The idea didn’t scare him anymore.
In fact, it scared him to think that they wouldn’t be there.
Now all he had to do was convince Sarah that dating him would be a good idea.
To his mind, it was a very good idea.
ChapterTwenty
Raven had spent her morning with the cats, which she enjoyed, and the administration related to recent adoptions, which she saw as a necessary evil.She returned to the house only to find Wren was still in her room.
“Wren.”She knocked on the door to her daughter’s bedroom, which had remained firmly shut for most of the three days since she had arrived.“Wren, are you hungry?”
“No,” said a dull voice from the other side of the door.
“Can I come in?”Raven didn’t wait for her to respond, electing to try the doorknob, which, thankfully, turned with ease.She tentatively peered in, finding her daughter lying in a nest of sheets and blankets.
What was that smell?
“What on earth?”she said, pushing the door wide and walking across to the window, drawing back curtains and opening it to let in some air.
“Leave me be, Mom,” Wren said in a pathetic voice that grated on Raven’s nerves.She had empathy for Wren, but there was a limit.
“No.You’ve been lying around for three days.Now it is time to get up, have a shower, brush your teeth, and have some lunch.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I can see that, but if you don’t get out of here soon, you’re going to catch something.”She picked up a bowl that had held soup from two days earlier.“Things are starting to grow in here, Wren.Come on.”She flicked the duvet off her daughter, who yelped.
“Okay, okay.I’m coming,” said Wren.
“I mean it.Up, out in the hall, and I expect you to strip the bed, put on some clean sheets, and have a shower.”
“Mommm, I just want to?—”
“Yes, I know you want to stay in bed and pretend nothing’s happened, but there comes a time when you have to get up and face the day.And I need some help at the cattery.A couple of new kittens need feeding every three hours.”
“New kittens?”Dare Raven hope that she detected interest in her voice?
“Yes, and the volunteers are all wanting vacation because it’s summer.Since you’re here, you may as well help.”
“What kind of kittens?”
“Hard to be sure.The mom’s a tabby and has a huge litter—too many for her to feed properly.Are you coming?”
“Okay.”Wren pulled herself up and swung her feet over the side of the bed.
“I’ll make us some sandwiches.Tuna salad, okay?”
“Toasted with cheese on top?”Wren asked.
“Yes, just like you always liked them.”Raven exited the room.“I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”
She closed the door, hoping Wren would keep going now that she was awake.She should have done this two days ago, but sometimes people needed wallowing time.
True to her word, Wren came into the kitchen twenty minutes later with a towel piled high on her head, wearing a pair of fresh jeans and a T-shirt, and looking more her old self.
She came over to Raven and gave her a hug.“Thanks for lunch, Mom.”
