Forty-Nine
BONKING? ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Liv
“Move your fuckin’ car, you idiot! I’m trying to make a delivery here!”
The sound of a horn blaring and a man hollering out his truck window startles me awake. My muscles, wedged into a chair for hours, ache with each movement.
“JesusChrist, it’s seven in the mornin’! Who ya screamin’ at!” comes another voice from the street below, followed by a car door slamming and another loud honk of a car horn.
My eyes feel gritty, my mouth like cotton. Sunny’s body is a dead weight on my lap, so I hoist him up and place him back down in the spot I previously occupied, reaching my arms up and feeling the sweet pull of my muscles.
I rub the sleep from my eyes and step to the window, looking down on the street below. The delivery man opens the door to the back of the truck and begins unloading crates.
“Okay, cat. Time to get back to work, yeah?” I turn and face Sunny, who hides his face under his paws. “Yeah.”
By the time I emerge from my room, dressed and ready to go, Sunny is alive and by the door waiting, looking over his haunches at me expectantly.
“Excuse me, sir, where exactly do you think you’re going?” His tail swishes, face turned back to the door. “C’mon, off you go.” Gently nudging him with the toe of my wedge, I reach for the keys in the jar by the door.
Sunny reaches, paws spread and back arched, up toward the doorknob, releasing something between a meow and a yawn.
“Buddy, you can’t go out. It’s not like that here. You got a taste of freedom, and that was my mistake, but time to get back to reality.” I carry him like a heavy sack of sand to the couch.
“I’ll be back later. Be a good boy,” I say, kissing his head and heading for the door.
He sits on the couch and watches me leave, instead of curled up in a ball like he usually is. I’m consumed with guilt for keeping him cooped up in the apartment when he’s been so happy out and about for the last ten days. Closing the door behind me, I slump against it. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath through my nose, out through my mouth, then lock the door and leave.
The door to Bean & Brew chimes as I swing it open, scanning the space for Viv, who’s sitting in our favorite spot by the window. The fragrance of fresh coffee beans and pastries wafts through the air. Claire, from behind the counter, smiles and waves. A sense of relief washes over me.Thisis the feeling I’d been waiting for.
Comfort.
Familiarity.
Home.
“I ordered you a latte,” Viv announces as I pull out my chair.
“Perfect. How’d you sleep?”
“Like a goddamn baby. I missed my bed and my apartment, and I didnotmiss that
stupid mutant bird that was squawking outside my windowon vacation.” Her hands gesture wildly before thumping down on the polished two-top table. “How about you?”
“Not great, to be honest.” I frown, tracing the grain of the table with my nail.
“Hmmm. Maybe your mind was busy recounting moments with a certain good-looking man—tall, muscular, prone to providing a multitude of orgasms. You know the one.” She winks, smirking at me.
Rolling my eyes, I tug on my ponytail, twirling it around my finger before letting it fall. “Did you let Josh know we made it back safely?”
“Yes, I did. Did you see Pop? And tell him about your mom yet?” Viv makes a face like it’s a conversation she wouldn’t want to have. It certainly isn’t one I’m looking forward to.
“I saw him last night, yeah. He picked up his car, but I didn’t tell him yet, no. I’m supposed to head there for dinner. I’ll tell him then, I guess.”
Claire brings our coffees to the table, along with two croissants. One plain and one filled with chocolate.
“On the house, ladies. We missed you around here!” Her friendliness warms up our little corner of the cafe.
