The Light in Your Eyes

By Tinnean

Chapter 24

I woke abruptly, alone in bed, my face wet with tears. This was the worst nightmare ever because it had started with my lover coming home to me. I rolled over and buried my head in my pillow.

But then I heard the shower running, and singing, something Wills usually did in the shower. He was home. He was really home. I nearly cried with relief.

The illuminated dial of the clock radio read 3:30.

Frowning, I turned on the bedside lamp, stacked the pillows behind me and sat up. What the fuck was Wills doing taking a shower at this time of the morning? I didn't like the only explanation I could come up with.

The water shut off, and after a few minutes, Wills came out of the bathroom. I recognized the Carpenters' song he was humming. 'We've only just begun… '

A towel was wrapped around his hips, but each step revealed the long line of his thigh, and drops of moisture clung to the dark hair that feathered over his pecs. The marks I'd put on his body had darkened as I'd suspected they would, one almost welt-like that bisected his diaphragm – how had I done that? – and I felt guilty.

And then I got pissed. I had no reason to feel guilty. I wasn't the one who hadn't called in Four. Fucking. Weeks.

He paused when he saw the lamp on and me sitting up in bed. "I'm sorry I woke you, babe."

"You were in such a rush to wash my touch off your body?" 

"You know if I didn't have to go to work, I'd lay around the house all day with your scent on me." Wills didn't seem to realize I was angry with him all over again. Had he even realized I'd been angry to begin with?

I focused on the first part of his statement, ignoring the last part, and glared pointedly at the clock. "But you don't have to go to work for almost another three hours."  

"If I go in early and work through lunch, I should be able to catch up on most of the paperwork that piled up while I was away; and I'll be able to leave early." He took out clean underwear, dropped the towel, and stepped into his shorts.

"Really? You'll come home early?" My anger evaporating, I watched hungrily as he finished dressing.

"Theo, I'd be home early today if I had to walk over Mr. Vincent to get here." He came to me and kissed my ear.  

"You would?" I didn’t know what was so special about today, maybe just the fact that he was home and we were together again, but what did it matter? I hugged him. "I'm sorry I've been such a prick. I'll make us Cornish game hens with apricot, port, and balsamic sauce, acorn squash, and… and biscuits?"  

"That sounds great." Wills gave a wan smile. He didn't like squash, but I couldn't resist wanting to punish him just a little bit for what he'd put me through. "Look, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Okay." All the nights of broken sleep caught up with me, and I lay down and pulled the covers over my shoulders. "Have a good day, Wills."  

"You too, babe." He turned off the lamp, patted my ass, and walked out whistling that Carpenters' tune.

****

I rolled over and reached for my lover, as I had every night for the past four weeks, but the place beside me was cold and empty.

I bolted upright, then sagged back on the bed and sighed with relief as the events of the previous night came back to me.

Wills was home. He'd had to go to work early, really early, but he was home. We'd have to talk this evening, and things would be back on track. I couldn't go through another four weeks like this.

I sat up, blinked at the light coming through the part in the curtains, and pushed the hair out of my eyes. The clock on Wills' night table read 11:57. I was still a little tired, but that was the best night's sleep I'd had in a while.

I went into the bathroom and relieved myself, then studied my image in the mirror above the sink as I washed my hands. Aside from a little whisker burn around my mouth, my body was unmarked. Well, I hadn't given my lover much opportunity to get his hands or mouth on me.

There were dark circles under my eyes, and I looked a little gaunt. As well as not sleeping well, I hadn't been eating well either.

Dinner. I seemed to remember saying something about making Cornish game hens with apricot, port, and balsamic sauce, and Wills had promised to come home early. I wasn't sure how early 'early' was, but I'd better hustle. I'd have to go to the butcher to get a couple of nice hens and stop at the liquor store for a bottle of port.

There were a few things I needed to do at home first. Shower, change the sheets on the bed again – kind of like making a fresh start – feed Miss Su and myself breakfast. No, I grinned ruefully, it would actually be lunch.

I'd better clean off the wall where I'd had him first last night, too. Our hands had been locked together on either side of his head, and he'd sprayed his climax all over the wall.

Yeah, I made him come pretty damn hard that time, I thought smugly.

For the first time in four weeks, I felt more myself. I turned on the shower and stepped under the spray. Another Carpenters' tune came to mind, and I whistled as the water pelted down on me. "'We've got a lifetime to share, so much to say… '"

****

The radio played softly in the kitchen. I had preheated the oven and was just putting the game hens into it when the buzzer for the downstairs door sounded, and I jumped and nearly spilled the hens onto the floor.

