AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But how does that apply to me? Have I been doing the same? Were my actions born out of desire, or because I was unable to cope with my growing feelings for Claire? Did I unwittingly boycott things with Claire because things got too real between us? That doesn't sound like me.
I can't suppress a groan, as I get up from my desk in my studio on the second floor. I was trying to distract myself with a bit of grading, but my mind keeps wandering back to Claire, making it impossible to focus.
My phone rings, as I’m walking downstairs, and my heart jumps with excitement. But when I pull it out of my pants, it's not a call from Claire.
It's my sister. Again.
I have been ignoring her calls for weeks now, which is probably for the best. Especially now that she has started to continue her threats in writing. She has actually been stupid enough to write down everything she said to me, which confers more of an advantage on me than she may be aware of. I talked to my father about what she's trying to do, and while he doesn't agree with it, he also made it clear that we need to sort this out among ourselves—just as I expected. My sister and I have mostly been raised by nannies and housemaids because my parents had very little interest in parenting from the get-go. I'm pretty sure they only had us because it was expected of them.
We never lacked anything but parental love, and maybe that has screwed both of us up in different ways. My sister turned into a spoiled brat, who can't handle rejection of any kind, and I…well, I seem to be incapable of forming meaningful relationships with anyone, before messing it up.
I ignore her call, just like all the others before. If I'm lucky, she'll follow up with another angry email and hand me more munition to work against her. Whatever she's telling herself, becoming the CEO of our family business does not mean she can reign over its investments like a tyrant queen.
The cats barely look up from their sleeping spot as I walk into the living room. They're all curled up in their usual space on the ruined sofa, melting into a gigantic ball of fur in different shades of gray.
I go down on my knees before them and Zeta lifts her head for a few pets, while her kittens remain curled up around her, only peeking at me through half-closed eyes. I provide them with a few cautious pets as well, and that’s when I realize that there’s only two of them. Only her sons, Omega and Alpha, are curled up against their mother’s tummy, but there’s no Pi.
Confused, I get back on my feet and scan the room for her. I have never seen the four of them separated during nap time, and if there’s one missing, it’s usually Alpha, who is exploring forbidden corners in the house. Pi follows him sometimes, but it’s unusual for her to be separate from her family on her own.
„Pi?” I call out to the room. „Pi! Where are you?”
I don’t know if the cats are even aware of their names yet, but it was worth a try, even though there’s no response, and no little furball appearing from anywhere.
My pulse starts speeding up with worry, as I make my way over to the cabinet where I store the cat snacks. Surely, the crinkling sound of the snack bag will lure her out of hiding.
But then I see it. Just before I reach the island that separates the open kitchen from the living room, my gaze shortly wanders off to the right, and I notice that the door to my terrace is standing ajar.
„What the hell!” I exclaim as I hurry over to the open door.
My first thought is that someone may have broken in, but there’s no damage to indicate that. Then, I remember. I must have left it open, when I was pacing up and down in my backyard a few hours ago, trying to calm my racing mind with the cold of some fresh air and aimless movement. I’ve always been very careful to keep this door locked at all times since the cats moved in, but today I was so lost in thought that I forgot. From the looks of it, I must have slammed the door shut but forgot to close the lock.
„Idiot!” I hiss at myself, and the cats jerk up on the sofa.
I hurry outside and make sure to close the door behind my back as soon as I’m out on the terrace.
„Pi!” I yell into the lonely backyard. My yard is fenced in, but not secure enough to keep a cat from escaping. There are many holes and ledges she could have used to run to God knows where.
My heart is racing as fast as my mind, and I’m starting to feel dizzy. This can’t be happening. Up until now, I wasn’t even sure if I would really keep the cats, but the way my heart is tensing up in agony right now tells me everything I need to know. I will keep them, they’re mine.
And I must find Pi, at all costs.
„PIII!” I cry out in desperation, as I start my frantic search among the backyards of Back Bay.
Chapter 37
Claire
Another call from him. Another call I ignore.
I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to want to talk to him again, but I know that day is not today. I wouldn’t even know what to tell him, nor what I’d want to hear from him.
I regretted my little outburst the moment I left his office because I could sense even then that I was probably overreacting and being unfair to him. But I have trouble trusting the inner voice that tells me to give him another chance, to not let this end just because I feel insecure.
But is it really just that?
My mind keeps twirling back and forth, even now that I keep myself occupied at the shelter. I’ve been here most of the day, cleaning cat toilets—a never-ending task with a shelter that hosts almost fifty cats—putting out food, cleaning bowls, and providing cuddles and love to as many felines as possible. The cats here are so appreciative for any human attention they can get, it’s heartbreaking to see.
Serena, a black female cat whose age we estimate to be around ten years old, comes up to me as I step outside to distribute some treats. She rubs against my legs, meowing loudly, and when I go down on my knees, she almost jumps into my lap, so starved for affection.
