Page 45 of But For You

“Okay.”

“Tell her, ’kay?”

“I will.”

Hannah’s eyes flicked to the woman suspiciously.

Renee leaned forward, eyes on me. “Forgive me. I meant no offense.”

“Yeah, open mouth, insert foot, Renee.” Her sister rolled her eyes before she turned and smiled at me. “So, Jory, what do you do?”

I explained about my graphic design business and then asked her what it was that she did. Interesting to learn that Joyce was a public defender in Miami, where she lived. Of course, Sam telling her he was a deputy US marshal was the high point. Big, beautiful man, and he worked a sexy-sounding job on top of it? Game over.

Once we were called up, I walked with Hannah and Sam with Kola. We were on opposite sides of the buffet table, so of course Kola and Hannah talked over it.

“How do you think you get allergic to a cat?” Hannah asked her brother when she was sure Renee couldn’t overhear her.

I had wondered why she had hung back enough to let a few people in front of us.

“I think it’s made up.” He was adamant. “How do you get allergic to a cat? You’re not supposed to put them in your mouth, Dad said.”

Hannah’s mouth made a perfect little O. “That’s right, huh?”

“Yep,” he insisted. “It’s not a real thing.”

“Yes, it is,” I assured him. “People are allergic to cat dander.”

“What’s dander?”

“Like dandruff.”

“What’s that?” Hannah wanted to know.

“It’s like little pieces of skin, and sometimes, it’s itchy.”

“Ewww.” She made a face. “Chilly doesn’t have that.”

I sighed. “Some people are allergic to their hair too.”

“How?” Kola wanted to know.

“It makes them sneeze.”

“Is this in a book?” he asked suspiciously.

Lately, everything I said was questioned in this manner.

“Yes, and you can look it up on the internet too.”

He appeared skeptical.

“So, is she allergic to all cats?” Hannah wanted to know.

“I suspect so.”

“Like lions? She would be allergic to Simba?”

“Simba’s not a real lion,” Kola reminded her. “He’s a cartoon.”