Page 23 of Falling With You

“It’s good to see you too, boy,” I said softly. Moxie ran, and I just shook my head. Well, that had been a win.

I went over to where Danger was drinking his water and petted him. Danger just looked at me, maybe winked, and then went back to his water. Danger was my lazy baby. So lazy in fact, I was very surprised that he was actually out walking around like this. I looked at the time and shook my head. Ah, it was wet food time.

Six thirty on the dot every night, the cats got wet food. And that was the only reason Danger would be away from his very comfortable bed. There could be an actual tornado in front of my house, and Danger probably wouldn’t get out of bed. He was that lazy.

I quickly got four of their little plates and set their food on each one evenly, then added some water and set three of them down on the floor. Danger, Moxie, and Baby ran towards the food and started eating. I looked down at the fourth plate and shook my head. “This is getting ridiculous,” I whispered to myself. But I was the cat lady, trademark and everything, and that meant I had to do what my cats said. So, I took the fourth plate, pulled a beer from the fridge, somehow twisted off the cap with just one hand, and made my way upstairs.

Runway, my eldest baby who was now ten years old, smiled up at me from the bedroom. She was nestled in a pile of pillows on my bed, and I just shook my head at her. She didn’t like the other babies,reallydidn’t like them, so therefore, she rarely came downstairs. Oh, she came sometimes, and I was very careful not to move too quickly and scare any of the other cats and therefore scare her when she did. But Runway was sweet. She just liked people, not cats.

“Okay, come with me to the bathroom so you can have your food.” Somehow, I had done the one thing I said I would never do. I had a special place where Runway could eat and just be. It encroached on my space, and I really didn’t have any place to call my own in my house anymore. Because I didn’t live alone. I lived with four cats who owned the place. I just rented from them.

I petted Runway softly, rubbing her soft fur, and then used the brush on her since the other cats wouldn’t bathe her. Or rather, she wouldn’tletthem bathe her.

“I think I have a problem,” I said to her. She looked up at me and burped before going back to her food.

She didn’t usually eat this calmly, but she knew I was there to protect her in case any other cat came up from behind. Not that they would, but she was as paranoid as I was these days.

My sister and brother were happy in their relationships and talking about future children and everything. Harmony was on her second serious relationship and totally in love with Brendon, and I knew they were going to get married soon.

And I was just fine being alone.

Because I had my cats.

“Dear God.”

I took a sip of my beer, sat on the toilet lid, and watched my cat eat her food so she wouldn’t be alone. And when she was finished, I drained the last of my beer and brought the plate down so I could wash it with the rest of the other cats’ empty dishes.

I heated up my leftovers in the microwave and ate in the kitchen so I didn’t make a mess anywhere else.

I really wasn’t this pathetic usually. It just seemed like it to me right then.

My phone was by my hand as I finished up the dishes, and I looked down at it, knowing I needed to take the next step.

Aiden had been hurt because of me. And I needed to do better and check on him. I hated the fact that I had run away like I did, worried because he had said we needed to talk. I needed to do better in a lot of things. So, the first thing I would do was text him.

Me:Hey.

Oh, that was good. Hey. That was like the greatest way to start a conversation.

Aiden:Hey. Just about to work in the kitchen. You okay?

I cursed myself. Of course, he was working. It was the evening on a weeknight. Aiden always worked. He loved his job. He would probably like it more if he didn’t have a broken hand because of me, but that was why I was texting him.

Me:Just checking on you.

Aiden:I’m fine. Just working. You coming in tonight?

Me:No. Just a quiet night at home.

With my cats. But I didn’t say that.

Aiden:Violet and Harmony are here. So you wouldn’t be alone.

Always worried about me. But I was good at being alone.

Me:I’m good. Long day. Have fun cooking wings.

Aiden:Fuck you and your wings.