Page 2 of Violet

“We’re almost there, Stacks,” I say—more for my own benefit than his—and take another small step. Stacks ignores me and starts sniffing the carpet, which I take as my cue to stop talking and start walking.

An eternity later, I finally make it across the foyer. Okay, fine, not an actual eternity, more like five minutes... but still. I have to pause just inside the double-doors to catch my breath before I finally twist the lock.

“Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” I greet the waiting seniors. “Come in. Come in!”

“Meo-uff!” Stacks cries happily.

“Is that a new library cat I see?” Betty coos, shooting the little guy a warm smile. “If I’d known, I would have brought cat treats!”

“Meo-uff!” Stacks runs over to sniff Betty’s black orthopedic shoes, tail wagging, while the seniors fawn over him.

I beam. “Everyone, meet Stacks. Today’s his first day.”

This earns me a few chuckles before their attention returns to Stacks.

“You can go on in, I’m just going to sit for a minute,” I say, settling down on my walker. Ten points!

I’ve got a mental scoring system for whenever I manage to act or sound old, and this time, I do both. I kind of feel bad for being a total stereotype, but it’s how I’ve managed to keep up my disguise for the past year.

“Let me give this little guy a pet.” Betty hands me her books, followed by her purse, and then, ever so slowly, bends down. Stacks gets a scratch behind the ear, and then a belly rub when he flops over onto his back, tail wagging.

“Oh my. He’s an odd one, isn’t he?” she asks.

A few of the others nod in agreement.

“The poor dear”—five points—”thinks he’s a dog,” I say like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Here in Silver Springs, it is. Cats who think they’re dogs. Bunnies with uncontrollable hairballs. Guinea pigs who lose all their fur during a full moon. Just not twenty-year-olds who spend a year pretending to be eighty—well, except me.

“Is Stacks cursed?” Betty asks, since so many of the pets Calluna finds are.

I nod.

“Poor pussy.”

I nearly choke. If I’d been drinking something, there’d be no stopping it. I struggle not to laugh as I wait for one of the seniors to explain. No one does.

Do I tell her? When I’m supposedly so old that I’ve spent half my life calling cats pussies with the best of them?

“I heard Magnolia’s pup started pooping glitter,” an older gentleman chimes in, effectively moving on to a different subject.

The supes in the group murmur in sympathy, while the one human among them shrugs, already having forgotten the entire conversation. The wards in place throughout Silver Springs make sure of it.

“Stacks sure is more friendly than your last library cat, though, isn’t he?” Betty chuckles. “How is Handkerchief getting along with Sapphire?”

I could totally use ‘pussy’ in a sentence right now—it would be worth at least twenty points—but I don’t think I could do it with a straight face.

“I ran into them on my way home last week. Or was it two weeks ago?” I frown dramatically, even though I know for a fact that it was last Thursday. Ten points. “Sapphire and her young men looked very happy together.” Another five points for young men, and not a pussy in sight. Go Violet!

“Well, that’s all that matters, isn’t it, dear?” Betty nods sagely and turns back to Stacks.

The pussy gets more belly rubs, plus a bunch of compliments about his thick, shiny coat. When everyone looks like they’re just about done lavishing him with attention, I slowly get to my feet.

“Let’s go back inside, Stacks,” I tell the tabby. He doesn’t pay me any attention. Luckily, the seniors do and start shuffling past me.

“Is your hip paining you today, Violet?” Betty asks as she uses my walker to propel herself back to her feet.

“No more than usual,” I tell the older lady, handing back her books.

Technically, I’m the older lady, I remind myself. My body is ten years Betty’s senior, even if she is actually fifty years older than I am. Not that any of that matters when it comes to our friendship. These days, almost everyone in my life has gray hair—or in Betty’s case, gray with one fading pink stripe.