Alve:
Perfect. I’ll see you all soon.
I paced my apartment in anticipation of their arrival. I had enough bedrooms for everyone, mostly to accommodate my sisters and their families whenever they visited. This probably meant we would need a much bigger home. While I could certainly pay for hotels, that wasn’t the same as being able to host someone in your home.
I looked up options, continuing my pacing. There were a couple of apartments that spanned two floors, but they would take Leo and Jude through the worst of rush-hour traffic. Maybe a house would be better…
The buzzer startled me and I tripped over myself rushing to answer it.
“We’re here,” came Madison’s voice over the speaker.
I let them inside and raced to the elevator so I could get them all the way up. On the way down, I sent my executive assistant an email requesting she get the copies of my apartment key and elevator card I had at the office in case of an emergency.
Loud meowing was my first clue I’d entirely forgotten the two additional guests I’d be hosting. In a panic, I looked up first-time cat owner essentials and ordered a rush box from a company that would get us started.
I’d never had cats before. I didn’t know the first thing about them, but I would have to learn, since they were precious to Madison. Years of planning and hoping for an omega hadn’t prepared me for accompaniments. I suppose I should’ve thought of it, considering Charlotte had come to her pack with two children already.
Cats were a small adjustment by comparison.
Madison held one carrier in her arms, and the other hung in Jude’s hand, everyone else laden with bags of her belongings.
“I see the mission was successful.” I stood aside, all of them filing in, the elevator cramped with five of us and Madison’s many bags.
“I had way more fun than I expected to,” Nathan announced.
A cloud of raspberry sweetness filled the air.
“Did I miss something?” I asked, trying to sort out the reason behind her response.
“Not a thing,” she said too quickly, and bustled away into the suite the second the doors opened.
Once the door closed, she let the first cat out of its carrier. A little black face poked out, sniffing the air curiously. Jude set down the second, and Madison freed that one as well. Her other cat had brown patterning, but I couldn’t begin to guess at the breed or any other information about them. They sniffed cautiously before slinking right back into their carriers.
Nerves tumbled in my stomach. If her cats didn’t like it here, did that mean she would leave? “Are they all right?”
Her expression fell. “I’m sorry. They’re probably not allowed out here. I’ll take them to the nest so they don’t come into your space.”
“What? No. They can go where they please. It wouldn’t be right to lock them away.” I bent over, reaching a tentative hand for the patterned one to sniff, like I had learned to do with dogs. “Hardly seems fair to make their world even smaller when they have to stay indoors.”
“They had a rough day,” Madison said softly, looking at me like she was about to cry. “It’s really okay for them to go anywhere?”
“They seem quite content where they are at the moment, but I have no objection if they would be more comfortable elsewhere.”
“They’ll take some time to adjust. Moving is hard on cats at the best of times.”
Leo rustled through one of the bags, pulling out a few brightly colored toys that he set in front of each carrier opening. The cats gave them an experimental sniff, but opted to stay where they were, tucking their front feet beneath themselves. The cats were certainly cute, even if we were a touch wary of one another. I could see how a home might feel warmer with them around.
“What are their names?”
“This one is Pepper,” she said, tapping the nose of the fluffy black cat, then the short-haired brown one. “And this is Poppy.”
“It’s a pleasure to have you both in my home,” I told them. Maybe it was silly to talk to them, but they both looked at me curiously, and I wanted them to feel safe. If the cats were comfortable, then odds were much higher Madison would be, too. “I’m afraid I have no idea what cats need, but I ordered what I hope are acceptable basics.”
My omega perked up. “You’re buying things for them?”
“What sort of host would I be if I didn’t make sure everyone had what they needed? I’m well set up for human guests, but not for animals.”
“You don’t seem like the hosting type,” Nathan observed.
