I lean against the wall and debate whether this whole night has been a fever dream. How can this be real life?
I pinch my arm. “Ow.” Nope. Not a fever dream.
Flip kissed me. Flip kissedme. Flipkissedme.
What happens now? Will he call or text? When will I see him again? What happens when I see him again? These are all questions I should have asked, but I was too discombobulated by the kiss. I lick my lips. I can still taste Flip. Feel him. Smell his cologne.
A knock on the door startles me. Maybe he came back. Maybe he wants another kiss. Or more than another kiss.
I throw the door open without checking the peephole first. “Mom? What are you doing here?”
She looks…sad and determined. I’m the spitting image of my mother. We have the same narrow frame, same hair, same eyes. “I wanted to see you.” She holds out a cardboard box. “And bring you a care package.”
I step aside to let her in, flummoxed and still reeling from thekiss and now my mother’s surprise arrival. Parsnip rushes by and slips out the door.
“Fuck! We can’t let him make it to the elevator.”
“I’m so sorry. I forgot how wily he is.” Mom uses the box to prop open the door and I grab his kitty treats.
He’s already at the other end of the hall. I shake the treats and call his name, sprinting after him. “You guard the elevators, I’ll try to corral him!” When I lived at home, Parsnip believed all doors led to happiness. Usually he didn’t make it very far, the gardens too alluring for a house kitty, but here it’s just door after door, new smells, and lots of potential new friends who want to give him pets.
“Parsnip! Come back, buddy! I have treats for you!” I shake the container.
The elevator dings. Parsnip’s ears perk up.
I glance over my shoulder and hope like hell it isn’t Flip coming back and that my mom can prevent my escape artist of a cat from going for a ride. It’s happened before. It was a harrowing, endless hour of searching.
I drop the container of treats, which spill out onto the carpet. I narrowly miss grabbing Parsnip around the middle as he darts past me, heading toward my mom. Cammie’s apartment door opens and Parsnip corrects course, launching himself through the opening.
“Got ’em!” Fee exclaims.
“Oh, thank God,” I heave a sigh of relief and quickly sweep the treats back into the container.
My mom hugs Cammie, who looks over her shoulder with questions in her eyes, which I will have to answer later. After my visit with my mom. I’m sure my friends are dying to find out what’s going on.
Mom takes Parsnip, who snuggles into her and starts purring up a storm.
Such a traitor.
“I’ll text in a bit,” I mutter to Fee and Cammie.
They give me the thumbs-up.
Mom and I return to my apartment with Parsnip. “Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Soda? Water? A cooler?”
“Tea would be nice.”
I set water to boil and pull out two mugs.
“Did Dad text you or something?”
“He did, and I’m sorry he didn’t prioritize you over work, but that’s not the main reason I’m here.” She leans against the counter. “We need to talk.”
I sigh. I should have expected this. “I’m mad at you.”
She nods and her eyes turn glassy. “I know.”
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner? Why didn’t you tell me first?” That hurts the most.
