“If you say so. Now what do they need? Should we pick up some food or supplies on the way? Or show up and then I can go out and stock up.” My body has finally eased itself out of fight-or-flight mode, but now my mind is racing with ideas to help.
Her left eye cracks open, and she gives me some suspicious side-eye. “We should probably head over there first. We can help clean and prep the cages, and then if they need anything, I’m sure they’d appreciate any help.”
“Okay. Good. No problem.”
“Thank you, Beau. I’m sorry I freaked out on you. That was uncalled for.”
Her voice is softer now, and it’s nice to hear my name on her lips. She usually calls me by my last name, but I kind of like the way my first name rolls from her, soft and tentative, as if she’s not sure she has a right to use it yet. “No problem.”
Chapter 15
Trust Fall
Beau
Theparkinglotisa little more crowded than usual. It’s nice to see they’ve got people ready to jump in and help. I swing my wheel in a tidy arc and back into an empty spot. The click of her seatbelt rings out before I’ve even put the car in park, and she’s hopping down as I’m pulling the keys out of the ignition.
“Luna, wait for me.” She turns to look at me as I test out how her first name feels. It’s nice, but a little weird.
“Well then, hurry it up. We don’t have all day.”
The place is bustling with activity when we step through the doors.
“Hey, Sheila,” she calls out. “Where can we help?”
Sheila looks up from her computer. “Luna, Beau. Good to see you two here. Damien’s in room D. You can go check in with him. He’ll find you a job. Thanks for coming out. I know you two are so busy with hockey and school.” Her smile is as big and bright as usual, as if she’s floating on a calm island amidst the obvious chaos surrounding her.
Damien looks distinctly less put together than the last time we saw him. He missed a button on his pinstriped shirt, and his hair is a spiky mess as if he’s been running his hands through it on repeat. He must have rushed in here to quell the fire. I guess that’s the kind of responsibility that rests on your shoulders when you’re running a charity like this.
The relief on his face is obvious when he spots us, or rather, Luna. It’s always easier to deal with someone who already knows the place in a crisis. But I’ll do my best to be more of a help than a hindrance.
“Luna, so good to see you. And you too, Beauregard.”
I open my mouth to correct him, but an elbow jabs me in the side. She’s right. This isn’t the time for that. I reach up to rub the sore spot between my ribs.
“What can we do? Prep cages? Food?”
Damien pauses in his running around, turning toward us. “We’ve got five empties in room C. You can prep those for new occupants. And I’ve lined up a couple of emergency fosters to move some of these guys out for the time being. If you can get Phillip and James ready to go. They’re getting picked up in half an hour. We’re going to have to double up a couple of the others, unfortunately. Shadow and Tilly will be fine together, but I’m a little worried about Bluebeard and Darcy. They came in together, so they should be okay, but I know Darcy can be a bit of a hog and Bluebeard is too timid to fight back.”
“No. We can’t do that to him. We’ve made so much progress in bringing him out of his shell. This is bound to set him back. Is there no one else who can take him?” Luna’s pleading with Damien, and I can see the sympathy on his harried face, but I can also spot a man who’s been backed into a corner. He doesn’t have any other options.
“I’m sorry, but all the fosters are at capacity. We’ve sent several away already. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” Her shoulders are drooping, and the urge to reach out and comfort her is strong. “Come on. We’ll get Phillip and James prepped for their move.”
She leads me to a big room off the lobby. It’s full of cat food and supplies. Blankets, toys, bowls, litter, and food are stacked with precision on sturdy stainless-steel shelves. We load up on supplies, then head to an unfamiliar room. We stock up the five empty cages with all the fixings, making the spaces nice and comfortable for the arrivals. Then she takes me to room D. A small fluffy black cat is blinking huge green eyes at us from his perch atop a pile of black and white fur that appears to be another cat.
“Phillip. Get off your brother,” she scolds, reaching in the cage to pull the young-looking cat out. She hands him to me without even looking and goes back for James.
His fur is impossibly soft and silky, but he’s wriggling like a fish on a hook, so I hold him tight to my chest to avoid losing him if he decides to really dig in and make a leap. I run a finger down the back of his head until he calms down.
“Okay, can you put Phillip in that carrier over there?” She gestures to a blue plastic carrier with a metal door, but Philip goes nuts when I try to stick him in it. He twists and turns his tiny body in my hands, and I’m afraid of hurting him.
“Um. A little help, please?” I hold out the squirming cat, and Luna looks over with a strained laugh. She’s already gotten her cat safely stored away. Not exactly fair play, since I’m pretty sure he was asleep the entire time.
“Philip, are you being naughty for Beau? Come on, let’s get you in there. I promise you’ll like your new digs. More freedom to roam and play. I’m sure you’ll end up sitting on your brother there too, but at least you’ll have an entire house to explore.” Her hands are giving him long, reassuring strokes along his back as she attempts to convince him to settle down.
The cat settles a little when she takes him from me, but he squirms again when she tries to contain him, bracing his legs against the carrier.
