“What are you two doing in the pantry?” I ask, my eyes narrowing. It’s a put on, these two have been the one constant in my life, both of them working for my family for years.
Bobby’s eyes go wide, and he talks in a rush of words. “I can assure you, Miss Heidi, nothing untoward is going on.”
“Heidi!” Millie squeaks.
“I was only mucking around. It’s not my business,” I offer quietly, hoping I haven’t made a fool out of myself.
“Well, technically it is,” Millie says. “Miss Tristan said we had to hide your kittens away.”
Oh, Jesus. I forgot the kittens. Which is exactly why Kai sending them was so wrong—what happens if I forget about them entirely and they get hurt or hungry. Besides that fact, he should not be sending me a thing.
“They’re adorable,” Millie says softly, gently, too probably worried I’m going to bolt.
“Feel free to take them,” I offer.
“I can’t do that.” She giggles, waving her hand around.
“What? Why?” I gasp.
“Umm…” Millie gets suddenly nervous, her voice wavering.
“What?”
“Millie is trying to tell you we’ve only just found the little buggers again.” Bobby laughs. “They had us in a panic all day. We’d thought we’d lost them. But we found them snuggled up in a bundle of blankets in your office.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Yes! They cried like babies when we brought them back here. They’ve only just settled. I’m sorry but we had to take one of your blankets. It was the only way they’d stop escaping.” Millie talks a mile a minute, a big smile on her face.
Just then one of the kittens struts out of the pantry interrupting our hushed conversation. Its tiny nude coloured tail points straight up, its crystal blue eyes locked on me. It’s making a goddamn beeline for me.
I feel like I’m suspended in time, unable to move. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the other kitten emerges, and where the other was light coloured, this one is almost black.
“What in the world?” I eventually ask, semi-horrified when I get a claw in my leg.
“It’s trying to get to you,” Millie says, her voice lost in awe like it’s the sweetest thing she’s ever seen.
“I meant, what in the bloody hell are they? Are they sick?” I ask quickly.
The two kittens start meowing at the top of their lungs, high pitched squeaks because of how young they are. Their ears are way too big, and their legs way too long. The pair of them look already too sleek, and they are both completely hairless. Adorable, if you’re into ugly.
“They’re Egyptian Sphynxes. The breed is a true descendant from ancient Egypt, more modern breeds apparently come from Canada. There was a little note in the basket that we kept,” Millie says, as I scoop down to grab them both.
Just to shut them up! Not to cuddle them.
The two kittens sit in my arms and peer at me, like I’m responsible for biblical miracles. Honestly, they’re unnerving in the way they stare into my eyes.
“Miss Heidi, they look rather smitten,” Bobby says, coming closer to pat them. “I think they’ve found the source of all their comfort.”
“What?” I look to Bobby, not understanding him. “I’ve never had a pet. I don’t get this at all.”
“Ah, see, that makes those two all the more special. Pets give you unconditional love, and all they want in return is some of your time, a cuddle or two every now and then, and food and water.”
“But what did you mean before, Bobby?”
He pats my shoulder, like he’s always done when I was upset. “They’ve found the source of their favourite scent. Millie was right, the little things were crying when we took them from your room. They know you’re their master.”
“Are you blackmailing me into being a cat mother right now?” I squeak in shock. “I’m too busy for pets!”
