The Cat in the Tree - A Cozy Bedtime Story for Adults - Rest: Sleepy Bedtime Stories

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good evening and welcome to rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and I'll be your host this evening. Before

(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Tonight.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
I invite you to settle in, get comfortable, and let
your day slowly melt away.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
You've done enough.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
This is your time now to rest, to breathe slow
and deep, to drift into sleep. The story you're about
to hear is called The Cat in the Tree. It

(01:23):
begins on a quiet morning in a neighborhood where the
air smells like spring blossoms, and where even the smallest
adventures can lead to something warm and lasting. Told through
the eyes of a curious stray cat, this tail follows

(01:48):
a gentle journey from a tangle of branches high up
in a blooming tree, to a cozy porch, a cup
of tea, and the soft unfolding of something that feels
like home. So take a deep breath, Let your body, relax,

(02:15):
and let's begin to night's story. The sun is just
waking up. When I open my eyes. I stretch my
purs out long, then curl them back under me. My

(02:39):
spot behind the fence is warm, but my tummy gives
a little growl, not a big one, just enough to
say you should find something soon. So I stand up

(02:59):
and shake out my fur. The ground is soft from
last night's rain. A bird sings in the distance, and
I pause to listen. One ear flicks, then the other.

(03:20):
I like mornings like this, quiet, slow, nothing chasing me,
no loud doors, no dogs barking, just soft light and
bird song. I walk along the side of the house

(03:45):
and hop up onto a low stone wall. From up
here I can see more a garden, some trees, a
porch with a swing that creaks in the breeze. And
then I see it. A bird, yellow, small, perched in

(04:14):
the branches of a tree covered in pink blossoms. The
blossoms look like floating clouds. I watch one fall through
the air and land without a sound. The bird hops

(04:36):
to another branch. I meow, just once. I don't want
to scare it, I want to play. The bird chirps
I step closer. Maybe it wants to play too. I

(04:58):
crouch low, give a small wiggle, and jump. The branch
is strong under my paws. I climb higher. Leaves tickle
my whiskers. Blossoms brush against my face. They smell like

(05:23):
soft things, like the corner of a blanket warmed by
the sun. The bird flutters up again. I go after it.
Up and up, pour steady on each branch. Then everything wobbles.

(05:49):
The branch under me bends.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
I stop.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
I look down. Oh, the ground is farther than I thought.
I try to turn, but the branch shifts again and
I freeze. My body goes still. My tail wraps around

(06:15):
my feet. I'm not sure how to get down.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
I sit. I wait.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
I me ow, not loud, just enough to say hello.
No one answers, so I me ow again. A breeze
moves through the tree, and a blossom floats past me.

(06:46):
It spins as it falls. I watch it until it disappears.
Then I hear it a sound. A door opens, a
cup clinks gently against a saucer. Footsteps pad across a

(07:08):
wooden porch. I look down. There's a woman standing there
holding a mug, her sweater sleeves are too long, and
her hair is tied up in a loose, sleepy bun.
She blinks up at me, eye me ow. Her eyebrows rise. Oh,

(07:37):
she says, softly, sweet thing. What are you doing all
the way up there? I blink at her. I stay
very still. She steps into the yard, craning her neck

(07:58):
to see me better. She talks to me in a
voice like a lullaby. I don't think you can get down.
Can you eye me ow again?

Speaker 2 (08:13):
Just once? That means no.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
She sets her mug down on the porch rail and
disappears inside.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
I wait.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
The blossoms move again. One lands on my head. I
shake it off gently. Then the door opens again. She's
holding a phone.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
I know this is a.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
Silly thing to call about, she says, into it. But
there's a cat stuck in my camelia tree. He's just
sitting there. Poor guy looks completely lost. She pauses. Not

(09:07):
that's right, No rush. She hangs up, comes back out
and looks up at me again. Someone's on the way.
I blink again. That means thank you. She picks up

(09:28):
her mug, wraps both hands around it, and sits on
the porch step. She doesn't say anything else. She just
keeps me company. I stay very still, but I don't

(09:49):
feel quite so stuck anymore. I don't move from the branch.
The woman is still sitting on the porch. She keeps
looking up at me, sipping her tea every now and then.

