Chapter Ten #2
“Yup. I got the acrylic done already. I just have to seal it. The canvases for the oils are waiting, and as soon as I have a solid few hours, I am going to get started as soon as I get home. Oh, I will need to get a cloth to cover the work because cat hair flies.”
Persephone came in with a lovely and large calico cat with pretty blue eyes. Monster perked up and came up to them, making a short prrp as he tried to get his sibling down.
Persephone put her down, and the cats rubbed heads and sniffed at each other before the lady looked around, stretched, and walked over to Em. She looked at the gorgeous cat and smiled. “Do you have a name?”
Persephone said, “Dierdre.”
Emhara listened and laughed. “Close. Her name is Donut.”
The sibling came over and placed his head on her knee. “And he is Micro.”
She laughed at the heavy purr that started. “She’s his emotional support cat, and he will protect her against all comers.”
Echel extended his fingers to Micro and was allowed to touch the long-tufted ears and the super silky fur.
Persephone smiled. “Micro?”
“He doesn’t like being big, so he wants a small name. It is Micro or Al.”
“Right. Micro will be on his paperwork.”
“And Donut. She hates fancy names, and she loves donuts.”
Persephone looked at her. “How do you know that? She stole two this morning.”
“First, she has donut breath, and second, she told me. Her voice is very clear.”
Echel smiled. “I have sent photos to the others on their errands, and they are changing their purchases accordingly.”
“Errands? They aren’t at work?”
Echel smiled. “Emhara, it’s Saturday. For the most part, we are going to try to take weekends off.”
She smiled. “Oh.”
Owen smiled. “Oh?”
Mateo whispered in his ear, and Owen looked at Echel and Emhara and said, “Ooh.”
Emhara knew that answer and sighed. “Recovery time.”
Echel booped her nose with his finger. “Yes.”
She looked at him blandly and said, “For you guys?”
Mateo and Persephone started laughing, and Owen grinned.
Echel kissed her, and a heavy purring started on her knee and against her leg. “I am guessing they think you need an emotional support buddy as well.”
She sighed and kissed him back. She pressed her forehead to his and glanced over at her brother and in-laws. “So, you can hear him?”
Mateo paused. “It is very low, but yes, I can hear his voice.”
Echel chuckled and whispered, “I can be heard when I want to.”
“Oh.”
“You can be heard when we want you to.”
She smacked her hand over his mouth, and he grinned behind her fingers.
She snorted and looked at Persephone. “Do I need to bring them home today? I don’t think they make carriers that will fit.”
“Well, they do, but they are dog crates. On the plus side, you can crate them together.”
She nodded and sighed. “Where can I get a crate?”
Echel smiled and kissed her forehead. “The crate will arrive in the next thirty minutes.”
Mateo grinned. “Nice. We can find out what you want for your birthday next month.”
“My birthday? My birthday was five months ago.”
Mateo frowned and shook his head. “No. I have seen your birth certificate. Your birthday is next month.”
“Augusta’s birthday... oh, there it is. How could I be so stupid?”
Mateo was shocked. “They moved your birthday?”
“Yup. Summer to winter. Augusta and I had one shared birthday, I think. There were pictures. She didn’t look happy. Wait twelve-six to six-twelve?”
Mateo nodded. “I remember the first time you had a birthday with us. It is—was—in the summer. We had a picnic, and you blew bubbles. Your mother and stepfather were under guard and glared at every move you made. Grandmother was laughing every time you did. She loved watching you play and loved making bubbles for you to clap at.” He smiled.
“I remember there was a spider caught in one of the bubbles, and you cupped the bubble in your hand and walked it to the gardens with a very serious expression. You put it in the roses, and the bubble popped. You waved and said bye, cousin. I never understood until the last few weeks that you saw the arachnids when you looked at us.”
Emhara blinked. “It came on gradually, but between eight and twelve, it kicked on hard.”
He grinned. “You are looking at me like you can see a human face now.”
“I can. I have had more experience with human features, and they are easier to put in place.”
Donut turned and bounced into the room to play with the other cats. Micro sighed and lumbered after her, ready to stomp any kittens who offended his sister. At one point, he simply stood on top of her to keep the others away.
Emhara smiled. “Now that is a brother you feed every day.” She looked at Mateo. “You can get your own.”
He grinned and then sobered. “I am sorry I didn’t protect you from my mother.”
