Mom’s eyes snap over to her. “Language, dear.”
“Oh… sorry. But what is this?”
“What is what?” I ask, but Liam stuffs something in my hand first.
“You didn’t want a new car or a diner. And I couldn’t get you a ring, but you mentioned that you missed getting to go on vacations with your family,” Liam says as I open it and pull out a printed copy of an itinerary for a European trip.
I glance at it then stare at Liam. “Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“Honey, this is too much,” Mom protests.
“I’m game,” Dad says as he hugs his fishing pole while holding the ticket.
“I just need the dates that work for all of you and it’s all set,” Liam tells us.
“Are you going?” I tease, knowing him well enough to know that he’d have preferred to book it for us and stay home.
“Grudgingly. The real question is if you can leave your cat that long.”
I hesitate as I realize how terrifying that sounds. “My baby.”
“Oh my god, you can ditch that creature for a European trip! She’ll be fine!” Layla exclaims. “I’d ditch my husband if I had to.”
That makes me laugh because Liam got him a ticket too. “Liam, this is too much.”
“Nah.”
“It really is.”
“It’s good to get to spend time with your family,” he says, since he doesn’t have that option anymore. It was taken from him… so much was taken from him, but I really, really hope I can give him the love he needs.
Liam nudges me. “Open your other gifts.”
“There’s more?” I ask. “Liam, this is plenty.”
He shrugs, so I open the clothes and a blanket I’d been eyeing as well as a surplus of cat toys that delight me—even though he’s convinced Lucille doesn’t like cat toys. But he doesn’t seemto care about anything but the last item. I pick it up and eye it, wondering if he ignored me and placed a ring in this large box.
I pull the wrapping paper off and open the box to find that it’s filled with 8x10 photographs. I slide them out and immediately find myself beaming at the photograph of Lucille rearing up to catch a toy, dressed in clothes that look absolutely adorable on her.
“Oh. My… god,” I breathe as I flip to the next one of her with a paw right on Butter’s face while she sticks her tongue out for a treat. And then one of her crunching on the treat, teeth on display. Each one seems cuter than the last, and I’m not sure I can handle how amazing they all are. It’s picture after picture of the best photographs I’ve ever seen of the two cats. And the very final one is Liam grudgingly holding them both.
“Liam—”
“The only rule is that none of them can be hung up.”
“They’re all getting hung up! Liam, this is the cutest and best thing I’ve ever seen. This is just… I have to show everyone. Mom, look at what Liam got me,” I enthuse, feeling like a kid as I giddily rush over to show off my present to my parents. Liam’s eyes trail after me and the smug look on his face makes me want to dash back over and kiss him. It’s so foolish. But I love it so much.
“I’ve never seen your cat look cute before,” Layla comments while she looks at them from over my shoulder.
“She’s always cute!”
“She’s always possessed,” Layla says. “Liam, how in the world did you get that cat to the photographer’s?”
Liam comes over and points at Lucille’s head in one of the photographs. “That spot right there? That’s where my blood was photoshopped out. These pictures took true blood, sweat, and tears. We were all crying at one point.”
“This is why your arms were all scratched up,” I realize.
