Page 70 of Something Borrowed

“What on earth!” Cal let out a surprised bark of laughter. “Is that—that’s the cat!”

It was the cat. So much for thinking it might be shy or needed “luring.”

The little beggar bolted past Vic and into the house, as if knowing the door could close anytime and racing to be on the other side in case it did.

Vic closed the exterior door softly, gathered the bowl of tuna, then followed the cat into the kitchen—a new worry on her mind. To heck with the cat being feral! What if it was demented, had rabies or something? Surely, its brazenness and the bizarre speed it entered the house with wasn’t normal.

Now that it was securely in the house, the cat abruptly stopped moving. It sat stock-still on the floor by the fridge, as if knowing that’s where food came from, and allowed Vic her first clear glimpse of it—all black and skinny as a string. It stared Vic and Cal down as if they were the intruders.

Vic laughed. She couldn’t help it. Whatever she’d been expecting in their attempt to woo the cat with food, it wasn’t this.

“I think you have yourself a cat,” Cal said.

“You think?” Vic wasn’t so sure. A cat like this, one that so calmly and self-assuredly asserted possession over a human house, couldn’t be feral, could it? It must have an owner somewhere, right? She couldn’t tell if the cat was thin because it was half-starved, or because it was young. It had a long-legged, teenagery look. So yeah, maybe not very old? It stood up and moved a few feet further away.

“So sorry our presence is disturbing you,” Vic said, continuing to study the small feline. Under closer observation, “it” was a female, and she wasn’t pure black, after all. There was a patch of orangey-gray on her right flank that looked like she’d grazed a freshly painted wall—or as if someone had dabbed her with a paintbrush.

“She’s perfect for you,” Cal said. “She’s been touched by an artist’s brush.”

Vic grinned. He’d made the same comparison she had.

“Well, I guess I’ll put water out for her by the food dish. Maybe if we ignore her, she’ll eat.”

Cal nodded.

“I wish I had some kitty litter or something. I mean, I have no idea if she’ll use it, but if I don’t have any, she for sure won’t.” Vic laughed lightly. “Oh, well. One or two little messes to clean up before I get to a store tomorrow isn’t the worst thing.”

“I can go right now, if you want.” Cal glanced at his watch. “All the big stores are still open, trying to suck every last dime and nickel from people before Christmas.”

The offer floored Vic. Cal was always so happy to go above and beyond, and she was sure it wasn’t just for her. He just had a kind, giving kind of personality.

“Plus, that way you won’t be in a rush tomorrow before you go into work, and Audra will have fewer reasons to fuss about your new addition.”

Audra! Shoot. Yes, explaining to her that they had a cat now might be tricky.

“Do you think I should put pictures of her in the community pages online or something, in case someone’s missing her?”

“Couldn’t hurt.”

Vic nodded. “And you really don’t mind going to the store for me?”

“Absolutely nothing would make me happier than spending an hour in pre-Christmas madness.”

Something warm and light blazed in Vic’s stomach. He was so kind to her, and she sure appreciated it.

While Cal was gone, hoping the cat would get comfortable enough to eat and drink if she wasn’t in the room with her, Vic went to check on Audra and see if she needed any help getting into bed or wanted a snack or something. As was more and more common lately, at least a couple times a week, Audra was asleep in her recliner.

“Mom, hey,” Vic said softly, not wanting to scare her. “Mom?” She gently touched Audra’s forearm.

Audra mumbled something incoherent, not fully roused.

“You’ve fallen asleep in your chair. Do you want to go to bed?”

“No—no.” Audra’s voice was scratchy but conscious now. “I sleep better in my chair. Much better.”

“Oh, okay.”

Vic grabbed one of the heavier fleece blankets and tucked it around Audra in case the temperature dipped overnight. Then she made sure that the door separating the rooms Audra used was firmly shut, in case the cat decided to go exploring.