(10:10):
She doesn't talk much now, just hums a little, like
she's keeping me company without needing words. The wind is soft,
the flowers sway around me. I feel less scared, but

(10:31):
still too high to climb down. Then I hear a sound,
not footsteps, this time a truck.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
It's not loud.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
It rumbles like a purr from something big. It pulls
up slowly in front of the house, and then it stops.
The enngine clicks off. A door opens, then it shuts

(11:06):
again gently. Boots crunch on the gravel. I shift just
a little to peek down. There's a man standing beside
the truck. He's tall, broad across the shoulders. He's wearing

(11:29):
dark pants and a jacket that has a little patch
on the front. His hair is short, his hands are
strong looking, but his face is quiet. He doesn't rush.
He walks toward the tree and gives it a long look.

(11:57):
Then he looks up at me. I stay still. His
eyes are soft, not wide or startled, just calm, like
he's done this before, like he already knows how it ends.

(12:20):
The woman Emily, I think her name is, stands up
from the porch. She brushes something off her sweater and
steps toward him. You came fast, she says, not a
lot going on this morning, he replies. His voice is

(12:45):
low and kind, no sharp edges. Emily looks up at me.
He's been up there almost an hour now, poor girl,
the man says. He tilts his head at me. You stuck, bud,

(13:08):
I blink. That means yes. The man walks back to
his truck and pulls out a folded ladder. It makes
a soft metallic sound as he carries it. He sets
it down under the tree and opens it one side

(13:34):
at a time. Emily stands nearby, holding her cup in
both hands. She's not saying anything now, but she watches
him closely. Her cheeks look a little pink, maybe from

(13:55):
the sun. The man, Jacob, she calls him, starts to climb,
not fast, just steady. His boots move quietly on the rungs.
His jacket shifts with each step. When he's close He

(14:19):
stops and reaches out a hand. Hey there, he says,
almost a whisper. You ready to come down. I don't
move at first. Then I lean forward just a little.

(14:41):
His hand is open, he doesn't grab, He waits. I
take one step, then another. He lifts me gently, one
arm under my belly, one hand supporting my back, paws.

(15:05):
His jacket smells like pine trees and smoke like winter
and wood. He carries me down, step by step. When
we reach the ground, Emily lets out a breath. It

(15:26):
sounds like something she was holding for a long time.
Jacob sets me on the grass. I blink up at him.
Emily kneels beside me and runs a hand along my back.
Thank you, she says. Her voice sounds softer than before.

(15:53):
Jacob gives a small shrug. He's a brave one, he said,
climbed all the way up by himself. Emily smiles. Still
needed help getting down, don't we all? Sometimes, he says.

(16:17):
For a moment, they both stand there, not talking, not.

Speaker 2 (16:24):
In a rush.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
Then Emily stratens, would you like some tea? I just
made a fresh pot. Jacob glances toward his truck. Another time,
he says, smiling, but thanks. She nods okay. Another time,

(16:51):
he gives me a slow blink before heading back to
the truck. I blink back. Then he's gone. Emily watches
him leave for a moment. Then she picks me up
with both hands, presses her cheek gently to my head,

(17:17):
and says, let's get you inside, sweetheart. Her arms feel
warm and safe.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
I don't leave right away.

Speaker 1 (17:32):
After the tree and the ladder and the man who
smelled like pine and smoke, I stay. I stretch out
on the grass for a little while, but my paws
bring me back to the front steps before the sun

(17:56):
goes down. Emily's porch is wide and wooden and smells
like old leaves and warm dust. One of the steps
creak when I press on it with my paw. I
try it again, and it creaks again. Not loud, just

(18:24):
a sleepy kind of sound. I curl up in the
corner by the flower pots. It's quiet here. I can
hear her inside moving things, water, running a cupboard, closing,

(18:47):
the gentle clink of a spoon. I close my eyes.
Later the door opens, I don't move. She sets down
a small bowl just beside me, filled with something soft

(19:09):
and warm. It smells like chicken and kindness. She doesn't
say much, just here you go, in that same soft
voice she used when I was up in the tree.

