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“Well, first of all, obviously hot,” she says, laughing while I remain stoic. She clears her throat. “But they had this presence about them that was, I don’t know, kind of intimidating.”
“I could see that. They turned out to be really nice. Very respectful. I appreciated it.”
“You deserve respect. You’ve earned it, Michel. Everyone around here sees how capable you are and how much good you’ve done for the city. Except for, you know.” She rolls her eyes.
“Yes, I know, but I imagine I’ll wear my haters down soon enough. I’m gonna run back home for a bit. I found some kittens last night, and I really want to check on them and see if they’re okay.”
“Kittens? Are you kidding me?”
“No, six of them and a mom.”
“How fun.”
“I’ll be around later to take care of some meetings.”
“See you later.”
I head back home and when I enter my apartment, I find Eli lying on my couch reading a book, a pile of cats all over him. The mama cat sleeps between his legs. He tilts his head up and smiles.
“You know the rules, Michel. If you have a cat on your lap, you can’t move.”
I laugh. “What’s the rule for seven cats on your lap?”
“Permanent bliss?” He smiles big. “It’s pretty fucking amazing.”
I cross the room and sit in an armchair. “Are you hungry?”
“No, not yet. I had breakfast. How did you get all that stuff before I even woke up?”
“I have a few benefits around town and used one to get into the grocery store early.”
“Makes sense. They’ve been using the litter box already. They’re really smart.”
“I have a feeling they belonged to somebody before they were put out in the forest.”
Eli frowns. “Oh yeah. Probably right. They’re too domesticated for anything else. But hey, you found them, and now they’re going to have a beautiful life.”
I smile at my friend, wondering if we could ever be more than just friends.
“Yes, a beautiful life indeed.”
“Did your meeting go okay?” Eli asks.
“It did. Some businessmen were here from New Onyx. They had some work here and wanted to meet me.”
“Cool.” Closing the book, he sits up slightly. “How does it feel being one of the most important people here?”
“It’s surreal. When I left, I was filled with such bitterness, I never thought I could find anything good about Neubrook.”
“But you did?”
Nodding, I smile. “I did. If I erased the bad parts, I thought of my mother trying to learn American and Italian dishes from the other moms so I’d feel like other kids. I remembered summers at the beach, walks through the woods, and the pizza from Charlie’s.”
“Is it still here?”
I shake my head. “No, sadly, Charlie died three years ago and his family closed the business. I’ve been hunting for another pizza place to come in that could rival his.”
“Yeah, that’s a bummer.”
