Chapter 2 #2
She hadn’t thought past saving the cat. “Um.” Her fingers traced over the cat’s ribs and spine. This poor kitty hadn’t been eating well at all. And it was a warm furry weight in her lap, purring like a miniature motorboat. “Oh, hell, I guess I got a new furbaby.”
“Duh.” Marisol smiled. “WoodSong has felt empty since Mikan crossed the Rainbow Bridge.”
“Faj didn’t want to adopt another cat until I got home from Indiana. We were going to visit the shelter together.” The ache of loss remained, but it was getting easier to say his name. She stroked the soft fur. “No need for a store visit. There are still kitty supplies tucked away in storage.”
“Okay then.” Marisol turned the corner onto Sunrise Drive, then down the lane to her mother’s house. “What are you going to call it?”
The cat rubbed its cheek against her fingers. Its instant acceptance reminded her of…
“Max. Boy or girl, its name is Max.”
“Huh, okay.” Marisol jumped out. “Thanks for an exciting evening.”
“Anytime.” Laughing, Ray kept the cat tucked against her as she walked around to the driver’s seat.
A couple of minutes later, she parked in the garage and rubbed her chin on a furry head. “We’re home, Max. You’re gonna love it here.” Please love it here.
Inside, she went upstairs to the master bedroom. My bedroom.
It’d been such a surprise. Before she’d returned from Indiana, George moved downstairs so he, Tomo, and Kaden could remodel the upstairs suite. For her.
Refinished the floors, the walls, the color scheme. All new furniture, draperies, linens. They’d locked the door and kept it all a surprise until…afterward.
Before he died, he said his sons encouraged him to leave her a “little something.” He put the paid-off house and property in her name along with a trust for the hefty real estate taxes.
Afterward, Tomo and Kaden showed off the new “mistress” suite, pointing out what parts they and Faj had designed or worked on.
When she protested, they said they’d inherited a butt-load of money, and she damned well would keep the house and workshop to continue her career.
And they used the suite to show they and Faj really meant it. Gods how she’d cried.
Even now, at the memory of the love in their voices, she blinked teary eyes. She’d only been living with George for a couple of years when they started calling her “li’l sis.”
Until she saw the redecorated suite, she hadn’t realized they meant it for real.
I still have family.
In her arms, Max mewed as if to say a cat could be family too.
Her laugh came out a bit choked. “Yes, you will be.” She pulled in a breath. “Which means, you’d need to get used to your new home. We’ll start small and eventually give you the run of the house.” Setting the feline down in the bathroom, she closed the door behind her.
A quick rummage in the downstairs storage room yielded cat bowls, cans of food, and all the necessary litter stuff.
“Look, Faj,” she whispered. “The house has a kitty again.” He’d be happy. He believed a house wasn’t a home without a feline in residence.
Her mistress bathroom had a custom-designed, cat litter facility between the counter’s double sinks. Ray lifted Max for a quick perusal of his underside. Male and neutered. She’d better notify animal services in case he was someone’s lost pet.
But unless someone claimed him, Max was hers.
She set him on the floor and showed him the cat-sized doorway to the litter box. “Here’s your special restroom, dude.”
He entered, did a quick circle, and apparently found the sanitary arrangements adequate. The noise of litter being scratched sounded as she put his food and water on the other side of the room.
He strutted out, tail held high.
“Good job, buddy.” She dropped a soft blanket in one corner—in case he wanted to hide out in here.
The bright bathroom lights let her see him clearly. Despite being way underweight and small, he had a stocky build. His short fur was chocolate brown and darker on the paws, ears, tail, and nose. Rather than slanted eyes, his were round and a gorgeous gold.
He came straight over to her, stepped onto her lap, and butted her stomach with his head.
“Wow, not a shy bone in your body. Max is the perfect name for you.”
Looking up at her, he gave an enchantingly raspy meow.
“Oh, you want to know about your name? Max is the cop who saved me when I was sixteen. Brought me here to George. Even though he was a Seattle cop, he’d come over to the island every once in a while to see how I was doing.
” She grinned. “Faj hated visitors and grumped at him every time he showed up.”
Carrying the cat into the bedroom, she pointed at a framed photo where two men, one white, one Black bracketed a pretty Black woman. “He moved in with his cousin in Florida, and they both fell for the same woman.”
Max gave an approving meow.
“Huh, I guess tomcats don’t mind polyamory.” Shaking her head, she sat on the bed, smiling as he curled up in her lap. “Me, I prefer one man, one woman. But Max is a detective in Tampa now, and he sounds really happy.”
Sinking onto the bed, she smiled at the picture. Over the years, the tough cop had turned into a friend. He really was a pretty special person.
She’d told him once that it was a shame he wasn’t a few years younger. But maybe, someday, she’d find someone like him for her own. He’d been silent for a moment and then said he knew without a doubt she’d find someone. Because she was very lovable.
And then it’d been her who had to be all silent as she tried not to cry.
However… “Without a doubt?” For a cynical law officer, he was awfully optimistic.
Maybe in a few years, she’d try being optimistic and attempt dating again. Maybe. Or not. “After all, I do have my very own Max.”
He opened his golden eyes and purred.
“Yes, you, furball. I don’t need or want anyone else.”