Chapter 22 - Kaleb
I cracked the egg into the pan and watched as it sizzled. I glanced over at the mug sitting near the coffee, waiting for Nora to come down the stairs. Nora hasn’t returned home, but she did come in some mornings to grab a few things. She returned home this morning for more clothes.
I missed her. I could see the space between us and knew it would take time to fix what I’d screwed up. But I would do it. She was all I wanted, and she was carrying my child.
I flipped the egg and turned as I heard her coming down the stairs. She was already dressed for work and paused when she spotted me holding a plate.
“I made breakfast,” I said, sliding the plate onto the counter.
She took a couple of steps into the kitchen, and her nose scrunched up. “The smell of eggs makes me sick.”
I frowned, hating that I didn’t know that. “Oh…well…I can make something else. We have oatmeal or bread.”
She shook her head, grabbing her purse off the stool. “It’s okay. I’m not really that hungry this morning anyway.” She looked past me to the mug sitting on the counter by the coffee maker. I watched her lips curl up slightly.
“You still drinking coffee?” I asked as I turned around, grabbing the mug.
She nodded.
I handed her the coffee, and she took a seat, sipping a couple of times. I grabbed the plate and popped it into the microwave, trying to think of how I could make this better.
“I am sorry, Nora.”
She looked up from her coffee and smiled at me. “I know that.”
“I will make it right,” I said, leaning back against the sink. “I don’t want this rift between us. I hate it.”
She took another sip of her coffee. “I just need time,” she said with a weak voice. “I know you’re sorry, but it doesn’t make the words disappear.” She set the mug down. “I need to get to work.”
I nodded, understanding. I couldn’t stop the ache.
Nora gave me a tight smile as she got up. I sighed, glancing down at Charlie as he lay on the ground sunbathing. I could hear the door open and shut, and I closed my eyes, reminding myself to take this slow. I couldn’t expect everything to go back to normal because I said sorry.
Over the next week, I tried to give her space. When she did come to the house, I tried to learn what upset her stomach and what she would eat. I cooked dinner and asked her to stay. Some days she did, and others she didn’t.
I watched after Charlie, joining her on walks in the afternoon, and offered to help her wherever she needed a hand. I was doing everything I could to prove that I wanted her back.
I stopped in at the shelter, bringing her lunch and offering to pick her up if she needed. I offered Mike, the owner, a hand to run errands if he wanted an extra hand, since I knew it was just him and Nora working there.
I was doing everything I could to prove that I wanted her to stay. I wanted to prove that I was a good man and nothing like my father. I wouldn’t be like my father.
I pulled up in front of the shelter and grabbed the lunch bag I’d picked up for her. I headed inside and found Mike at the front desk. He was writing something in his notebook and looked up as the bell above the door went off. He smiled instantly when he spotted me.
He chuckled as the door shut behind me. “Kaleb, this is day five in a row you’ve been here.”
“I brought lunch,” I said, holding the bag up. “Burgers today.”
Mike raised an eyebrow at me. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I shrugged. “I had the time. You and Nora have been busy with the extra hands and the sick kittens in the back.” I opened the bag and placed a burger right next to his hand. “Double patty, with extra onions and pickles.” I pulled out a container of fries.
Mike smiled. “You’re spoiling us, Kaleb. If you keep this up, I’ll start expecting it.”
I laughed, pointing toward the back door. “Is she in the back?”
He nodded, grabbed the burger, and started to unwrap it. “Yeah, she’s letting the dogs out.”
I gave him a head nod as I pushed the door open. I peered into the dog area and found the kennels open and empty. The back door was also open, so I walked over and found Nora outside. She was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a tight sweater around her middle. She had on a hat and some mittens.
The dogs were running around, and she was watching them.
Her arms were crossed as she held a soft smile on her face.
She looked at peace while she watched the dogs.
I always knew she loved this work and that it brought her happiness, but seeing her like this was nice.
It brought me happiness that she had at least had something. I hadn’t screwed everything up for her.
“Hey.”
She jumped and turned around, looking at me, stunned. “Jesus Christ. Kaleb, what are you doing here?”
I held the bag up, giving her a big grin. “I brought you lunch. Well, I brought you and Mike lunch. I got you some chicken strips and fries.”
She crossed her arms. “You don’t have to bring us food every day.”
I shrugged, setting the bag down on the stool. “You guys have been busy, and I thought it’d be nice. Besides, it gives me a reason to come down here and see you.”
She walked over, looking into the bag. I watched her eyes instantly zone in on the fries. She reached in and grabbed them, popping one into her mouth. “Thank you.”
“How has today been? Are the dogs all getting along?”
She shrugged. “It’s going okay. Spot is getting adopted. His new owners are coming back to sign papers later, so it’s going to be nice to see him go home. We’ve had a few people who were getting interested in Chili, but no one has decided to say yes.”
“That will be nice for spot. Are you going to miss him?”
She nodded. “Of course. I’ve gotten to know all of the dogs. But it’s a warm feeling when they find their forever home. I know they will make him happy.”
She ate a couple more fries. “I want all of them to find homes. They all are so different and deserve to find someone who is going to love them.”
I took in the dogs, having learned their names over the times I’d been here. Nora knew each of their personalities and what they liked and hated. She knew so much about each of the dogs, just proving more that she loved what she did.
