“Does what?” I ask.
“Shows up to work when we shouldn’t,” Piper says, frowning. “Shows up to work when we very obviously are about to go into Heat.”
“Okay, for one, I am not veryobviously?—”
Piper puts her hand to my forehead. “Oh, what the hell, Maeve.”
“What? I feel normal!”
“Pink skin, glassy eyes…” Mari shakes her head. “I should have known.”
“Should have knownwhat? I just had a Heat!”
“Do you have cramps?” Blair asks, and even Alvin gives me a judgy look.
“Yeah, but I took some medicine, so I should be fine.”
Piper looks at Blair and shrugs. “You want to name off the reasons to her?” she asks, and Blair nods.
“Sure. For one, you just experienced emotional turmoil,” Blair says. “You know that can mess with your hormones and trigger a Heat early. Two, youjustfound your scent matches.”
“Youjustfound them,” Piper repeats folding her arms across her chest. “And you know how unpredictable Heat cycles can be with a change like that.”
I shake my head. “Okay, I know a Heat is coming soon, but not like,today.”
“Three,” Blair says, ignoring my argument, “you are in close proximity of your scent matches at all times. You literally work in the same building, then go home with them. The chance ofanother Heat starting quickly due to those circumstances are extremely high.”
Mari tilts her head. “I wish I had a Heat again,” she says wistfully. “They were messy, but oh, were they nice.”
All three of us stop and stare at her.
“Fourth,” Blair says slowly, turning back to me. “I can smell how much perfume you put on today. You purposely doused yourself in it because you knew the scent blockers wouldn’t be enough.”
“I’ll have you know it smells delightful on me,” I huff.
“It does. But I’m still sending you home.”
“What!Why?”
“I just listed all four reasons!”
“But I wanted to huff the cats and have some kitten therapy,” I argue.
“Oh mygod,” Piper says, closing her eyes and rubbing her head. “You can have some kitten therapy and then go. Charity is here, and we don’t want to set a bad example for her. We can’t have everyone running around hopped up on scent blockers and coffee.”
“Well, to be fair, I’m sure we’ll eventually set a bad example, but I’d like to wait at least a month or two before we do,” Blair adds. “But for now, we have to be on our best behavior.”
“What happens after two months?” I ask.
Blair waves her hand. “Spray the walls for all I care. Just don’t do it today.”
When I stick my bottom lip out at her, she sighs.
“You know I love you to bits,” she says, placing Alvin on the counter and pulling me into a hug. “I am so happy you’re doing better, and I’m happy to see you. But we have done this song and dance before. Piper and I have each showed up to work when we were too close to a Heat, and it’s a pain in the ass to get back home when you’re dying of cramps and making a mess in yourpants.” She makes a disgusted face. “We’d rather you go home now. Well, after you meet Charity and after kitten therapy.”
I glance at the cat playroom and am met with a cream and brown colored cat standing on its hind legs against the glass door, tiny pink toe pads pressed into the glass.
“Actually, I could use some Bean therapy,” I say, and Blair smiles.
