"Ajit is so excited to see you," he heard his mother shout into the phone. She always spoke louder on long-distance calls, as if raising her voice would help it travel across the Atlantic. "Aren't you, Ajit?" she demanded. Ajit slumped in his chair, pushing wrinkled peas around his plate. His suitcases stood at attention in the hallway, holding eight weeks worth of shirts, pants and socks. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded. "Patches!" his mother shrieked. In the hallway, Patches the cat stood next to an overturned suitcase and the remnants of a shattered vase. As Ajit's mother rushed to assess the damage, Patches sidled up to Ajit, rubbing his face against Ajit's leg. Ajit reached down to stroke him, and Patches looked up, blinking his green eyes. He stared at Ajit with his knowing look—a look that seemed to offer so much and ask for so little in return. Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story? A Friendship is worth more than material goods. B You must confront your past. C Pets are more trouble than they're worth. D The love of a pet is unlike any other.