tail and get in character. The kittens are restless.”

Jess raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me that’s a joke.”

“Depends on which ones start kicking first,” Mara said with a wink.