(19:29):
I eat slowly, then I lick my pawes clean and
curl up again. The porch stays warm even after the
sun sets. The next day, I'm still here, and the

(19:52):
day after that. By the third day, I notice she
starts added, setting the bowl out before I even me ow.

Speaker 2 (20:06):
I like it here.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
Emily talks sometimes when she waters the plants, or when
she reads on the porch swing. Sometimes she talks to me,
sometimes just to herself. I don't mind either way. Her

(20:30):
voice is gentle, like soft rain on the roof. I
understand the important parts. A few days later, Jacob comes back.
His truck rumbles into the driveway, and Emily steps outside

(20:54):
like she was waiting for him. She waves. He lifts
one hand in reply. He says he was just checking
on the cat.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
That's me.

Speaker 1 (21:11):
He squats down and holds out his hand. I sniff it.
He smells the same safe, a little like firewood. Emily
brings out two mugs, this time one for her one

(21:33):
for him. They sit on the porch and talk about tea.
She says she likes lavender. He says he prefers mint.
She laughs and tells him he's missing out. Another day,

(21:58):
they talk about a neighbor rooster that crows too early.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
They both laugh.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
Jacob points to the creaky step and offers to fix it.
Emily nods. The next time he comes, he brings a
little toolbox and makes the porch quiet again. Sometimes, when

(22:29):
he's sitting close, she brushes fur off her dress and
hands him a mug without asking. He always takes it,
and I watch. I sleep on the porch most nights now.

(22:50):
Emily lays out an old towel for me, then a cushion.
Then one day she opens the door and says, you
can come in if you want, so I do. Inside

(23:12):
smells like books and tea and soap. It's quiet here too,
still warm. She gives me a little bed near the heater.
I like the way it comes. I like how the

(23:34):
light falls across the floor in the morning. One afternoon,
while she's making toast, she looks down at me and says,
I think I'll call you Mi so. Then she smiles

(23:55):
and adds that, okay.

Speaker 2 (23:57):
With you it is.

Speaker 1 (24:03):
The rain starts late in the afternoon, not the loud kind,
just soft drops, tapping the windows and dripping from the
roof porch, the kind that makes the whole world quiet.

(24:25):
Emily lights a little lamp in the corner. She wears
a sweater that looks too big and fuzzy socks that
don't match. She makes tea and hums while the kettle warms.

(24:46):
I'm curled up near the heater, watching the rain slide
down the glass. Then there's the sound of tires on
the wet road, a slow engine, a door closing, footsteps

(25:07):
on the porch. She opens the door before he knocks. Jacob,
she says, smiling. He's holding a paper bag and a
silver thermous. His coat is damp and his hair is

(25:29):
a little wet. Brought you soup, he says, thought you
might not feel like cooking. Emily steps back so he
can come in. You're right, she says, I didn't. Jacob

(25:51):
walks in, slowly, looking around, like he's never been here before.
He kep his boots on the mat. She takes the
thermos and the bag and sets them on the kitchen counter.

(26:11):
Their house smells like rain and rosemary. He glances toward me.
So did you ever find out where the cat came from.
Emily looks at me too.

Speaker 2 (26:30):
I blink.

Speaker 1 (26:32):
No, she says, opening the soup, no collar. No one
answered my flyers. I think he just showed up. She
spoons the soup into bowls. Steam rises in little curls.

(26:56):
Jacob says he picked a good house. Emily smiles, he's smart.
They sit at the small table near the window. The
lamp makes a golden circle of light outside. The rain

(27:19):
keeps falling. I stay by the heater, warm and full,
watching them. They don't talk much while they eat, just
quiet words, little smiles.