"Phew!" I caught the pan in the nick of time and slid it onto the rack, then wiped off my hands and thumbed the intercom. "Yes?"

"Uh… I have a delivery." The voice was male.

"For?"

"Um… No name. I was just given this address. I'm from 'Carnations and Roses and Orchids, Oh My.'

"Flowers? They're probably for the ladies downstairs."

"No. It says '3' on the delivery slip."

"Oh. Okay, hold on a second. I'll be right down." I wasn't about to let a stranger into the building. "You wait here, puss." I didn't want to take a chance on Miss Su running out onto the street, so I closed her in the apartment.

There was a world of disgruntlement in her, "Mrrow," which I could hear through the door, and I laughed and jogged down to the first floor.

I checked before opening the door. It wasn't just Vincent having lived in the building that had rubbed off, or Wills always being super cautious. It simply paid to be careful.

The delivery man's image was distorted, but he was young, probably a high school senior or college freshman, and he held a long, narrow box, the florist's logo in elegant calligraphy across it.

Curious, I unlocked the door and opened it. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a delivery for the person who lives in the apartment on 3."

"That's me."

"Uh… " His smile seemed a little nervous, and he thrust a clipboard toward me. "Would you sign here, please?"

"Do you have a pen?" I assumed he was new at the job, considering his age, and dismissed his nerves to that.

"Sure. Sorry."

I scrawled my name on the line and gave him back the pen and clipboard, along with a $5 bill for a tip. He flushed and handed me the box.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"Thanks," I said.

"Well… uh… have a nice day."

"You too." I closed the door and went back upstairs, frowning as I let myself into the apartment. "Look, Miss Su. Someone sent me flowers. Who do you think it could be?"

I didn't have johns any more. The only one I could think who would send me flowers was Wills, but why? Our first anniversary was still a couple of months away. Maybe to make up for not calling for four weeks?

Miss Su didn't voice an opinion as she followed me into the kitchen. I removed the ribbon and dropped it to the floor for her to play with, then opened the box, parted the tissue

paper, and caught my breath.

Nestled among the leafy ferns and baby's breath were a dozen plump, long-stemmed roses. Red, for true love.

I had no doubt now that the roses were from Wills. He'd gotten similar ones for our buttonholes for New Year's Eve. I picked up one rose carefully, avoiding the thorns, and brought it to my nose, closed my eyes, and breathed in its intoxicating scent. I'd always loved roses. Ma had a garden full of them.

There was no need to hunt for something to put them in. At the lower end of the box was a sterling silver vase. I took it out and ran my fingertips over its cool surface. Elegant Jacobean swirls and curlicues were etched into its sides, and I sighed happily. A man who made a gesture like this was definitely worth keeping.

Tucked in between the stems was a little packet of granules that would keep my roses fresh. I tore off a corner and emptied the contents into the vase, added water, and arranged the ferns and baby's breath. Then I rummaged in a drawer for scissors to snip the ends of the roses.

"He loves me, he loves me not." I smiled to myself as I put each rose into the vase. "He loves me, he loves me not." I frowned when I came to the last two. "He loves me, he loves me… not? Stupid kids' game."

Well, it didn't mean anything.

I'd leave the roses on the kitchen table for the time being; I wanted to admire them as I prepared dinner. Later would be time enough to put them in the bedroom to scent the air. I rummaged through the box for the card and finally found it, a small white envelope buried under the green tissue paper, and I couldn't wait to see what he had written.

My lover really was a romantic. In the card he'd given me for my birthday, he'd written, 'Only you, Theo. For all of my life it will be only you.' In the box of chocolates for Valentine's Day was a heart with the words, 'My heart is yours completely… '

I smiled and stroked the envelope – delaying the gratification – pressed it to my lips, then slid my thumb nail under the flap to unseal it, and took out the card.

Once, twice, three times I read the words, growing colder and more numb each time.

The other shoe had just dropped with a vengeance. He'd cheated on me.

'I'm sorry. Forgive me. I was a fool.'

No, Matheson, I was the fool, a blind fool.

Pain tore through me, worse than anything I'd felt in my life – worse than when Poppa threw me out, worse than when I realized Franky didn't care for me, only wanted me to trick for him. It ripped me apart, drove me doubled over to my knees. I covered my face with my hands as scalding tears poured down my cheeks.

