“What are you doing?” I asked. “You should be home with Delphine.”
He returned to a seated position, his chin on the edge of the desk, green eyes full of judgment.
“What did you do to get kicked out?” I asked. “Be yourself?”
He blinked, slowly, and his whiskers trembled.
“So you didn’t get kicked out. You ran away. To me?”
He simply stared at me.
“And why on earth would you do that? Did you miss me?”
Poe yawned, so wide I could see all his teeth.
“Or are you a messenger?” I asked. “Come to tell me what an idiot I’ve been.”
“Meow.” That was unquestioningly a yes.
“And you want me to fix this for the woman we both love?”
Poe stood up in the chair, stepped onto the desk and stretched, then flopped onto his back, all four legs in the air.
“You want me to call her?”
My phone buzzed. Poe rolled over, as if interested, watching me. I yanked out my phone. It was a text from Annie.
“It’s Annie,” I said to Poe.
He meowed and, with what seemed his last bit of energy, lay on his tummy, resting his chin in his front paws.
“It’s about you,” I said, holding out the phone to show him her text. “You’ve caused her to worry.”
Annie
I can’t find Poe and I’m freaking out. I don’t know what to do. There was an open window and I think he jumped out of it.
Dorian
The little orange idiot is here with me. I don’t know how he did it, but he walked here. Or ran, maybe? Theo said his paws were damp with sweat. He’s a little roughed up but seems fine. Ordering me around already.
Annie
Thank God!!!! I was so worried. Mom would be devastated if anything happened to him.
Dorian
He’s fine. Although I don’t know what possessed him to walk five miles to town. He hates exercise.
Annie
Why are you at the store on a Thursday? Isn’t it group night?
Dorian
Theo called about Poe so I came back to check on him. Do you want me to bring him back to your house?
Annie
