A pair of writers who work from home as freelance editors find their listless days interrupted by a new visitor -- a neighbor’s cat who enjoys basking and playing in their garden. Though the narrator isn’t partial to animals, his wife is, and so he learns to enjoy the free-spirited creature who begins making his days more lively. Though the story is a reflection on loss, it also moves slowly and sweetly like a summer breeze. It’s a novella-length reminder of simple pleasures, and the happiness that can be gleaned from attachment. -- Maddie Crum