He'd told me and told me he loved me, that he didn't want anyone else, until I'd finally come to believe him. How could the son of a bitch lie to me like that? He was probably laughing himself silly at my stupidity – I'd wanted to be loved by him so badly.

Well, it didn't matter what I wanted. Whether he'd let someone fuck him or he fucked someone, he'd promised, and he'd broken his fucking promise

And he thought a dozen fat roses would make it up to me?

"Goddamn you, Matheson!" I howled. "I wish to god I'd never met you!"

"Mrrow?" Miss Su nudged my arm, trying to get my attention.

I had to pull myself together. He'd promised to come home early, although now I could see his promises meant nothing. I didn't want him to see how his betrayal had affected me.

No. Not. Fucking. Likely! I'd never let him see me like this.

I rose to my feet and dried my cheeks on my sleeves, determined to hurt my ex-lover as much as he'd hurt me.

I grabbed the vase and took it into the bedroom with me, cursing him under my breath. Miss Su followed me.

"This is gonna get ugly, puss." I yanked out the first flower, tipping the vase a little and spilling some water. "You might not want to stay."

"Mrrow." Her ears pricked forward.

"Okay. Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you!" One by one, faster and faster, I shredded each blossom, my grip on the stems driving the thorns into my palms, but those small pricks were nothing to the torment that big prick had caused in my heart.

Sobbing for breath, I spotted the chain and charm I had given him. Apparently the fucker had stopped wearing it altogether. What I'd had engraved on the back didn't matter, probably meant nothing to him, not a goddamned fucking thing.

I picked it up and flung it across the room with all my might, then threw the vase after it, uncaring that the rest of the water spilled out, soaking the carpet, and that the vase put a hole in the wall.

The miserable cheater would be home any time now, and I didn't want to be here. I pulled out my cell phone and speed dialed Tim. It rang a couple of times, and then he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Tim, it's… it's Sweets. I… " My voice cracked. "I need to see you. It's important."

"Sure thing, babe. When's a good time?"

"Now."

He was quiet for a beat, and my heart lurched. Was he abandoning me too? But then, "Come on down to me. I'll pick you up at the airport."

"Thanks, Tim. I'll order my ticket… " I swallowed. "… and email you the airline and my arrival time."

"I'll wait to hear from you. Are you all right, Sweets?"

No. "I don't want to talk about it right now, okay, Tim?" What could I say? 'I thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones, but I was dead wrong?'

"Okay then, babe. Take it easy, and don't get yourself killed getting down here."

"I won't. Thanks, Tim. Bye." I went into my office and turned on my computer, then logged onto the United site and found a flight leaving out of Reagan in a little more than an hour. I booked a seat for me.

"Mrrow?"

I wasn't going to leave my kitty with a man like my ex-lover. I made arrangements for her too before I emailed my itinerary to Tim.  

While I was waiting for a response from him, my eyes fell on the answering machine. I'd changed the message because Wills – oh, god, because he had asked me to. Jesus, I'd been so easy, so stupid.

I stabbed the button, putting the machine into record mode.

"Hi. You've got me." I made my voice throaty, filled the words with intimacy and innuendo. "Now tell me what you want to do with me!"  

That would show him.

Or maybe it wouldn't. Maybe he didn't even care.

Well, maybe I didn't care either! I'd go down to the basement and get a couple of cardboard boxes, and start packing his things. I didn't... didn't want him here any more.

I paused in the foyer and stared at the wall. Now that I thought of it, there hadn't been very much come to clean off it. Jesus. He must have been fucking his way through whatever building he was working in. Men, women, he was bi, it wouldn't matter. How long had he been screwing them all? Had he even waited a week? A day?

I slammed out of the apartment, stomped down to the basement, and got those boxes. They would do for a start.

His office was neat, not a thing out of place. Even if he hadn't been away for Four. Fucking. Weeks, it wouldn't have looked much different. One of my regulars had once told me he never trusted a man who was neater than he was. Looked like he had a point.

I put a box on the desk I'd bought Wills, but before I could begin filling it with the books and DVDs that lined the shelves, I spotted the photo on his desk, the one from our Key West vacation, where he'd looked at me with such love in his eyes.

I picked it up and slammed it down on the corner of the desk, shattering the glass and mangling the frame. "You goddamned liar! Why did you make me believe you loved me?"

