Chapter 22
Teague
M y baby was worried about his baby. Not that I blamed him. I was, too. The half hour drive to the emergency vet in Plattsburgh was an emotional one. I kept the heat on, even though with the rain passing the day was warming up quickly, because the kitten—still wrapped in a purrito—needed it. Charlie held the little thing close, and though it was blinking its eyes, it wasn’t making much noise or fighting to get out. I wasn’t up on all things kitten, but I figured that was not a good thing. I drove since I knew where I was going, and Charlie called ahead. The vet tech came running out thirty seconds after we arrived and took the kitten back for evaluation, while Charlie filled out the paperwork.
And now we sat, waiting for news. It hadn’t been long. Certainly not long enough for them to know anything yet. But Charlie couldn’t stop fidgeting and kept his gaze fixed on the door where the vet tech had disappeared. I wrapped my arm around him, snugging him close to give him the support he needed, and ignored the older lady at the reception desk who made a disapproving noise. She could rot for all I cared. Charlie and the kitten were my top priority.
Besides, I was pretty sure I could take her in a fight.
The thought made me smirk, just imagining fighting her. Charlie glanced at me, his brows drawing together, but then refocused on the door.
“Nothing,” I murmured, but I shot a death glare at the receptionist. She huffed, stacked her papers together extra hard, and then stood. Good. I kissed Charlie’s temple. “You doing all right?”
He let out a breath, long and slow. “Kinda? I mean, the kitten was alive and it’s in the right place now. I just hope it’ll be okay.”
I wanted to assure him it would be, but I wasn’t the type to make empty promises. Who knew how long they’d been in that beaten-to-hell carrier before Cricket found them? Even though it seemed like they’d been tossed out like trash, I still hoped it wasn’t long. It would devastate Charlie if something happened to that baby. I could tell he was already so attached. I hated the thought of losing the kitten, but more than that, I wanted nothing but good and happy things for my boyfriend.
Just thinking the word made me happy. Charlie had so easily announced it, and it warmed me all the way to my toes. It was what I’d wanted, and he’d given it to me so freely. He was mine. I was his. And we still had things to learn about each other, things we needed to talk about and work through. But we were on the right path and that was all I could ask for.
“What’s that smile for?” Charlie asked, his voice soft.
“I’m happy we’re us.” I didn’t see the point in lying. Tried, in fact, never to do it. But considering where we were and what we were facing, it didn’t seem entirely appropriate to get all sappy. I cleared my throat and leaned my head close to his. “And I’m here for you. We’ll get through this.”
Charlie noticed I didn’t say everything was going to work out with the kitten and while he tried for a smile, it didn’t land, his eyes filled with worry as he focused back on that door. There was no telling how long it would be before they came back with news, and while I couldn’t make his worry disappear, I could distract him a little. Given the circumstances, that was probably the best I could do. I searched my brain, but my phone chimed before I could think of something. I fished it out of my pocket to see Oak’s name.
Any news?
not yet will keep you updated
Though I wished I could give him more news right now, he’d given me the distraction topic I’d needed.
“It’s just Oak, wanting updates,” I said in response to Charlie’s questioning look. “Hey. Did your bestie tell you about his birthday next week?”
“My…bestie?”
I grinned and waggled my eyebrows, trying to get a smile. Charlie, thankfully, obliged. “According to Oak, anyway. You guys are tight. Yo.”
Charlie laughed, though it was a little high, which was exactly what I was going for. He shook his head and slipped his hand into mine. “I adore that kid. But also no, he didn’t tell me. Next week?”
I lifted his hand to kiss the back of it, liking the way his eyes softened as he watched me do it. “Yeah. It’s the big two-one. Can’t believe that baby that peed on me the first time I met him is all grown up now.” I mimed wiping away a tear.
Charlie only had one eye fixed on the door now, so I counted that as progress. “Does he have plans to go out and get drunk?” Charlie let out a short chuckle. “I remember my twenty-first, I couldn’t wait to drink. I’d never had alcohol before, trying to be the good son. One drink in and I was done.”
I laughed. “I can’t say the same. And I don’t know if he has either. Tried alcohol, I mean. Given his upbringing, but then going to a secular college, chances are fifty-fifty.” Then realizing we were veering into heavier territory, I steered us back to something lighter. “If he wants to hit up a bar, of course I’ll take him. But my parents are planning a dinner and party for the actual day. Regan’s making the cake, of course. Not sure if anyone else is coming.”
Charlie chewed his bottom lip for a minute, then turned his full attention to me. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke, “If I’m his bestie, he might want me there, huh?”
“I want you there. And I’m sure Oak does, too. But both he and I will understand if you aren’t able to come.” With a finger, I smoothed the wrinkle between his brows. He let out a soft sigh and his features softened.
“He hasn’t invited me.”
“Yet.” I wasn’t sure how much to divulge but then decided Charlie deserved the whole truth. “My guess is he was waiting to see how things shake out between you and me. If it wasn’t…positive…then he wouldn’t want to make either one of us uncomfortable.”