“You didn’t have to. That was Dad’s responsibility, not yours. It was his fault I was there. He needed to protect me from the result of his actions. You stick your dick in crazy, you deal with the result.” She waved her hands on either side of her head. “Ta-dah!”
Mateo laughed and then looked at Persephone, who gave him an angelic look. “Right, but crazy does make adorable babies.”
Echel stroked Emhara’s hair. “It certainly does.”
She wrinkled her nose at him and watched her new cats playing with the others very carefully. Donut was huge as well, but Micro was enormous.
“Persephone, can we get the paperwork done?”
Persephone grinned and showed her the paperwork. It was all filled out. “We have pamphlets to give you, and you are going to need an enormous litter box for obvious reasons, but the babies go home with you today. He can manage a regular litter box, but he isn’t happy about it.”
She looked at the big fella and spoke to her sister-in-law. “Do we have any neighbourhood dogs? If we do, we won’t for long.”
Persephone smiled. “We don’t, but it’s a fun thought. Wild dogs are infamous bullies.”
Emhara nodded. “Good thing you can have them arrested. I wonder if they would be neutered in prison?”
The people around her were shocked. Well, the guys were shocked, but Persephone thought it was funny.
Mateo smiled. “Don’t mention it to Dad. He will make it happen.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me.” She smiled as Donut jumped onto her lap. The huge cat took up so much of the space. Emhara hugged her, and Donut purred.
Persephone said, “And that is why I do this.”
Duran and Samsor came in and were immediately swamped by the kittens and cats on the floor.
Emhara looked at them. “Oh, no.” She looked at Echel, and he innocently lifted a short-haired male cat.
Duran had a long-haired grey cat in his arms, and Samsor had an orange sibling of Donut and Micro. They all looked delighted.
Persephone smiled. “This is going to be a very good day for the shelter.”
Emhara set Donut down and lifted Micro. “And you will have so much more space when they are with us.”
Persephone laughed. “Yeah, we will.”
They laughed and chatted, and no one commented that the pupils of Emhara’s guys were gold or that they were talking about building a wing onto Samsor’s house to expand for a cat apartment.
Persephone said, “Why don’t you go and set up a room for all your buddies, and I can bring them to you tomorrow?”
Samsor said, “Toros is coming by this afternoon, so we can finally get your dressing room done.”
“Okay. Can I just take my two monsters home? I need to show them around.”
Persephone shook her head. “It’s best no one gets the home court advantage.”
“Fine. You have to deal with a hairy moose calling shotgun, and I am not talking about Armand.”
“Hah. He isn’t as hairy as the styling products will lead you to believe.”
Emhara snickered. She hugged Micro and set him on the floor. “The guys can get the rest of their paperwork done, and we will set up to receive our clouder or clan or pride or whatever.”
Persephone grinned and then paused. “Oh, you don’t have any staff.”
Samsor smiled. “We are working on it. Storage for the wardrobe Carlos arranged for her is paramount. We are drowning in designer gowns.”
Emhara snorted. “I don’t have anywhere to wear them.”
Mateo and Emhara’s guys said together, “You will.”
Mateo smiled. “There are family birthdays, anniversaries, charity galas, fundraisers, society invitations will start coming, and now events like the quad’s birthday. That one isn’t formal, but you will probably need a change of clothing.”
She snorted.
“And of course, art openings, gallery openings, displays, and such. Everyone is lining up for murals right now.”
Persephone smiled. “Dell wants you to do one in her pack house for the nursery. She goes so quick with her pregnancies that she needs a generic and yet magical room, but Amble is pissed because she doesn’t want him to do it.”
“Amble, Amble?” She blinked.
“Yup. The artistic twat himself.” Persephone grinned.
“I worked with him on a video when I was doing training for the JN Foundation. We had one young woman who wanted to learn to paint, and we recorded a week of learning, but that was before he had a pack.” Persephone laughed.
“I am not a painter. My acrylic kitty cat is still in my office here.”
Emhara said, “I need to see it.”
“You will. I will have a print made when you get us the family portraits.” She winked.
“So, you have a few weeks, just because of stupid oil paint drying. I got some medium to speed it up, but I am going to be careful with them.”
Micro was on her lap again, and she had her arms around him with her head on his back.
The guys handed the cats over to Persephone, and soon, they were all sporting white collars.
That meant they had been adopted. Samsor disappeared with Persephone, and when they returned, they were beaming, and it was time to head out and gear up the house for the new arrivals.
The pet store Persephone suggested took a look at pictures of Micro and Donut, and they walked to a different part of the store.