My hands shaking, I tossed it into the waste basket beneath the desk. Goddammit, he could pack for himself. I stormed through the connecting bathroom and back into my own office.

He'd been singing that Carpenters' song this morning… I ran the heels of my hands over my cheeks. It was only this morning!

The son of a bitch wanted the Carpenters? I'd fucking give him the Carpenters. I dug out a CD and put it in the player. 'I'll say goodbye to love… ' I set it to repeat.

The sound wav that notified me when I had email interrupted my bitter thoughts. "I think I could fall in love with him." "I think I could too." Robert Preston and Julie Andrews from Victor/Victoria. Wills had suggested it, smiling deep into my eyes.

Oh, god. I would have been better off choosing the wav from The Magnificent Seven: 'We lose. We always lose.'

I dashed my hand over my face and sat down in front of my computer. The email was from Tim. 'I'll meet you at the United terminal.'

I emailed him back. 'I'm on my way, bringing Miss Su.' He knew about my kitten. I'd sent everyone a few pictures. Well, maybe more than a few.

My cell phone rang, and my heart started pounding in my chest. I fumbled and nearly dropped it in my rush to see who was calling, but it wasn't Wills, the son of a bitch. I didn't recognize the number and let it go to voice mail. I turned off the phone and dug my rolling carry-on out of the closet in my office.

Wheeling it along behind me, I strode into the bedroom, stepped on the denuded stems and shredded petals, crossed the squishy patch of carpet that had gotten soaked, and swung my carry-on onto the bed. Jeans, shirts, shorts, socks. I paused to dry my cheeks and blow my nose. Handkerchiefs. I threw in a double handful.

I'd have to pack some things for Miss Su too. I could get a litter pan and a bag of litter after we arrived in Savannah, but there were other things she'd need. I retrieved her bowls and some cans of food from the kitchen and put them into the carry-on.

"Mrrow?" Miss Su stood in the doorway, uncertain of my temper, and I felt like a shit. That was Wills' fault too.

"Come on, puss. We're leaving. Maybe Mr. Cheater Matheson will buy a clue and be out of here before we… " My voice hitched as a lonely future stared back at me. "… before we come home."

I stroked her head, then put her in her Sherpa bag with her blanket and catnip mouse. At the door, I remembered the dinner I was going to make. I returned to the kitchen to turn the oven down to 'warm.' Not that I cared if the Cornish game hens were edible or not.

I just didn't want my building to burn down.

****

Tim was waiting for me in the United terminal, as he'd promised. At least he kept his promises. He hugged me. "It's good to see you, Sweets."

I didn't correct him, as Wills might have done. Wills probably wouldn't have said anything now anyway. Did he even care any more? Well, it didn't matter. At this moment he was… he was less than nothing to me.

Tim took a pair of sunglasses from his breast pocket and handed them to me. "Your eyes are kind of red and swollen."

Shit. No wonder why I'd been getting odd looks. I'd closed myself in the lavatory at the back of the plane a few times during the flight, but I'd avoided my reflection in the mirror. All I would have seen was a fool who'd left himself open to having his heart torn out and tangoed upon.

"Thanks." I put the glasses on.

"You're welcome. Did you check any bags?"

"No. I just have this." I nodded toward the carry-on I'd been wheeling along behind me.

"Oh?"

"What's that supposed to mean? You think I should have brought more stuff? I'm not letting that bastard keep me out of my own home!"

"Hey! Take it easy, babe. I'm on your side."

I flushed. "I'm sorry." My outburst had drawn attention to us.

"Ass. Once we get in the car, you can tell me what happened. Now, let me take your carry-on." He put his arm around my shoulder as we started to walk down the concourse. "Cris would have come, but I left him to tend bar… "

"I'm sorry, Tim. I didn't even think… I'm putting you out."

"I don't want to hear that. You're family as far as I'm concerned, and you'll never put me out. Besides, it's good experience for Cris to handle the bar on his own. I stopped at the store before I drove to the airport. I didn't think United would appreciate it if you brought a litter box on board."

"I'm sorry… "

He gave me a shake. "None of that, I said. I had fun shopping for my godkitty."

When I'd first told Tim and Cris about Wills giving me Miss Su, Tim had declared himself her godfather. 'And is Cris supposed to be her godmother?' I'd snickered.

'No, that would be Paul.' And we'd both laughed.

I didn't think I'd ever laugh again.

