"If I'm going to be in the way,” he said, “I'll just leave it."
"No. Come in."
He felt the air pressure change as she opened the door for him. "Do you want some coffee? Lindsey! Here, kitty!" He heard her sigh before she nudged him toward the kitchen table.
"Sure. Thanks. Back to kitty?" He hadn't received one meow all week.
She groaned. When she spoke, her voice was pitched low. "I was hoping we were past the whole thing, but she's been meowing all morning. I think maybe she's nervous about her friends coming over for the party. Sit down."
He sat in one of the chairs at her little nook table and put the cardboard box next to his chair.
"Sweetie, Noah brought you something."
He heard scuffling on the floor and then a tap on his knee. Had Lindsey crawled across the floor?
He bent and reached out, and his hand connected with the top of Lindsey's head. She was on the floor, all right.
"Hi, kitty."
"Meow." She head-butted his shin.
"I heard there was a little girl having a birthday party today. Do you know where she is?"
"Meow meow." No.
He scratched the top of her head with the tips of his fingers. Felt the part down the middle and two pigtails. "I have a present for the birthday girl. But I guess if she isn't here, I'll take it home with me."
Lindsey was silent for a long moment.
From the counter, he heard the tink of a coffee mug and the swoosh of coffee filling it.
A sound like two stampeding elephants heralded the boys' entrance.
"We're hungry," PJ announced.
"What's going on?" Casey asked. It was the first time Noah had heard him speak without a hint of recalcitrance in his voice.
Jilly shushed them, and Noah heard cabinets open and close and then the crinkle of what might've been a granola bar wrapper.
Finally, Lindsey slowly stood up. "It's me. Lindsey."
Her words were barely louder than a whisper.
Noah nodded with just as much seriousness as she showed. "I know."
She sat on the chair next to him. He caught a kick to the shin from the swing of her feet.
He didn't push it. Didn't tell her she should be a little girl for her party. After all, a best friend's job was just to stand by your side.
Even if he couldn't do that at the party.
"Here you go." He handed her the gift.
"Thank you." She didn't sound excited. More subdued.
"You can open it." Jilly came close and pressed a cup of coffee into his hands.
"Okay."
