“Just the one.” I took the brush and put my customary part in my hair. It would dry on my way to the shelter. “It’s at ten, then I’m done for the day.”
“Thank goodness. Text me as you’re parking here this afternoon, and I’ll meet you back up here.” He whirled out of the bedroom and I followed, ready to head out. “My only class today is at eight, so I’ll be home before you. We can play in your closet for a while.” He put on huge puppy-dog eyes and stuck out his bottom lip. “How much are you going to let me do this time?”
I scrutinized his pout. I wanted to dress nice for the date, but I still wanted to look like me. “Um, you can put my hair up again, nothing too fancy, and put on some mascara and lip gloss. Low key.” I glanced toward my closet. “And my dress depends on what restaurant he suggests.”
We made our way into my living room and I checked my phone. It was after seven, I needed to hurry. The shelter was a thirty-minute drive, and I liked to spend at least two hours there. Throwing a second cup of coffee into a travel mug, I locked the apartment and headed to the garage. Todd, on his way to his morning class, accompanied me.
“How’s Rick?” I asked. He was probably already at his office.
“Good,” Todd sighed. “He’s starting that end of year mess, you know. I’ll be on my own for several weeks.”
Rick, an accountant, spent several weeks at the end of every year making sure all the details were taken care of. It meant late nights and a dejected Todd. I did my best to distract him from missing his man.
We hugged at the car, and I set off to play with my favorite Satan-cat. My day dragged by; my evening plans weighed heavily on my mind. It was the first time I’d even considered dating since my dad died, and my lack of a guilty conscience surprised me. The highlight of my morning was deciding to adopt Satan. I zoned out in class, thinking about the sweet—meaning evil—kitty. I decided all at once I had to have him.
My class finally ended, and I raced to the shelter to pick up my new roommate. I surpassed the normal shelter waiting period due to my frequent visits there. They all knew I adored Satan and were thrilled with the match.
I approached his cage on my tippy toes. He always knew I was coming and waited at the door to his small home. I’d never before succeeded in sneaking up on him, but he wasn’t used to me coming in the middle of the day. I always came in the morning. I turned the corner as quietly as I possibly could and burst out laughing because my giant, black and white bundle of fluff waited for me at the cage door.
“Can you smell me coming, big guy? You always know!” I’d asked the other shelter workers, and they said he never budged from his napping position when they walked past his cage. I grabbed his leash and reached inside the cage to clip him on it. As soon as I opened his door, he jumped gracefully down to the ground and started down the hall.
Satan led me to the front doors. Once in the lobby, he sat patiently while I said my goodbyes to the workers. I opened the front door, and he walked straight to my car. “It must be my smell, you clever boy. How else would you know which car is mine?”
I’d already stopped off at a pet store on the way to get Satan, so my back seat was filled with the things I needed for my new friend, including a carrying cage. I picked him up and tried to put him in the cage, but he yowled angrily.
His face turned toward mine, and though he donned an expression of pure evil, suddenly he seemed to be pleading. “You don’t want to go in a cage, do you?” I asked as if he could understand me.
It was against my better judgment to leave him loose. If he got under my feet, I could wreck. But I placed him in the front passenger seat, and he curled up into a ball. I stared at him until he lifted his head and stared back. “You better stay there, Satan. Don’t you dare move.” Conceding to my demand, he laid his head down.
This damn cat can’t possibly understand me.I closed his door and walked around to the driver side. He glanced at me when I got in and then put his head on his paws. I made a crazy face at him, then focused on the road.
I kept glancing down at Satan on the drive home, but he never moved. I would’ve sworn he slept, except every time I spoke to him, he twitched his ears.
I texted Todd once I parked, then loaded my arms up with the plethora of kitty paraphernalia. “I went a little overboard,” I said to the fuzz ball as he hopped delicately from the car. I grabbed Satan’s leash, and for once, he followed me instead of leading the way.
He sniffed the elevator apprehensively. I stood inside, holding the door open with one foot, gently tugging his leash. “C’mon, dude. It won’t hurt you, I promise.” He gave me a reproachful glare and meowed pitifully. In the end, I had to give his leash a stronger tug before he would creep in.
He hunkered down with the movement of the car and bolted out when the doors opened on the fifth floor.
Todd was about to put his key in my door as the elevator opened. He turned toward me then dropped his jaw in surprise. “What the hell is that? Is that Satan?” He burst out laughing as the massive cat pulled me toward him.
Satan ran straight for Todd, who dropped into a crouch. Instead of offering to help me with my bags and the cage, Todd, withmynew cat wrapping himself around his legs, was lost in baby talk. “I’m going to pull on his leash and knock you both over. Get the door, you big softie.”
Todd grabbed Satan and hefted him up to his shoulder before reaching around me to open the door. I dumped everything on my couch. Todd shut the door and let Satan off of his leash. Satan began exploring my apartment, starting with my bedroom. I took his litter box and set it up in the laundry room beside the kitchen.
“So, dating a new guy wasn’t enough for you for one day? You decided to finally bring Satan home?” Todd rifled through the bags of toys, treats, and medicines.
“Yeah, I don’t know.” I plopped down beside him. “It occurred to me—what was I waiting on? Why couldn’t I have a cat? I’m home enough. They don’t need the twenty-four-seven maintenance a dog needs.”
Todd opened the toys and put them in the little paw-covered bin I bought. He meticulously placed all the trash in an empty bag. He couldn’t help but be neat.
I pulled out my phone and handed it to Todd so he could read the text I received in class. As soon as I walked out the classroom door I’d replied to it.
Wes: How do you feel about going to Blossoms for dinner?
Ellie: I love that restaurant. Their pasta dishes are delicious.
Wes: We’re on then. Six okay?