"We can order something for dinner," Tim was saying. "There's a lot of good take-out places around the Pub. You're our guest, so I won't ask you to cook for us. However, if you feel like it… I have very fond memories of the blueberry pancakes you made us that first day, and I wouldn't say no to them for breakfast."

I wasn't hungry, but it would keep my mind off what a shambles my life had suddenly become. Besides, it was the least I could do for him for taking me in on such short notice. "If you have pancake mix and blueberries, I'll make them for you."

"Sounds good. Now, tell me about Miss Su."

I talked about my kitten until we reached Tim's convertible, a '66 Corvette Cris had had restored for him, but I wasn't paying much attention to what I said. I didn't want Tim to realize how stupid I'd been, falling in love like this. He'd warned us…

"It's a good thing you didn't bring a lot." He swung my carry-on into the narrow space behind the passenger seat. Next to it were a couple of large plastic bags with the logo of a pet store chain on them, and I peeked in. As well as the litter pan and litter, there were bags and boxes of treats, flutter balls, faux fur mice. My eyes widened. A laser light, teasers, a stuffed Garfield that squeaked…

"Geez, how much did you buy her?"

He just laughed. "Do you want to put Miss Su back there too?"

"No, I'll keep her on the floor by my feet."

"Okay. Get in." He waited until we were on the road to West Bryan Street. "Now, start talking."

"Nothing to talk about. It's over."

"Something must have happened to make you this upset."

"I'm not upset."

"No, your eyes are always red and puffy. C'mon, babe. Talk to me. I can't help if I'm in the dark."

"No one can help. It's beyond that." I bit my lip, then burst out, "He sent me flowers, Tim! A dozen roses. Red."

"That doesn't sound like something to break up a relationship over."

"There was a card." I'd put it in my pocket, in case I was stupid enough to consider forgiving him. Not that I would.

"And… ?"

"It said, 'I'm sorry. Forgive me. I was a fool.'" I didn't need to see the card. The words were etched on my brain.

"Ah, shit, Sweets." Tim had been around long enough to know what that meant. "I'm sorry."

Not as sorry as I was. "Well, that's the way things go," I said, my tone breezy. "You know the old saying. I got along without him before I met him, and I'm gonna get along without him now."

"You sounded so happy with him… "

I shrugged, even though his eyes were on the road and he couldn't see me. "That's the way the cookie crumbles. You know as well as I do nothing lasts forever. I was getting tired of him anyway."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I waited a second to see if the skies opened up over that lie, but nothing happened, so I told another one. "Anyway, I'm not the settling down kind."

"Sweets… "

"No, really," I hurried to assure him. "This was just a fling, a passing fancy. I thought I'd give it a try, I did, and now I'm ready to move on to someone new. A whole bunch of someone new's. You know all the different men I've had."

"I know." He laid a comforting hand on my knee. "I also know that like most of us, if you'd had the choice, you wouldn't've had them."

"Don't go all existential on me, Tim."

"Fine. Tell me something. Is it likely he's gonna come after you?"

My heart leapt with a sudden flare of joy, and I couldn't catch my breath. "No," I said stonily, squashing it. "He's found someone new. Else, I mean."

He looked at me. "But… " I glared at him, and he sighed and turned his attention to the road again. "You're not gonna give him another chance?"

"If he'd told me last night when he came home… I didn't tell you about that, did I, Tim? Four fucking weeks without a single phone call! I thought he was… he was… " I stared at the passing scenery, blinking furiously.

"Hmmm."

I cleared my throat. "It doesn't matter. Whatever we had is over. Finished. Kaput."

"Just so I know we won't have an outraged lover coming down on our heads."

"He won't come. And he has no right to play the outraged lover." He'd had me, he'd had someone else… A tiny voice in my head said, But he came back to you. Yeah, but for how long? I demanded of it. He'd had a taste of someone else, someone who didn't have the past I did, and he was probably going to tell me over the dinner I'd slaved over that he'd be moving out shortly.

"Well, just so you know, I checked the airlines. There are no direct flights out of either Dulles or Reagan International until tomorrow morning."

"It doesn't matter," I repeated. "He won't come after me."

"He'd better not, or I'll kick his ass from here back to… Where did you say he was from?"

"Cambridge. Massachusetts."

