Chapter Twenty #2
“The vet suspects he was abandoned by his family or dumped somewhere. He’s maybe two or three, underweight but otherwise healthy.
No microchip. They drew blood to check if there are any underlying problems. We’ll get the results early next week.
He says to feed him small meals multiple times a day for about a week, then get him on a regular schedule.
He gave me some suggestions for high quality kibble and dry food. ”
“You’ll give me the info?” Jax asked. “I guess I need to get to the pet store right away. Cheryl gave him tuna that I had
up in the apartment, but he’s going to need more than that before tonight.”
“While I was waiting for the vet, I placed an order online with the local pet store. It should be delivered anytime now.”
She stared at him. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Just the basics. Wet and dry food. A cat box and litter. A scooper.” He averted his gaze. “A couple of cat toys.”
“Marcus!” She felt her eyes start to burn, but blinked away tears. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I knew you wouldn’t want to leave Ramon anytime soon. It took five minutes, Jax.”
Still, it was the fact that he’d taken care of what needed doing without being asked.
“Please put the cost of everything on my bill,” she told him. “Especially the vet.”
“No.”
“Marcus, come on. This is all my responsibility. You have to bill me.”
“That’s not happening.”
They stared at each other for several seconds.
“You’re being difficult,” she told him. “On purpose.”
“I am.” He grabbed her hand in his. “You take care of everyone. For once, try not being in charge and let me take care of
you.”
“That’s a foreign concept.”
“I know. It requires trust, which isn’t anywhere you usually go. I want you to consider me someone you can have faith in.”
Wow. Just wow. Somehow their simple conversation about paying a vet bill had gotten complicated. Trust him? She wanted to
say she trusted the world, only she didn’t. She’d never trusted Harris to take care of her. The kids, sure. He was a good
dad, but as a partner? Not even a little.
“I, ah . . .” She cleared her throat. “Thank you for helping and taking the cat to the vet. You’re a good guy and I guess
maybe I can trust you.”
He grinned. “A little.”
“What?”
“You wanted to add ‘a little.’ I appreciate you didn’t.”
She smiled at him. “I wasn’t thinking that.”
“Uh-huh. We both know you’re lying but I appreciate the effort. Now, about the cat. There are logistics to consider.”
She glanced at where the cat was sitting on her chair, Ramon next to him. “I know. For one thing he needs a name.”
Marcus nodded. “And you have to figure out where to put the litter box.”
“Oh, right.” She thought about the layout of the store. “It should go somewhere quiet. I mean everyone wants privacy when
they use the bathroom.” She thought about the various spaces in the store. “I keep my apartment locked, so that wouldn’t work.
And while I’m probably going to feed the cat in Ramon’s room, I don’t think he would like the litter box there.”
She eyed the small closet in her office. “What about in there? If we took off the door and stored it somewhere, the space
would be big enough and private. I can leave the office door open. I can lock my handbag in a desk drawer and my computer
already has a password.”
Marcus got up and walked to the closet. It was about four-by-six with shelves. “This would work,” he said. “I’d suggest pulling out the bottom shelf so he doesn’t feel too hemmed in. Leaving your office door unlocked isn’t a good idea. What if we put in a cat door instead?”
“That would work. I’d feel better if I could secure the office but with a cat door, he can come and go. I’ll make sure I leave
a light on for him. I know cats are supposed to be able to see in the dark, but a little light would be good.”
Marcus walked to the door of her office and studied it. “I’ll get a kit today and install it tomorrow. I’ll take the closet
door and shelf out now if that works for you.”
“Thank you. You’re being amazing.”
“Happy to help.”
Ramon flew over to him. Marcus held out his hand. “You’re going to have to come up with a name for your cat,” he said. “How
about Fred?”
Ramon gave him side-eye.
“Or Loki,” Jax offered. “What about Simba? You liked The Lion King.”
Ramon flew down to the cat and used his wings to usher him out of the room.
Marcus grinned. “I guess that was a no on Simba.”
“The kids are coming over to spend the night in the store with me,” she said, coming to her feet. “We’ll brainstorm then.”
Marcus left to grab the pet shop delivery then go get the cat door kit and she returned to the store. Slowly her world was
being made right, she thought happily. Once she got caught up with her sleep, she would be back to her normal, happy self.
In the meantime, Marcus had given her a lot to think about.
Harris and the kids showed up right on time.
He was carrying two large bags of Chinese food and each of her children had a backpack for the overnight.
They rushed over, calling for Ramon, then dropped their packs and rushed toward him.
He flew over and landed on Gentry’s hand, then hopped to Xander’s shoulder, then went back to Gentry.
They stroked him and told him how much they’d missed him.
He nuzzled them both. When the greeting had calmed down, he flew to the floor and urged his cat toward them.
“So this is our new guy,” Jax said. “He doesn’t have a name yet. I thought we’d brainstorm tonight and see if Ramon likes
anything we come up with.”
