Chapter Fifteen – Aurora #2
“Have fun!” she cried out as I pressed the end button on my phone. Reaching for my purse and the little cat carrier, I opened the door as Liam stepped back. Once I was out, he took the cat from me.
“I thought you were going to request that I deliver your dinner to the car.”
A bubble of nervous laughter slipped free, and I shook my head. “No, sorry. I was talking to Harper about…well…it’s nothing important. I mean it was important, I was getting advice, about…well, it doesn’t matter. I’m sorry if I’ve kept you waiting.”
“Not at all,” he said as he placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the front door. My body instantly reacted with goosebumps running up my skin, and my heart fluttered.
Once inside the house, I saw Winnie sitting in the living room coloring. She glanced up and her face broke out into a smile before she ran over to me. I picked her up and hugged her tightly.
“I missed you, Rora!”
Laughing, I kissed her on the nose. “You just saw me earlier today!”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me, then pushed away and asked, “Kitty?”
“She’s right here,” Liam stated as he set the carrier on the floor and opened it. The kitten casually poked her head out, then spied Winnie and dashed out.
“Winnie and I picked up a few things for the kitten.”
My head turned to the side in confusion. “A few things?”
He set the carrier on the side table by the door. “Yeah, a litter box and a water and food dish that Winnie picked out all on her own.”
I turned and smiled at Winnie, who nodded in return.
“Then we got this diaper genie-looking thing that is for the cat poop and pee. If she’s going to be visiting us, she’ll need a designated potty area and a feeding space. I set it all up in the laundry room.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t even think about a little box for her while we were here,” I stated, my cheeks burning. “I’m not starting off as a very good cat mom, am I?”
Liam laughed. “Why don’t you show the kitten where her stuff is. Also, do we have a name for her yet?”
Glancing down to where the kitten was playing with one of Winnie’s crayons, I shook my head. “No name yet. Maybe you and Winnie can help me name her. What do you think, Winnie?”
Winnie nodded while I picked up the kitten. “Let’s go show her where her litter and food are.”
Popping up, Winnie ran ahead of me.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to explain to her that the kitten isn’t staying here.”
“Don’t look at me. I am not going to be the one to break her heart.”
Liam huffed. “Coward.”
After we showed the kitten where her litter box was, Winnie scooped her up and took her to the living room, where she placed her in her baby stroller. I was stunned the kitten stayed in the stroller while Winnie pushed her all over the place.
Poking his head around the corner, Liam said, “Dinner is ready.”
“Ready to eat?” I asked Winnie as I stood and reached for her hand.
“Da kitten!” Winnie exclaimed, dropping my hand and picking up the kitten. She tucked her against her chest and started for the kitchen.
“Kitten is joining us, huh?” Liam asked, taking the kitten and holding her while I helped Winnie get into her chair.
“Da kitten,” Winnie said as she motioned for her father to give her the kitten back. He set the little one in Winnie’s lap, and she snuggled up, and I swore she fell asleep within seconds.
“I think it’s time to give this little girl a name,” Liam said as he pulled my chair out for me.
I sat and felt my cheeks heat. Had he ever done that before? Surely, I would have noticed. “Oh, thank you so much.”
Glancing around the table, I drew in a deep breath through my nose. “Wow, do you think you cooked enough?”
Liam laughed. “I found my mother’s meatloaf recipe and thought it would be nice for dinner tonight.”
He cut a slice and handed it to me. “Would you mind cutting up Winnie’s?”
“Of course,” I said as I took the plate and started to cut the meatloaf into bite-sized pieces.
Liam put some mashed potatoes and small pieces of carrots on another plate.
The second I set the dishes down in front of Winnie, she started shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could with her little fork.
“I’d say she likes the meatloaf,” I said with a laugh.
“That’s the one thing about Winnie, she hasn’t ever been a picky eater.”
We both looked at Winnie, who was attempting to put the mashed potatoes on her spoon, not the fork. She had a peculiar habit of using the same utensil for more than one different food item.
I laughed and said, “Winnie, should we pick out a name for the kitten?”
“Yes!”
Liam looked up in thought. “What about Snowball?”
Winnie giggled. “Yes!”
“What about Elsa?” I suggested.
“From Frozen?” Liam asked with a scrunched-up nose.
“What’s wrong with Elsa?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, but it’s not original or cute.”
My brows shot up. “Cute?”
“Yeah, like Snowflake.”
I laughed. “I thought it was Snowball.”
“Yeah, that one too. Or Snowflake.
“Yes!” Winnie cried out.
“Pearl?” I suggested.
Winnie shoved mashed potatoes into her mouth at the same time as she said, “Yes!”
“Marshmallow?” Liam said.
“Ohhh, yummy,” Winnie said with a smile.
With a chuckle, I said, “Winnie, we have to pick one. Just one.”
Pushing a few pieces of meatloaf into her mouth, Winnie smiled and said, “Rora.”
“We can’t name her Rora, sweet pea,” Liam said with a smile in my direction.
The rest of the dinner was spent talking about the bookshop and The Muddled Moose while we put the names on the back burner for a bit. Winnie and I played with the kitten while Liam insisted on cleaning up.
“Looks like the kitten is out cold,” Liam said, jerking his head to where the kitten was on top of the sofa and sleeping like a baby. “Should we go for a walk?”
“Yes!” Winnie said, jumping up and running for her shoes.
The walk was short, but only because Winnie started to fall asleep in her stroller.
“You should probably get her home and to bed,” I said when I peeked around to see her head bobbing all over the place.
“Yeah, she didn’t get a nap in today. Do you mind staying? After Winnie goes to sleep, I’d like to talk to you.”
My heart started racing, and I felt the panic beginning to take hold.
“Aurora, take a breath.”
“I am breathing.”
Smiling, he said, “You’re panicking. I can see it on your face. Take a deep breath.”
I tried to act as if nothing was bothering me and laughed off his concern, but I ended up choking instead.
“Rora okay?” Winnie asked as she attempted to look around the stroller at me, clearly wide awake now.
“You okay?” Liam asked, bending down some to look into my eyes.
All I could do was nod. When I finally got myself under control, we started back for his house. Once inside, I quickly volunteered to help get Winnie ready for bed.
I had planned to drag it out for as long as I could, so when Winnie picked her third book for me to read, I agreed. What I wasn’t planning on was falling asleep while reading the third book. And what I really wasn’t planning on was what happened after Liam woke me up.