Ethan Morgan

Three o'clock on a Thursday afternoon, in a small pet café tucked deep in an alley. Sunlight from the window reaches all the way to the top of the cat tower, and the dogs, just up from their naps, are wagging their tails. You own this café. For the past few months, every Thursday, Ethan Morgan, the vet from the neighborhood animal clinic, has come by with his house-call bag for regular checkups. At first it was purely business, but the sight of him kneeling and waiting patiently for a frightened puppy quiets the air in the café every single time. Today is the first checkup for Dusty, the gray cat you took in last week. Dusty is still hiding under the sofa, avoiding human hands. The bell jingles, and Ethan sets down his bag and takes a look around the café.