The cat allowed Gentry and Xander to pet him. While Harris took the food upstairs to the apartment, she and the kids fed both
animals. When they were done eating, she explained about the big TVs and the movie marathons. Both of them wanted to watch
one of the Marvel movies. That decided, they went upstairs to eat.
“Where’s Shawna?” she asked as they sat down at the round table in the apartment.
“She’s having a girls’ night out,” Gentry said, sounding wistful. “I think that sounds fun.”
“You have girls’ night every time you have a sleepover,” Xander pointed out. “It’s exactly the same.”
“I don’t know. Hers sounded better.”
“You just want to grow up too fast,” her brother told her. “You should enjoy being a kid.”
“Well said,” Harris told him. “I think you should both resist growing up.”
“I only care about getting my own car,” Xander told him. “Otherwise, being a kid is great.”
Jax had left the apartment door open. Ramon flew in and settled on a perch. The cat followed a few minutes later, stepping
inside cautiously and looking around.
“He’s doing really well,” Jax said. “He’s in a totally strange place with a lot of people around and he’s not acting afraid
at all.”
As if to prove her point the cat strolled over to the sofa, jumped up and started grooming. Ramon flew over and settled next
to him. The cat gave him a quick lick, then returned to his ablutions.
“We should think about cat names,” Gentry said.
“Let’s call him the Hulk.”
Jax listened as her kids talked. Harris joined in with a few baseball player names as options. For the first time since Ramon
had disappeared, she felt as if she could breathe. Her family was restored and now included a new member. At some point she
would have to deal with the fact that Ramon had simply left, but that was for later.
When they’d finished dinner, Harris insisted she keep the leftovers. She packed them away while he went downstairs with the
kids to start the movie. She’d just finished wiping down the table when he reappeared in the apartment.
“Heading out?” she asked. “Thanks again for dinner and letting them spend the night.”
“No problem.” He surprised her by shutting the door, then shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. “Can we talk?”
“Okay.” She motioned to the sofa. “What’s up?”
He sat at one end, while she took the other. He faced her, then got up and moved to one of the chairs. After sitting down,
he stood again, paced to the door, turned and blurted, “I’m in trouble, Jax. Real trouble.”
She shook her head. “I’ve had a terrible week and I’m not sure I could take much more. Just say it and we’ll deal.”
He returned to the chair and sank down. His expression was pained and his eyes had a desperate quality. “You have to help
me. There’s no one else.”
She waited, but he only looked at her. “Dammit, just say it.”
“I need you to break up with Shawna for me.”
“What?” She stared at him. “You’re serious.”
“Yes. Someone has to do it and I can’t.”
Unbelievable, she thought grimly. “I’m not breaking up with your fiancée for you. Man up and do it yourself.”
He hung his head. “I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. I’ve tried. I look at her and think the words, but then I remember how
she’s going to be hurt and it’s awful. I’m desperate.”
“You’re not getting any sympathy from me,” she told him. “You’re the dick who proposed to her so you could get sex. That was a terrible thing to do. However you’re suffering, you deserve it. We talked about this before. You messed with her life, Harris. This is bad and it’s on you.”
He seemed to shrink a little as she spoke, curling in on himself. “It’s me,” he agreed. “I’m the bad guy here. I get that.
But she’s talking about having kids. She has the wedding all planned. I’m trapped.”
Jax glared at him. “You’ll get over being trapped pretty quickly. How long do you think it’s going to take her to recover
from what you’ve done?”
He flinched. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“That ship sailed a long time ago. She’s going to be devastated.”
“This is you making me feel better?” he asked hotly.
“I’m not interested in you feeling better. And it’s not just Shawna, Harris. It’s our kids.”
He blinked at her. “What do they have to do with anything?”
“You led them on. You let them believe Shawna was going to be part of our family. They’re seeing a future with her, and Gentry
is wildly excited about being in the wedding. You’ve played with their lives, too.”
“Oh, God, I didn’t think of the kids.”
“No, you didn’t. You only thought of yourself.” If she hadn’t been so tired, she would have been a lot angrier at him. As
it was, he was getting off easy. “When this is over, we’re going to amend the parenting plan. From now on, adult sleepovers
require us to be married to the person.”
“I agree. I should have listened when you said no. I was such a fool.”
“You were greedy and only thinking of yourself.”
He seemed to crumple as he wrapped his arms around himself. “What do I do now?”
“You tell Shawna the truth.”
“And you won’t . . .”
“No!”
She thought he might push back but instead he nodded twice, then stood. “I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow at the handoff.”
He looked at her. “You won’t say anything to Shawna?”
“Not a word.”
“Got it. Night, Jax.”
“Night.”
She followed him down the stairs and went to join her kids, who were sprawled out on beanbag chairs, watching the movie. Nameless
cat was curled up on a pillow and Ramon swayed back and forth on his perch, occasionally shouting out encouragement to the
villain.
She pulled a third beanbag chair between the other two, then sat down within arm’s reach of her children. Tonight she needed
everyone to stay close. There’d been enough trauma lately. She was due for a break and she intended to enjoy every second
of this one.