Page 35 of How To Not Need You

I sigh with theatrical resignation.

"I lost the argument before I realised we were having one."

Tilly grins. “He picked us,” Tilly says.

I look at Liv. “That’s what she kept saying.”

“It was true,” Tilly adds with mock offence.

"And somehow," I say, "years later I'm still paying for his food, his litter, his vaccinations, and the emergency vet visit after he decided eating a rubber band was a good snack."

Liv laughs again. "So Hades must adore you."

I let out a bark of laughter at that. "Hades despises me."

"He only bites Daddy,” Tilly says proudly, "I've never been bitten."

Liv blinks between them.

"You rescued him,” she says slowly, "and he hates you?"

I nod solemnly. "I'm essentially his landlord."

Almost as if summoned by the conversation, the cat in question wanders into the kitchen. He pauses beside my chair and I reach down hopefully.

Hades stares for a moment, then, with absolute intention, walks around my outstretched hand before rubbing himself affectionately against Tilly's legs.

"Told you," I mutter. Tilly scoops him into her lap.

"He doesn't hate Daddy." Hades looks directly at me. Then slowly blinks before turning his back on me. Liv bursts out laughing.

“I can’t believe you’re being bullied by a cat.”

I sigh as they both start laughing.

I watch them. Say very little. Just eat my pasta and listen to my daughter explain Hades’s favourite things to do to a woman who is nodding along like it’s the most fascinating thing she’s heard all week, and somewhere between the garlic bread and Tilly’s third attempt to feed Hades a noodle, I realise I am completely, utterly gone on both of them.

After dinner, Tilly picks the movie. The one with a robot and a lot of singing that she mentioned earlier, which she informs us is “the best one, obviously, because robots are cool.” We end up on the couch. Tilly wedges herself between us for only minutes before deciding that our laps are, in fact, superior real estate, and migrates until she’s sprawled across both of us, one foot on my thigh, her head in Liv’s lap, giraffe tucked under her chin.

Liv’s hand finds Tilly’s hair without looking. Gentle fingers tracing the curls, and Tilly sighs the sigh of a child who has decided she is exactly where she belongs. I decide to make us some tea. When I come back, I stop in the doorway.

Hades is on Liv’s lap.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I mutter.

"What?"

"Traitor."

Hades starts purring.

I stare at him. “Unbelievable.”

“He’s never done that with me,” I say, more offended than I should be. Liv scratches behind his ear.

"I guess he has excellent taste.” She responds, sounding unbearably smug about it. I laugh along with Tilly who decided to add in.

“He likes you,” Tilly says.