Chapter Fifty-Nine
Marcus
“ I don’t want to go back to the real world.” Gigi flops down in the seat next to me after boarding the plane.
“I second that sentiment.” I grab my book from her tote bag before stuffing it under the seat in front of me. Thank God I had us fly first class, so I still have leg room.
“We need to finish posting on social media when we get back. I’ll look through the pictures in that email if you forward it to me.”
I forward her six emails of pictures from the weekend. I think I spent more on pictures than I did on our airfare.
“I’ve reposted a few that you posted. My parents both liked the picture of the proposal, so I hope that’s good.”
“Your dad liked it?”
I nod. “He did.”
“Did you tell him you were proposing?”
“No.”
“Should be an interesting day at work tomorrow for you, then.”
“I’ll manage.”
We walk into the house, dropping our bags in our rooms. Neither one of us has the energy to make dinner, so we place an order. Grabbing our laptops, we settle at the island, both of us opening up the mess that’s developed in the time we’ve been gone.
“Fuck, I have one-hundred-and-seventy-three emails.”
“One of my receptionists quit on Saturday.”
“I’m sorry.”
She leans over her laptop, face in her hands for a moment. Then she brings up a schedule. “I’m so sick of picking up other people’s slack.”
“Would you rather be raising chickens? What were their names? Harriet and Holly?”
She slaps my arm. “Josephine and Jackie.”
“That’s it.” I tap respond to an email. “Are you happy at the spa?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
“Would you want to do anything else?”
I watch her fingers move on the trackpad. She pauses, like she’s holding something back, before saying, “I’m not sure.”
“Well, if you think of something, we could probably make it happen.”
She turns her head to look at me. “I’ll let you know if I get any ideas.”
When we were both ready for bed, we went to our separate bathrooms. I double checked my room to make sure there wasn’t anything out of place and got into bed and started reading the last few chapters I had left in my book. When I finally figured out she wasn’t coming up on her own, I went looking for her.
I knock gently on her door. “G? Can I come in?”
“Yeah?”
I open the door and see her and the cat laying in bed.
“Grab the cat.” She pulls the fat little animal to her chest, then I pick them up and carry them upstairs and place her on my bed.
“You want me here?”
“Yes.”
“Just for tonight?”
“No.” I climb into bed, turning my lamp off.
“You’re okay with Ethel in here?”
“You love that thing, so you’re a bit of a package deal.”
She nods, turns off the lamp, and scoots back into my arms, right where she belongs. Her soft skin meets mine and my mind goes quiet.
I wake up to my alarm going off. I don’t remember the last time I slept until my alarm on a workday. I try to open my eyes when I feel fur covering my face.
Ethel.
I grab in the dark for the furball draped against my head. She meows in protest as I gently move her to Gigi’s side of the bed and head to the bathroom. The cat leaps from the bed, beating me into the other room. Damn, the cat is fast.
“If you’re going to be in here, you have to behave.” She meows loudly, so I quickly shut the door and shush her. She sits perched on the vanity and watches my every move. It’s creepy as fuck. I turn on the shower, undress, and step under the water. I wash my hair, and when I open my eyes, the cat is sitting on the vanity staring at me through the glass shower door.
“Stop staring.”
She doesn’t stop.
There’s a knock at the door. “Yeah?”
“Is Ethel in there?”
“She is. Can you come get her?”
Gigi walks into the room and sees my predicament. “Ethel, that’s mine.” She winks at me, picking up the cat and walking out of the room. Now I can shower in peace.