“My general energy?”
“You have an energy. It’s fine. It’s good energy.” He extends his finger toward the kitten again. She opens one eye. Evaluates him. Closes it. “Parker Marchetti. Strong name.”
And for a second I almost say the rest of it. Berger is walking beside me and the hallway is empty and he just took the biggest thing I’ve told anyone on this team and filed it without blinking. I could tell him the next part. The part about the trainer with the clipboard who was standing in the corridor ten minutes ago. I could say it and Berger would nod again and it would be fine.
But the secret isn’t just mine. It’s his too. Whatever this is between us, I don’t get to hand it to someone else without his say. Even someone I trust. Even Berger.
So I let the hallway stay quiet for a beat, and then I say, “I haven’t decided yet.”
“You’ve decided.”
He’s not wrong. She’s asleep on my forearm and her name is Parker. Berger can see it because Berger sees everything and says all of it out loud, and I would not trade this man for any teammate I’ve ever had.
Parker breathes against my arm, her ribs barely big enough to feel but I feel them. This warm small weight that is mine now. I pull out my phone and open the group chat and type the name and send it before I can second-guess it. Then I pocket the phone and keep walking, Parker tucked against my chest, Berger already ranking all five kittens by temperament beside me.
Burn It Down #2
Marchetti
Kitten names. Go. Mine is Parker
Berger
Mouse
Mäkinen
Jari
Marchetti
[photo of Parker looking below the camera]
[photo of Parker with her paw over her eyes]
[photo of Parker looking away from the camera]
Berger
Marchetti it has been four minutes
Marchetti
[photo of Parker looking above the camera]
Thompson
that’s a lot of cat photos for a man who just got a cat
Marchetti
she won’t look at the camera. she keeps looking at me instead
Berger
she’s been alive for ten weeks. she’s not in love with you. she’s assessing you for warmth and food reliability
Marchetti
