“Not yet,” I told him. “It was pretty busy with the cat, but I’ll ask him now.”
Rafael sighed in relief. “Great.”
“But remember not to get your hopes up.”
“Okay,dad, I won’t.”
“Goodbye, Rafael.”
He was laughing as I hung up the phone.
When I arrived back at Jake and Skylar’s apartment, the two of them were nowhere to be seen. The living room was empty and I didn’t hear any voices.
“Hello?” I called. “I bought the supplies. Guys?”
Suddenly, Skylar poked his head out from behind the corner with an urgent expression. “Come quick! It’s so gross!”
I quickly put the bag down and sprinted towards him in concern. “What’s going on?”
“Look what she did!” Skylar cried.
I found Jake and the cat in the bathroom, although I couldn’t see her at first because Jake’s body was blocking it. He was kneeling down on all fours on the tile floor, crouching in an awkward position.
“You gotta see this!” Jake said excitedly. His expression was just as surprised as Skylar’s, but he seemed more enthusiastic than grossed out about whatever was going on.
Curiously, I kneeled down beside Jake.
“Oh my,” I said immediately.
Behind the toilet, our new cat was hunched over and happily munching away on a dead mouse. Half of it was already gone.
“Where did she find that?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“Sky, see? This takes care of the mouse problem in this building!” Jake cried.
Skylar didn’t seem as joyful about this realization. “Great. We have a murderer for a cat.”
“Oh, whatever, it’s cool,” Jake said. “Besides, all cats are little murderers. And look, she’s even polite enough to clean up the mess.”
In a few bites, the mouse was entirely gone, and the cat was now sniffing and licking the floor where its body had been moments earlier.
Skylar groaned. He rummaged under the sink and threw a bottle of cleaner at him. “Jake, you have to clean the floor - properly - because I amnottouching that.”
Jake just looked amused. “Fine.”
Now that the cat had finished her meal, she strolled out from behind the toilet and lifted her fluffy tail. She peered at us curiously, hesitant but less afraid.
“I can’t believe you brought home a demon cat,” Skylar muttered.
Jake whipped to glare at him. “Don’t you ever call my sweet cat a demon again.” He turned to the cat and murmured, “Hi, cute girl. Did you eat that mousie? Yes, you did. Such a good girl.”
Skylar’s jaw dropped. “Ladies and gentlemen, Jake has finally lost it.”
Jake groaned loudly and shooed him. “Go away and let me gush over my cute cat in peace.”
“Okay,” Skylar said. “Can you at least clean the floor so there’s not mouse blood germs everywhere before I have to leave for work?”
“Fine…”
