Chapter 8 – cat #2
Pippa tugs me toward the dance floor. She shouts something to me, but I can’t make it out as we get close to the pulsing speakers. I doubt it matters anyway, since as soon as we find a space on the floor, she starts swaying her hips.
So I mirror her movements and let myself go. When was the last time I was able to close my eyes, let my thoughts float away, and just be in my body? Even now, I feel an undercurrent of worry about money, about the shelter, about my family.
The pounding bass vibrates through me. The mood lighting lets me vanish into the crowd of people, just another anonymous member of the flock. I run my hands down my body and try to pretend I have no worries at all.
Around midnight, we finally stumble out of the club, tipsy and giggling. Pippa holds on tight to my arm to keep herself from falling in her heels.
“Why don’t we go dancing every night?” She sighs.
“Because we have jobs. And lives.”
“That’s dumb. We should just be pretty, perfect party girls.”
“Won’t that interfere with your plan of being the great voice of our generation?”?”
“Shut up.” She swats my arm playfully. “I’m a content creator who writes filler articles for Belladonna Magazine. It’s not like I’m some Pulitzer-winning novelist.”
I lean my head against her shoulder. “Don’t diminish it. Your writing is hilarious and incisive, and in my opinion, you’re a genius.”
She sighs. “From your lips to my editor’s ears.”
A white car pulls up, and I check the license plate against the one on Pippa’s phone. “Your Uber’s here, Pipsqueak. Text me when you get home.”
“I promise.” She hugs me tightly. “And don’t let Nate be mean to you. I don’t wanna fight him.”
“Are you sure? Because I think you could kick his ass.”
Pippa laughs and opens the back door of her car. “Beware of sexy billionaires, Cat. Don’t forget they’re all mostly evil.”
She blows me a kiss as her car drives away, leaving me to think about her advice. I know she’s mostly talking about her stepbrother. Pippa’s hated Ryan pretty much since the day she met him, and by extension, all of his friends. I don’t think anything they did would earn her good favor.
Still, could she be right about Nate? I’ve wanted to think that he helped me out because he’s a decent person under all those grunts and layers of grumpiness. Maybe I’m being naive, though. He’s a businessman through and through. He wouldn’t do anything that didn’t benefit him in some way.
But I can’t think of any selfish reason he’d have for trying to weasel his way into my life. It’s not like I have money, or whatever else it is men like him want.
Maybe he just wants to get into your pants, the Pippa-ish voice in my head reminds me.
If that were true, though, why didn’t he kiss me that night?
“Hey, lady! Hold up!” a rough male voice calls from behind me.
A grizzled man with a thick black beard limps toward me. He’s wearing a stained Blue Jays sweatshirt and track pants falling down from his thin hips. He holds out my cell phone.
“This fell out of your purse.”
When he’s close enough to pass it to me, I realize that I recognize his gap-toothed smile.
“Thank you! Your name’s Rupert, right? I’m Cat—from the shelter.”
“That’s right. I remember you. It’s good to see you again, young lady.” Rupert pats my arm fondly, before reaching back up to pull up his oversized pants.
He’s lost a lot of weight, that’s why I didn’t recognize him immediately. He hasn’t been by the shelter in months. I wonder if he’s been sick, or even in the hospital.
“How are you? Have you been well?” I ask gently, trying keep my balance as those last couple tequila shots really hit me.
He chuckles. “Oh, you know. I’m alright. Still out here.”
“Why haven’t you been by the shelter?”
“I, uh, I had an issue with someone else who goes there.” He looks at the ground. “Thought it might be best to stay away for a while.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t work out. You deserve a proper bed and some real food, Rupert. Don’t make me worry about you.”
My tone is playful, but the truth is, I am worried about him. His skin looks waxy and his dark brown eyes are sunken. He obviously hasn’t had a place to shower and wash his clothes, and he’s leaning heavily on his right leg. Looking at him reminds me of Dad before the end.
Rupert pats my arm again. “Oh, alright. I’ll come by the shelter to visit you. For now, let me give you a walk home. A young lady shouldn’t be out by herself this late.”
“Oh, you’re sweet! But I’m not going far. I’m actually staying here tonight.” I gesture to the building behind us.
He whistles. “Woo-ee! Did you move in here, sweetheart?”
“No, I’m just staying for the night. With a…a friend.”
“A friend,” he repeats skeptically. “You sure that’s a good idea? I don’t trust those rich bastards in these cement towers. Not sure you should, either.”
His protectiveness makes me smile. “I can look out for myself, Rupert. You don’t worry about me, and I won’t worry about you. Okay?”
He sighs. “Okay. But you be careful, promise?”
“I will. Now I better see you at the shelter soon. I don’t want to have to hunt you down.”
Rupert smiles and puts up his hands in mock defense. “I’ll be there.”
With a final wave, I head back into the building. I feel a twinge of guilt walking into the heated luxury lobby with Rupert still out on the street. Here I am, in the lap of luxury while someone equally deserving is out in the chilly fall air.
I swipe my card in front of the elevator, and the doors open immediately.
The timing just adds to the feeling that I’ve gotten a bit too lucky the past few days.
The new job, Nate letting me stay at his place, my building getting bought out by better landlords…
it all feels too good to be true. Which means I’m past due for a bad surprise.
When I walk through the doors open into Nate’s apartment, I’m definitely greeted by a surprise, but nothing about it looks bad.
Nate’s walking out of the kitchen, drinking orange juice right from the bottle. His dark hair glistens in the light, damp from the shower.
And all he’s wearing is a towel slung low around his waist.