I studied Charlie as he digested this information. It took him a minute, maybe two, but then he smiled, that sweet, almost shy one that lit me up on the inside. I knew physical attraction wasn’t everything in a relationship, but damn, he was just so pretty. And the more I got to know him, the prettier he was. I could stare at him forever, just looking at his face and those warm deep brown eyes framed by his glasses. It would be so easy to just let myself go and fall in love with this man. But it was far too soon to voice that out loud.
“Well, he doesn’t have to worry about that, now does he?”
My heart gave a happy jump. “No, he doesn’t.”
I leaned in, all set to kiss his generous mouth, but we were interrupted when the door opened. Charlie all but pushed me away, but I didn’t take it personally. The same vet tech who had taken the kitten away was standing there, and judging by her smile, it wasn’t bad news.
“Mr. Caldwell? Wanna come on back?”
Charlie jumped up, and I was quick to follow. I didn’t think anyone would stop me, but if they tried, I would make a scene. A little one, but still. There were no issues though as Macy—as she introduced herself—led us back to a small conference room. There was a table and four chairs, happy posters on the wall, and soft lighting.
“Dr. Porter will be with you in just a minute.” Macy smiled again and left us to take seats. I noticed she didn’t shut the door, and that too seemed to be a good thing to me.
“She didn’t look upset,” Charlie said, grabbing my hand again and holding tightly. “That has to be good, right?”
“I think so. But we’ll have to wait and see what the vet says, eh?” I was feeling far more positive now, but I was still going to hedge my bets until we knew for sure.
Not five minutes later, a tall handsome man wearing blue scrubs came in. He was probably ten or so years older than us, had a smile on his face, and a tablet in his hands. He shut the door behind him and held out a hand sort of in between us.
“Mr. Caldwell, I’m Mark Porter.”
Charlie shook his hand. “Charlie, please. And this is my boyfriend, Teague.”
The doctor didn’t even flinch at the announcement, just shook my hand too and then sat across from us. “Nice to meet you both. First of all, the kitten is doing okay.”
Charlie’s sigh was explosive. “Thank god.”
I mentally echoed the sentiment and was glad the doctor had opened with that. I was sure he dealt with this sort of thing all the time and knew it was best to relieve fears.
Porter grinned. “Before we get into everything, tell me again what happened? Macy’s intake said you found the kitten?”
Charlie nodded and I squeezed his hand in silent support as he relayed the story to the doctor. He’d given the information over the phone and on the paperwork as well, but I was sure the doctor wanted to hear the whole thing in person just to make sure he had all his facts. Porter, for his part, listened intently and tapped at the tablet occasionally, probably adding to his notes. When Charlie was done, Porter sat back, looking Charlie in the eye.
“The way some people treat animals….” His tone was dark, but instead of saying more, he shook his head. He didn’t need to, really. We all understood. “Well, as I said, the kitten is doing okay. He’s malnourished and severely dehydrated, so we have him on IV fluids. Based on weight, I would have put him at about six weeks, but judging from his teeth he’s about three to four months old.”
“Poor baby,” Charlie murmured.
Porter nodded. “I’m certain he has parasites as well, because of the extended belly. But that could be from the rainwater so we won’t know until we can get a stool sample. But he’s getting some of his energy back, so that’s good. What I’d like to do is keep him here for at least the rest of today, maybe overnight depending on how he does. See if we can get him to eat and drink on his own, and pump him full of antibiotics and dewormer. It’s best to keep him on supportive care while we do that.”
Charlie nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” Porter tapped at the tablet for a few seconds. “You got him here in time and he’s a fighter, so it all looks good. I won’t make any promises but after you’ve been in this business as long as I have, you get a feeling about these things. I think we’ve turned a corner and as long as he gets the care he needs, he should make a full recovery.”
“I’m very glad to hear that,” Charlie said, his eyes filling. He sucked in a big breath through his nose.
“Now, since you found him as a stray, if you’re looking to find him a home—”
“I’m keeping him,” Charlie interrupted, a little forcefully. He seemed surprised by his outburst. He squeezed my fingers and leaned forward. “I mean it’s the, what do you call it? Cat distribution system? We didn’t find them in time to save his littermate, but he’s come into my life for a reason.”
Porter laughed. “Spoken like a cat person. Okay, then I’d really like to do some bloodwork, test for all the usual culprits like FIV and feline leukemia, as well as kidney and liver function and all that. Once we get the results on that, we can see what, if anything, else we need to do. Sound good?”
Charlie glanced at me but didn’t wait for my agreement—not that he needed it—before he said, “Yes. Please do.”
“Great.” Porter stood and offered his hand again. “I’ll send Macy back in with the info for you to agree to and sign and we’ll get started.”
“Thanks so much, Dr. Porter,” Charlie said, and I echoed the sentiment.
A moment later, he was gone, and Charlie sagged into me. I immediately put my arm around him, hugging him tight, and dropped a kiss on his head. We sat like that for a few minutes. Charlie was so relieved it was coming off him in waves, and I was happy to be the one to hold him up. He didn’t sit up on his own until Macy came back, and then listened intently while she went through everything, including the high price tag. Charlie didn’t even flinch as he signed, authorizing all the work. He made sure that they had his phone number and that they knew they could call him at any time.
