“Yeah. But I’d want at least two hours to prep my hair and makeup, not to mention style an impromptu wedding outfit, and Tori will have to go home by then. Let me spend the rest of this visit with my sister. All good things in time, remember? And we’ll have forever.”
“Forever.” He nodded, gently pressing his forehead to hers and doing that soft, catlike blink of adoration before he reluctantly stepped away. “I suppose I should see how Zero’s doing with the dash cam.”
“She should be almost finished. She’s a pro at tech,” Kat told me.
“I know.” I’d seen her prototype mini-cars in the basement. “She’s about to start her second business, right? That’s pretty impressive.”
“It is.” Kat sat on the couch and studied me with her bright eyes. “You’re about to try freelancing too, right?”
“Kind of.” I smiled. “I’m hoping the one crash won’t disqualify me from the application.”
She encouraged Jinx to sit in her lap. “Accidents happen. It’s not like you were drunk driving. But Tori, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” Did she want me to help her pick out a wedding outfit after all?
“You took nursing classes, right?” she asked.
Taken aback, I shrugged. “Sort of? I have some certifications. My pre-med was kind of a hybrid program.” So much science.
“Have you thought about nursing as a career option?” she asked, though I could barely hear her over the loud purr of her cat.
I wiggled on the cushion to find a more comfortable position. “I love nurses. They’re the backbone of the entire care system.”
“And?”
“I…would have to take another test. And there’s some other stuff I have to consider.” Stuff I hadn’t shared with anyone yet. I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked around, hyper-aware of the security cameras in her house.
Kat gestured to one of the domes hiding them in the corner. “They don’t eavesdrop, if that’s what you’re worried about. There’s a whole system so we don’t catch anyone accidentally having a private moment.”
Oh. That was probably for the best. Nothing too ‘private’ would’ve happened on this couch, would it?
Sitting up straighter, I leaned toward her. “I talked to a few people during Jen’s delivery. About…career options,” I whispered.
“Will they hire you without a degree?” She sounded too excited.
I shook my head. “They told me I could shadow a few different specialties. I don’t think I want to go back to my same program. I’m not sure I want to be a nurse—I don’t love starting an IV. But I did talk to a physician’s assistant and a nurse practitioner. They seem to have a decent work-life balance. I might even be able to see Angel at the hospital and actually get some sleep.”
“That sounds perfect. And it’s great timing to shadow someone since you got…a flexible schedule now,” she said.
“Yeah.” I snorted. “Unemployment has its benefits.”
She clasped my knee. “I really am proud of you, Tori. Whether you’re delivering groceries or saving lives, you’ll always be my precious baby sis.”
My heart thumped painfully, like it was in an elastic casing too small for how much love I had for my family.
“Thanks, Kat. You always know how to give me the space and support I need to make good decisions. Like creating boundaries with Jen. Or asking Angel to dance.” I blinked until the room stopped being blurry. “You’re the best big sis a girl could ask for.”
“Aw, c’mere, babe,” she said.
We hugged each other tightly until Jinx let out a mild meow of protest that he was no longer the main one getting attention.
I giggled and rubbed his head. “Don’t be jealous.”
“Sorry, buddy,” Kat said.
We pet him until he purred again, half-draped over both our laps.
“You know, cats’ purrs are supposed to have healing properties. Something about the low-frequency vibrations,” I said.