“Well, I should get going.” I didn’t want to stick around too long where it looked like I was hovering.
She swallowed a fry…”Unless you want to stay.” She pointed toward the cat door. “I have some kittens I’m watching after. I could use an extra set of hands. I’d ask Mike, but he’s handling the budget, and I would rather not get in the way. Unless you have somewhere to be.”
I felt my heart leap. She was asking me to stay. This was the first time that she had budged, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, I can help with that.”
“But I have to get the dogs inside first.” She turned to set her fries down, but I stopped her. I stepped in her way, pulling my hands up.
“No, you eat, and I’ll get the dogs inside. How hard can it be?”
She made a face and started to laugh. “Okay, you can get them in, and I’ll eat.” She sat down on a stool and waved her hand. “Do for it. Get them all in here and in their kennels.”
I tried to rally the dogs inside, but they kept running around.
Frank refused to get up. Spot was running around getting to the door and then slipping past me.
I only managed to get Chili inside, and that was only because I picked him up.
None of the other dogs listened, but I could hear Nora laugh from inside.
I finally threw my hands up. I was freezing cold, my fingers were frozen, and my shoes were soaking wet from the snow.
Nora stepped outside, wiping her hands on a napkin with a smug smile. She laughed as she stepped outside, taking in the view of all the dogs. “How hard can it be?” she teased, as she whistled. All the dogs turned and started heading toward us.
I frowned, throwing my hands in the air. “Are you kidding me? I just ran around for ten fricken minutes, and all I needed to do was whistle?” I started walking toward the door, Nora smiling as she held it open.
She chuckled as the last of the dogs slipped inside. “You seemed pretty sure of yourself. I was going to tell you, but I couldn’t help but watch you try to lift Frank. That made my day.”
I followed after her as she locked each of the dogs into their kennels.
She waved me to follow her into the cat’s room.
The cat’s room was smaller than the dogs’, with ten kennels that lined the wall.
The cats meowed as we entered, but my eyes went to a table and the few boxes with blankets in them.
She noticed me looking and frowned. “Those are the sick kittens that we’ve been looking after.”
I walked closer. There were five little black kittens. They were curled up together, looking so small. They looked malnourished, and a couple of them didn’t move as we got closer.
“What’s wrong with them?” I asked, wanting to reach out and pet them, but I was afraid I would hurt them.
“These two were found under an abandoned house. The vet thinks they haven’t eaten in a long time.
He warned us they might not make it. The other three are just newborns that need a little extra attention.
The vet said they should be able to join their other siblings in a few days, and that some steroids will be needed.
We’re trying to get the mother to accept all of them. ”
Nora reached down, rubbing her hand over one of them. “They are fighting hard. They are all on some medication, and I’m hoping that by tomorrow, we will start seeing some improvement.”
I reached down, rubbing my finger along one of the kittens. It hardly moved, and I frowned. “Where did they find the kittens?”
“I don’t know the address.” She reached in, pulling one up. She pulled it close to her chest, rocking side to side. “I hope they all make it. They are all so little and just beginning their lives.”
I watched her eyes change as she looked sad, almost afraid of what was going to happen. I reached a hand out, rubbing it up and down her back. “You guys are doing everything you can. If anyone can save them, it’s you and Mike.”
She nodded, resting her hand on my shoulder. “I’m hoping so.” She rubbed her hand over the kitten’s back slowly.
I spent the entire day with Nora. We spent most of the day in the cats’ room. We sat with the kittens, monitoring them. I watched how careful Nora was, seeing how motherly she could be. She held each of them with careful hands and fed them from little bottles.
She hummed as she moved, handing me a kitten. “Are you sure I can hold it?” I asked, not wanting to hurt it.
“Yeah.” She gently put the kitten in my hand. “Body heat is good for them.”
I held the little kitten staring at it. It was different from holding Charlie with me on the couch. This little kitten was so small, its bones so fragile. The kitten meowed, and it was so soft.
It was a little after seven when I could tell she was getting tired. She yawned as she ran her finger over one of the kittens’ backs. “You can go home if you’re tired,” she said, resting her head on the desk.
“I’m not the one who is yawning,” I said, reaching out to brush some of her hair behind her ear. “You are. Maybe it’s time you head home.”
She frowned. “I just don’t want them to be alone…you know, if they die.” Her eyes remained on the kittens, a loving look in them.
I moved closer, pulling her onto my lap. I brushed her hair back. Nora looked at me with those same soft eyes. I pressed my forehead against her and inhaled her scent. I felt her lean against me. “They aren’t alone. They have you, and they have each other.”
I cupped her face and softly kissed her. I pulled her close to me, holding her against my chest. I felt her sink again me and the space fell quiet. There was nothing but the sound of the window outside.
“Do you think this can actually work?”
“If what can work?” I asked, running my hand through her hair.
“Us,” she said, softer. “If we can work. Or if we’re fooling ourselves.”
She glanced up at me. “Are we trying to make something happen where it shouldn’t?”
“I love you.” I pulled a hand up, running my thumb over her cheek. “It’s not fake, and I’ll do everything to make sure you know that. What we have is real, Nora. I’ll prove it even if it takes you forever to believe me.”
She sniffled, and I wiped at her eyes. “You are the most important person in my life, Nora.” I leaned down, pressing my forehead against hers. “Believe that much.”