“Now, just one last thing,” Macy said with a smile. “Do you want to update his file with a name for the sweetie?”
Charlie didn’t even hesitate. “Salem.”
I grinned. “I love that.”
“So do I,” Macy agreed, tapping at the tablet and adding it in. “Okay, you’re all set. We’ll call you with any updates, and as soon as we get the bloodwork back. Do you want to see him for a few moments before you go?”
Charlie’s entire face lit up. “Yes, please.”
“Follow me.”
We did just that, trailing behind Macy as she led us through several sets of doors into a room with a stack of metal kennels along the wall. Salem was in one of the ones in the middle, an IV line running through the bars into his leg. He was curled up, but no longer shaking, and he opened his eyes and let out a pitiful sounding meow when she opened the door.
Charlie immediately reached in, rubbing between the kitten’s ears. “You’re okay, Salem. You’re gonna be okay. Behave and get better and then we’ll take you home, okay? You gotta be strong and brave for a little while longer and then you can have all the snuggles you want.”
I draped an arm around Charlie’s shoulders, adding a few of my own pets to the tiny body before wrapping my arms around Charlie. I leaned down to rest my chin on his shoulder so that I could peer in at the kitten too.
“I’ve heard it said that cats who are rescued are more affectionate with their owners because they know they’ve been saved.”
“He could be a holy terror and I would still love him,” Charlie murmured. Then he froze. “Teague, we have to get all the things. So many things. Salem needs a lot of stuff.”
“That he will. But we can stop on our way to pick him up, just in case we need anything special for him. How’s that sound?”
He turned his head and kissed my cheek. “Sounds great.”
And then we stood and stared at the kitten, Charlie continuing to rub his head, until Macy gently but firmly ushered us out.
I dropped Charlie off at the Black Dog and let him update everyone on Salem’s status. I had to get to work with my dad, now that the rain had cleared and the sun was out. But instead of heading north up route 9, I went south first and headed straight for Nostalgia Nook.
Felix’s mom was behind the counter, knitting in hand. I waved the instant I stepped through the door. “Morning, Loreena! Felix not in yet?”
She made a face. “He’s having a day, but he should be in within a couple of hours. You need him?”
I shrugged. “Not particularly and I can catch up with him later. But I swear last time I was in here I saw a wicker pet bed. Do you still have it?”
“If we do, it’ll be over there.” She pointed with one slightly arthritic finger toward the southwest corner. “Did you finally get a pet, Teague?”
I chuckled. “Not me. My boyfriend found a tossed away kitten this morning, and he’s already in love. I thought he’d like it for his new baby.”
I heard her gasp and turned to face her. “A boyfriend? Drat!”
“Ma’am?” My brows crinkled and I crossed the floor, dodging around an antique desk, to get closer.
Loreena gave me a sad sort of smile, and then reached out to pat my arm once I was close enough. “Not drat for you, dear. Drat for me. You know I always hoped you and Felix would get together.”
I couldn’t help the laugh. “Alas, we aren’t meant to be, and we learned that a long time ago.”
“Ah well, a mother can hope. I just want him to be settled and happy, you know? And you’re a good boy, Teague. You’d make a good son-in-law.”
“Thanks. But my heart belongs to another.”
She squinted at me. “You wouldn’t happen to be, what’s it, polyamorous now, would you?”
“Loreena!”
She cackled, and it was a lovely sound. “Fine, fine.”
“I’m not. If it’s all the same to you, I’ll keep your son as my best friend only.”
Loreena let out a dramatic sigh, but the twinkle in her eye gave her away. “Check the back corner. There might also be some hand glazed dishes back there that would work for food and water bowls, if you’re interested.”
“Thank you.” I leaned over the counter and kissed her cheek. She patted my head and shooed me on my way. As I weaved around furniture, my phone rang and I dug it out of my pocket, relieved when it was just my father and not Charlie. Not that I didn’t want to talk to my man, but I was glad he wasn’t calling with bad news.
“Yes, Father?”
I could practically hear my dad’s eye roll, and his voice was droll when he said, “Are you planning on coming to work at all today?”
Crap, I should have texted him and let him know what was going on. In my defense, my focus had solely been taken up by Charlie. And truth be told, I wouldn’t have it any other way. But still, I was shirking my responsibility.
“I am. Promise. I just had to run an errand, which I’m doing now. I should be there in less than an hour. Wait till I tell you about my morning.” And then, because sometimes I liked to work my father up, I added, “With my boyfriend.”
There was a beat of silence. Then, “Teague Matthew Mulligan! When did this happen?”
I cackled because his joy was as apparent as his outrage. “See you soon, Dad!”
Feeling lighter than I had in a long while, I went in search of my purchases, hoping I could find what I was looking for. Charlie was mine, his new kitten was going to be fine, and all was right with the world. Though it had been an emotional few hours, I couldn’t be happier.