I pull back, easing my hold on this little rainbow marshmallow, and follow her finger to where it points at a black bundle of fur with glowing yellow eyes.
“He’s cold and scared, but I can’t get him.” She sniffles. “He won’t come.”
Unwilling to release her, I keep one arm wrapped around her and tell the cat, “Alright, let’s go, buddy.”
It inches back.
“Oh my goodness, Mr. Bingley! What are you doing out here?” Sam drops to her knees and sets her hand on Poppy’s back right as Lily barrels into her sister and squeezes her, tears tracking down her face.
“Poppy, you can’t do that! You can’t run away!” Lily’s rule-following and responsibility is on full display, but so is her love for her little sister. They are so sweet and love each other so much, even though they fight.
God, my heart squeezes mercilessly with love for these two.
Sam finds my eyes and inhales slowly before exhaling out a cloudy breath. “I’m sorry. Mr. Bingley must’ve escaped when I took out the trash.”
The cat’s name is utterly ridiculous, but now’s not the time.
“I saw him and wanted to get him, but he kept running. I didn’t want him to get hurt, but he just kept going.” Poppy’s distress shines through now, but she isn’t crying, and Lily’s tears have calmed.
“Let me get him. You guys go back and get warmed up.” Sam moves around to the other side of the bush, talking in a calm, slightly higher pitch. “Mr. Bingley, let’s get you inside. Give those paws a break from the cold.”
The girls and I stay put, all feeling the same need not to disturb Sam’s retrieval, and I for one am unwilling to leave anyone behind. At this point, we’re all walking back together, and if I have my way, I’m circling everyone inside for a while.
Well, maybe not the cat.
In another minute, Sam has the ball of fur cradled in her arms. We all trudge back toward home, though I end up carrying Poppy, and right about the time we get to the woods, I help Lily climb up for a piggyback. With one on my back and one koala-style on my front, I carry this load I’d give my life for in silence next to Sam. When we make it back to our yard, I let Poppy and Lily down.
“Everyone inside for hot chocolate.” It sounds like a command, and it is, but the girls squeal and race off toward the back door.
“You guys have a good afternoon,” Sam says, heading toward her apartment.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She turns her head, completely baffled. “Home.”
“No. You’re having hot chocolate, too.”
Her lashes flutter and she presses her lips together. “You realize you can’t just order people around, right?”
I swear she’s hiding a smile, and something in my chest reaches out with grabby hands, greedy for what she’s tuckedaway. Plus, even with the terror of the last few minutes, I like the pushback from her. My kid is safe and she helped find her. Now she’s almost flirting with me, and I want every lick of it.
Yeah. Lick.
I don’t dignify her response because what I want is for her to come inside.
She tucks the cat closer, and her breath freezes when she sighs. “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”
I shake my head, walking alongside her around the front of the house. “It’s not an intrusion when you’re invited, Sam.”
She swallows, almost like she’s nervous. I wonder if I’m being too pushy. It wouldn’t be unheard of, but after a beat, she looses a soft smile. “Okay. Yeah. Let me go put this escape artist away, and I’ll be over.”
“Wait!” Poppy comes barreling out the front door, no jacket, gloves, or hat to be seen, and runs straight up to Sam. She slows just shy of running into her and the cat rears back, but Poppy presses her hands together in front of her chest like she’s praying.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” She dips her head toward the cat’s head, who has mercifully decided not to continue fighting Sam, and whispers, “I love you.”
Then she turns and bolts back inside, slamming the door behind her.
Sam’s uninhibited smile is stunning, as is my Poppy’s easy love. Two things of beauty in the same moment.
