The cat version of Lavender’sI love youhugs that she gives me at bedtime.
“Obnoxious beast,” I murmur to her.
She purrs harder and rubs her head into my hand as I scratch between her ears.
“I slept well,” Cricket says below me.
She’s lying.
I can hear it in her voice.
She didn’t sleep well.
“When I moved here, I didn’t sleep well for almost a month,” Ginny says. “It takes a lot out of you to be the subject of that much hate.”
“Why do we even have the internet?” Cricket says.
“For cute baby videos and sourdough tutorials.”
I eyeball Fluffy in the growing light.
She has fully engaged her purr-motor and is unlikely to get up anytime soon.
So I need to let them know I’m here.
“And the good news stories about—” I start, but Cricket’s stifled scream stops me.
Dammit.
Not the best way to announce my presence, clearly.
“Morning, Heath,” Ginny calls up to me.
“Morning, Ginny. Sorry to scare you.”
“I always scream like that at least once a morning,” Ginny replies cheerfully. “Good way to get out any lingering frustrations from yesterday before I make today my bitch.”
“That was me,” Cricket says. “Sorry. Sorry. I hope I didn’t wake Lavender. I didn’t know you were outside. I was listening to music down here until I saw Ginny. Hi. Morning. Thank you again for letting me stay here. I’m shutting up now.”
This.
This is the hard part of living here.
If I were one of the women, I’d be invited downstairs to gossip and vent and give hugs.
But I’m not one of the women, and honestly, that doesn’t sound good to me at all.
“Either of you want coffee?” I ask.
“I brought some from the house,” Ginny says.
“I made some already too,” Cricket says. “But thank you. That’s very nice of you to offer.”
“Cricket offered to help make breakfast,” Ginny says.
“I make amazing muffins,” Cricket says. “If everyone eats muffins. I didn’t ask if anyone has any dietary restrictions. Gluten-free, or just trying to avoid processed foods, or whatever.”
“No specific dietary restrictions, and even if there were, you’re welcome to make what you’d like,” Ginny says.