"Yeah. From here back to Cambridge. We're home." Tim parked the Corvette, and we got out. I draped the Sherpa bag from my shoulder and took my carry-on, while he took the bags from the pet store. "Let's go in through the Pub. The stairs to our place are at the back. You can say hi to Cris, I'll get you and Miss Su settled, and we'll see about ordering dinner. Y'know, this place has a kitchen we never bothered doing anything with. I wonder if I should open it up, hire a short order cook," he mused to himself and shot a glance my way, "offer some bar food. My regulars might like that."

I shrugged. If he was planning on that, I could set up a spreadsheet to see how long it would take before such an enterprise ran in the black. I didn't have a problem staying in Savannah long enough to help Tim, but I had no intention of letting my… my ex-lover chase me out of the town I'd lived in for so many years.

"Welcome to the Always Reddy Pub!" Tim threw open the door, and bells above it jingle-jangle-jingled.

The interior of the Pub was lit with a warm, comfortable glow so its patrons, the upscale gay men who'd made it their current favorite – Tim was a sharp businessman and knew how fickle the public could be – would be able to see each other without having to squint. Tables were scattered around a small dance floor, and booths lined the walls. A long teak, horseshoe-shaped bar bisected the room. Glasses hung from a rack suspended above it, while on shelves below bottles of liquor stood in rows, like soldiers. There were various wines and liqueurs, beer on tap, and dual stations where sodas or water could be dispensed. A jukebox was in one corner, and a small stage in another for the local bands that played on weekends. A pool table was in the rear near the restrooms.

The Pub fell silent as all eyes were drawn to us. "They don't usually see me bringing anyone in here," Tim murmured.

"Hey, Boss," Cris called. "Sweets!" He came from around the bar and engulfed me in a bear hug, lifting me off my feet. "It's good to see you!"

"Same here, Cris." I patted his back feebly.

"Hello, Tim." "We were wondering where you were." "Good to see you again." The men, dressed in designer slacks and shirts with little alligators or polo ponies on the breast pockets, were eying me with interest. and I flushed, feeling shabby in my jeans and sweater. "Who's your friend?" "Are you going to introduce us, Tim?"

"Another time, gentlemen." He'd suddenly become very Suth'n. "Ma friend has just arrived in our fair city, and Ah want to get him settled in." He turned to Cris. "Can you handle this alone, babe?"

Cris looked around. "No problem, Boss. The rush is over anyway, and the crowd'll be thinnin' out soon enough. Middle of the week," he said to me by way of explanation.

"Ah'll bring you something down for dinner."

"Cool. Talk to you later, Sweets."

"Later, Cris." I followed Tim to the rear of the Pub. He opened a paneled door, and we climbed the spiral staircase.

"Tim, I really don't feel like meeting anyone."

"Of course not. This has been a lousy day for you. Take it easy, get some rest. Tomorrow is soon enough for you to meet some of the guys."

I felt as if he'd kicked me in the gut. "You want me to trick?"

"NO! God, no! Sweets, I'd never suggest that! We're all out of the business now!"

"Sorry. This has been a bad four weeks."

"Ah, Sweets." He opened the door and stood aside so I could enter the apartment he shared with Cris. "I'm glad you're finally getting to see our place, though not under these circumstances."

I looked around the kitchen, which opened right off the stairs. "It reminds me a little of the kitchen we had when I first moved in with you guys." It was larger, though, with enough room for a table and chairs.

"It is a bit dated, but it suits our needs." He dropped the bags to the floor and rubbed my back. "Why don't you take Miss Su out of her bag? She must be getting a little restless in there."

I unzipped the bag and lifter her out. "Say hello to Uncle Tim, puss."

"Mrrow?" She blinked at him.

"What a pretty little lady, yes, you are!" He rubbed a knuckle under her chin, and she slitted her eyes in pleasure and purred.

"I think you've made a conquest." I put her down, and she wound herself in and out of his legs.

"I'll put her litter box right here in this alcove. It leads to the outside stairs, but we don't use them much, so that'll be a good spot for it. You can leave her bag there too, if you like. Come on. I'll show you your room."

One of the pet store bags had tipped over, and Miss Su's little stubby tail disappeared into it. "Don't get into any mischief, puss."

"Will she be okay in there?"

"Oh yeah. She's a veritable huntress."

Miss Su backed out and dropped a bag of catnip mice at my feet. "Mrrow."

"Okay, then." I tore open an end, dropped a white mouse with very pink ears onto the linoleum, and she began batting it around and stalking it. "That should keep her occupied for a bit."

"She is a sweetie." Tim chuckled, and I followed him down the hallway. "This is our living room."