Speaker 2 (27:39):
Their hands brush.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
When they both reach for the salt, neither pulls away.
Emily says it's cold. She stands up and disappears down
the hall. When she comes back, she's holding bright yellow socks.

(28:06):
These might be too small, she says, handing them to Jacob.
But I have others we can share. Jacob laughs, just
a little, a soft, happy sound. Later, the dishes are done,

(28:29):
the lights are dimmed, and the house.

Speaker 2 (28:33):
Is quiet again.

Speaker 1 (28:37):
Jacob returns with a blanket draped around his shoulders and
bare feet that pads softly on the floor. He crouches
beside me, his hand warm as he strokes behind my ears.

(28:58):
You're a good luck cat, he says, in a low voice.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
You brought me here.

Speaker 1 (29:08):
Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a
tiny square treat He holds it between his fingers and
I take it gently. It tastes like fish and something better,

(29:30):
something safe. He sits beside me on the floor for
a while, doesn't say anything else. I pur I think
he hears it. The next morning, everything is quiet. The

(29:55):
rain is gone, but everything is still wet. The air
smells like leaves and clean grass. The sky is pale
and misty, like someone forgot to finish painting it. Blue

(30:18):
eyes stretch near the heater and give my front paw
a few lazy licks. The house is quiet too, still.

Speaker 2 (30:34):
Soft.

Speaker 1 (30:36):
Then I hear her, Emily's feet pad across the floor.
The door opens with a little creak. She steps outside,
wearing a big sweater with a look of sleep still

(30:58):
lingering behind her eyes. Her hair is messy and one
of her fuzzy yellow socks is falling down. She holds
her mug with both hands. She stands on the porch

(31:20):
and breathes in the air. Hmm, she says, smiling to herself.
Smells like a new day eye stretch, hop down and
follow her out the porch. Word feels cold under my pores,

(31:47):
but I don't mind. Emily leans against the porch railing.
Everything is slow still. A truck comes up the road, slow, familiar.

(32:08):
It rolls down the street and pulls into the driveway,
the tires making little splashes through leftover puddles. Jacob steps
out holding a paper bag. He's wearing jeans and a sweatshirt,

(32:32):
and his hair is a little messy too. He waves
at Emily as he walks up the path. Good morning,
he says. She smiles. Bagels. He nods and lifts the bag,

(32:55):
still warm. Emily laughs and opens the screen door for him.
You're spoiling me. You deserve it. They sit down on
the porch steps. Emily spreads a napkin across her lap.

(33:16):
Jacob opens the bag. The smell of fresh bread drifts
over to me, warm and soft and yeastie. They share
the bagels, pulling them apart with their hands and passing

(33:39):
a little tub of cream cheese between them. I sit
beside the flower pots and watch. Jacob takes a bite
and sighs. Still the best bakery in town. Emily nods, chewing,

(34:03):
and I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
They both smile.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
They don't talk too much, just a few words here
and there, quiet gentle ones, words that don't need to
fill the silence, because the silence is already nice. After

(34:34):
a moment, Emily pats the step between them. Come on me, so,
she says, softly, Plenty of room for you. I walk
over and hop up. The word is warmer now, and

(34:58):
the space between them is just the right size. One
side of me touches her sweater. The other brushes against
Jacob's knee. I curl up, paws tucked under again. My

(35:22):
eyes start to close. Jacob reaches down and rubs behind
my ears. Emily leans against his shoulder. I feel her
soft sigh, and I hear Jacob's quiet hum, low and happy.

(35:50):
The porch creaks a little under our weight, but it's
the good kind of creak, the mind that means we're
all here. No one is in a hurry. The mist
is still in the trees, the flowers haven't opened yet.

(36:17):
The world is slow and gentle and soft. I think
of the tree I climbed, the branch that shook the
time I wasn't sure anyone would hear me, but they did.

(36:42):
And now here I am a full bowl, a warm bed,
two people who talk softly and smile often, a porch
that always has space for me. I don't need to

(37:07):
look for anywhere else.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
This is home.

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The Cat in the Tree - A Cozy Bedtime Story for Adults

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