AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My mom has yet to say anything, and I worry that bringing Prince Francis home without clearing it with her first might have been a bad idea. But when I look over at her, she’s smiling, her attention on Hattie and Prince Francis, who has very quickly surmised that this high-pitched and very excited human has food and is willing to give him lots of it.
I explain that Miles’s mother has dementia, he’s moving her into a home this weekend, and we didn’t want to stress Prince Francis out with all the packing.
“Oh, that must be so difficult. Does he have siblings? How is his father handling this?”
“Uh, his dad lives in BC, his parents divorced when he was a teen. They lost his brother when he was only eight.”
“Oh my goodness. That’s so sad.” Mom’s fingers flutter to her lips.
“It is. That family has been through a lot.”
“It’s so good that you’ve found each other then, isn’t it? You both know what it’s like to lose people you love dearly.” She smiles softly, and her eyes mist over.
“It really is. He’s a great guy.” And he seems to have come into my life at exactly the right time.
“You’ll have to invite him over for dinner so I can meet him.”
“Yeah. Definitely.” I nod vigorously, but it’s one thing for me to tell him that there’s still a place set for my dad at the dinner table every night, and another to witness it. I’m starting to see how narrow I’ve made my world, and how I don’t want to be the reason none of us are able to move forward. Bringing Prince Francis home, even if it’s only temporary, seems like a small but good step in the right direction.
Prince Francis climbs into Hattie’s lap and tries to hug the package of treats. She picks him up and cradles him like a baby—it seems to be everyone’s go-to move with him. “He needs a sweater to keep him warm in the colder months. Oh! Can we go shopping for clothes for him? Unless he already has sweaters.”
“I found a couple of shirts, but it doesn’t hurt to have more.”
“You can never have too many shirts. We don’t want our naked kitty to be chilly, do we?” Hattie rubs his belly, and he snuggles into her arms. “He’s just so weirdly adorable.”
“He is, isn’t he? And he’s full of personality. We’ll have to keep an eye on your knickknacks though, Mom. When he’s feeling neglected, he likes to tell us by knocking things on the floor.”
Mom’s grin widens. “Just like Smokey used to do. I think it’s going to be wonderful having a cat in the house again. It’s been too long. Does he like tuna? Let me see if I have any cans in the cupboard.”
As soon as Mom is out of earshot Hattie tosses a treat at me and hits me in the knee. Prince Francis jumps out of her lap and rushes over to gobble it up. Hattie makes some kind of mime circle motion around her face. “What the hell is going on?”
“What do you mean?” I try to maintain eye contact, but it’s as if my eyeballs have turned into pendulums and they dart back and forth.
“You’re all shifty-eyed and your face has gone blotchy. Did you stay at Prince Francis’s house last night?”
“You know I’ve been watching him because he’s having a hard time adjusting to being alone.” I scoop him up, using him as an adorable kitty shield.
Hattie hops to her feet and gazelle leaps across the room. Before I can react, she shoves her nose in my hair.
“What are you doing?” I push her away.
“You smell like men’s cologne!”
“Shh!” I poke her in the shoulder. “Can you keep it down, please? I don’t think the neighbors down the street heard you.”
She grabs me by the shoulders, and Prince Francis hops out of my arms, abandoning me in my time of need.
“Look at me, Kitty,” Hattie orders.
I force my eyes to meet hers, but again they dart away a split second later.
“Oh my God.”
I purse my lips.
“Oh my God. Did you and Miles bone?”
I make a face. “Really, Hattie?”
“Did you let him pound your—” She motions to her crotch.
“Why do you have to be so crass?”
“Oh my God, you totally did! We are going shopping this afternoon for cat sweaters and you are going to tell me all about it. Was it good? I bet it was. You two have crazy chemistry. You looked like you wanted to climb him like a tree at the pub, and he got so territorial over you with the arm around your shoulder and the glaring at Bryce. This is so exciting.”
“What’s so exciting?” Mom returns with a can of tuna and a dish.
“Hattie’s happy about having a cat again. Even if it’s temporary,” I practically shout.
