A Promised Fate

by Cat Mann

Chapter 26

  Bug

  “This is Ari,” I scooped up the receiver before Lirik could intercede.

  “Hi, Ari, this is Dr. Kopecki at the animal clinic.”

  I had not slept soundly in what seemed like weeks. None of us had. Max had not uttered a single word since throwing up in his lap.

  Fluff had been in critical condition for the first 48 hours after the attack. He had lost a lot of blood, he had lost his tail and his right ear, and the veterinarian had had to remove his left eye to fight infection. The gash that had been sliced across his face had left that eye blind anyway, I was told.

  “Tell me you have good news. We need some good news.”

  “Fluff's going to look a little strange, but he'll be fine. He needs some time to heal and adjust. You can pick him today if you’d like.”

  A small amount of relief helped ease my tight shoulder muscles. “I will. My family will be very happy to see him.”

  “Remember we close at six. But we can stay a bit if you need us to.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  I set down the phone with a sigh and buzzed reception. “Lirik?”

  “I’m here, Ari.” She was already standing in my open doorway in her same pencil skirt, high heels and long-sleeved silk blouse. She must have that outfit in every color imaginable. She was the only woman in the office with long sleeves when the temperature was well above ninety degrees outside. She was the only woman who worked in the fashion industry who owned just one style of shoe.

  “I’m leaving now. I have an appointment with the security company in the morning. I may or may not be in the office tomorrow. You can send calls to my cell and I’ll work from my home office as much as I can. I’ll be in on Friday.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do I have any messages before I go?”

  “No messages.”

  “Nothing from Julia?”

  “I’m sorry. She hasn’t returned your calls.”

  “Have you tried Detective Scott?”

  “L.A.P.D still won’t give me his personal information. He isn’t listed in the phone book either.”

  “Leave our information with the desk sergeant again and ask him to forward it to Scott... Tell them it is Ava Alexander - he'll call her back,” I said as I grabbed my keys and left the office. I made it to the vet with some time to spare and picked Fluff up in a small carrier along with a bottle of antibiotics.

  “You’ll want to be very gentle with him. He’s stitched up but still weak and healing.” Dr. Kopecki gave me a kind smile.

  “Thank you for your help.”

  “Of course. That’s what we're here for. Do you have any idea who may have done this? Animal abuse and cruelty is a felony in California. Abuse is something I take very seriously.”

  “We don’t know who is responsible yet. We are trying. The police are involved.”

  The veterinarian was sick at the idea that someone had purposely wounded this defenseless animal. We all were. I had never had so much hate buzzing through my veins at one time.

  “Will you keep us updated on Fluff’s progress? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call.”

  “I will and thank you.”

  Fluff gave one tiny mew on the ride to my parent’s house.

  Ava and my mom were in the kitchen at the island. Max sat on the floor in a pile of Legos. We had been at my parents' house all week. In good conscience, I couldn’t allow Ava or Max in our home until all the security was updated. We were being watched. Terrorized and hunted.

  “I have Fluff.” Gently, I held up the carrier and Max turned to look up at me. Unlocking the crate’s door, I eased the kitty onto my palm and sat him on the floor next to Max. My eyes were dry and itchy and I resisted the urge to rub them raw. “Here you go. Be soft, okay?” I took Max’s finger and helped him stroke Fluff behind his neck. The cat arched his back with Max’s touch and gave a soft vibrating purr.

  “Hi, Baby.” My lips pressed into Ava’s round cheek and then I washed cat fur from my hands at the sink.

  “Hey, Ma.”

  “Ari, dinner is in ten – grab your father. He’s in the study.”

  “Sure…”

  We have very few house rules. One is not to use the word hate. Two is not to bother my father when he's in the study unless mom says otherwise.

  Feeling like I was a kid again, I hesitated outside the office door. I could tell he was on the phone, but didn’t listen to what he was saying. I knocked when he ended the call.

  “Uh, hey Dad – it’s just me.” I said from behind the closed door. “Ma said it’s time for dinner.”

  “Ari, come in, I would like to talk with you for a minute.”

  Pushing open the door, I walked in and stood in front of his desk. I had never been comfortable in this space. Never welcome unless I had Ava beside me. My relationship with my father was vastly different from the one I had with my mother.

  “Have a seat.”

  “Sure.”

  “Are you doing alright?” He asked after I sat down. “You haven’t said much since you’ve been staying here.”

  “I’m fine. I’m eager to be home. The new security company comes tomorrow so we can all go home after that.”

  “Ava seems very upset.”

  “Do you blame her? I changed the alarm code and Ava's the only person I gave the new digits to. The person I spoke to at the alarm company said the intruder used the correct code on their first attempt. How in the hell did they find out? What kind of a person would do that to an animal?”

  He didn’t look at me. “It won’t happen again.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I don’t…” He still wouldn’t look at me. He just twirled his wedding band around his finger. Around and around and around. “What are the police saying?”

  “Detective Bryant is taking the situation a little more seriously but they don’t know anything more than they did before. We haven't been able to talk to Scott.”

  “That won’t happen again, Ari.” He said again.

  “How do you know?”

  “I don’t,” he said again, shrugged and stood up for dinner. “I know you are upset. Just remember, I am on your side. I will help you and Ava anyway that I can.”

  We all ate in silence for the third night in a row and after dinner, Ava sat at the piano. My mom smiled at the sound of her first stroke on the keys. Max and I could listen to her play all night.

  Ava played complex and beautiful songs I didn’t know, Max sat on the living room floor with the cat on his lap and I sneezed every few minutes on the bench beside her.

  At eight thirty, my mom’s tea kettle whistled. I could set my watch to it. Every evening for as long as I can remember, my mother has made tea at eight thirty and taken two cups to my dad’s study. It is their time each day to talk alone.

  Ava yawned mid-song, stopped playing, closed the piano lid and turned to me. “Ari, I’m tired.”

  “I’ll take you to bed.”

  “No. I am tired of all of this. I don’t want to live this way. I don’t want to be scared, I don’t want to have to fight for our right to happiness. I want this to be over, I want to go home. Who is doing this to us?”

  “I don’t know. But I am going to find out. I won’t rest until I do.”

  They slept together, the two of them, Max and Ava snuggled in tight under the blankets, keeping each other warm and safe. I watched them like a dog on guard duty.