Sumter Point

by K. G. MacGregor

  “But only if I spoil him.”

  “You won’t be able to stop yourself.”

  “Does Buster sleep on your pillow?”

  “No, he sleeps on a rug beside my bed. He likes to be close.”

  “So all I have to do is train BD to sleep in his crate.”

  Audie laughed. “Get serious. He’s a cat. They train you, not the other way around.”

  “Something tells me I’m in trouble.”

  “I’ll help you with anything you need. And if things don’t work out, I’ll even come get him. But I know they will. He’s going to like it here, and he’s going to be your boy real soon.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  She didn’t want to let go of Beth’s hand but this was getting ridiculous. “Let’s show him where his food is.” On their hands and knees, they steered him into the kitchen toward a bowl, where he tentatively began to nibble. “So how about it? You want me to take him to Dr. Martin’s tomorrow morning? You can pick him up in the afternoon and he’ll think you’re his rescuer.”

  “Sure.” Beth got up and walked to the kitchen drawer. “I take it you don’t want to come by here at six thirty before I go to work.”

  Audie made a face. “Not particularly.”

  “So take this key. You can bring it to me when you come to the nursing home.”

  “Deal.” Audie stood up and took the key. “I guess I’ll get out of your hair.”

  “You can stay if you want. I have some leftover spinach quiche. I can throw together a salad.”

  “No, that’s okay.” Audie had never eaten quiche in her life.

  “You need some time alone to bond with BD. Thanks though.”

  “Maybe another time.”

  “You two have fun.”

  Beth walked her out while BD was still eating. “I’m glad you came back to the nursing home today.”

  “I am too. Thanks for making it easy.”

  “I really will take good care of your Grammaw.”

  “I know. I trust you.”

  “Okay, that was weird,” Audie said aloud in the car. “You were getting off like you were in junior fucking high.” She was nothing short of stunned by the sensations that had surged through her as she held Beth’s hand. Something was wrong here, because she didn’t think of Beth that way.

  It wasn’t that Beth wasn’t worth a second look. She was. Nice body… pretty face. If a woman like her ever walked into the Gallery, Audie knew she would go out of her way to meet her. And if they hit it off on the dance floor, she would be more than willing to try out the horizontal version. She just didn’t think of Beth that way.

  Beth was older. Okay, so she wasn’t that much older. And it wasn’t really her age. It was that she acted so serious all the time, so settled. A woman like Beth wasn’t ever going to walk into the Gallery looking to get laid. What she probably wanted was a relationship, a monogamous deal where you both came home for dinner and talked about your day. That was all fine and good for some people, but Audie wasn’t one of those people. She liked excitement and adventure. And freedom. Besides… she didn’t think of Beth that way.

  Chapter 9

  Beth turned the handle on the cylinder to close the air flow.

  “Dr. Hill said you should be better by today and probably wouldn’t need this anymore.”

  “I am better,” Miss Violet said, her voice significantly stronger than it had been the past two days.

  Beth gently loosened the looped hose and cast it aside. Then she went about her morning routine of collecting vitals. “Your granddaughter is running late today. Did she tell you why?”

  “She must be up to something.”

  “She brought me a present yesterday. See?” Beth held up her hand to show off a dark red scratch across the knuckles. “A cute little black cat that she said would be a sweetheart. She called him BD and implied that it stood for Baby Doll, but I think it stands for Black Devil.”

  “One of those wild ones from the shelter, I bet.”

  “That’s right. And she was going to go by my condo and pick him up this morning. She’s taking him to get neutered.”

  “You’re lucky.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “She only brought you one.”

  Beth laughed. “Yeah, she said most of her friends had several. I guess I’m not that good a friend.”

  “Yes, you are. I can tell.”

  “Because she gives me wild animals?”

  “You’re the only one out here she talks to. And if you don’t come by while she’s here, she goes looking for you.”

  Beth was oddly pleased at this revelation. She liked seeing Audie every day, but had never noticed that Audie sought her out.

  To her, it seemed like the other way around. “I’ll say this about her. If her idea of an olive branch is a carnivorous furball, I sure hope we don’t have any more arguments like that one yesterday.”

  A familiar voice behind her made her smile. “If you’re going to talk about me, the least you could do is say nice things in front of my own Grammaw.”

  “Sorry. I was just showing her my war wound.” She held up her scratched hand. “And she thought you should do my dishes for a week while it heals.”

  Audie laughed. “I know my Grammaw better than that.”

  “So how did it go taking the Black Devil to the vet?”

  “You figured that out, did you?”

  Beth answered with only a smirk.

  “Your little love muffin is getting his”—she mouthed the word “balls” silently—“snipped right this very minute.”

  “My poor baby.”

  “He’ll be fine. And you’ll be his hero when you pick him up and take him away from those bad people with the scissors.”

  “Where was he when you got there?”

  “Hiding, of course. It took me forever to find him, but he was… under your… bed.” Audie mumbled the last part.

  “I’m surprised you were able to—” Oh, God. Beth could feel her face heat up like a flamethrower. If Audie had looked under her bed, she had to have seen—Oh, God.

  “In fact, I had to get something to poke him with so he’d come out, so I grabbed your… coat hanger that was on the bed. I hope that was okay.”

  No matter how hard she tried, Beth could not force her eyes upward. Audie had found her vibrator. She turned to Miss Violet, still acutely aware of her deep blush. “I’m finished here. I’ll be back to get you at lunchtime.” Then she finally faced Audie. “And I’ll pick up the devil’s spawn after work.”

  To her horror, Audie followed her into the hall.

  “Hey, for what it’s worth?”

  Beth braced herself for a remark that was sure to be humiliating.

  “I have to keep mine in the drawer so Buster doesn’t drag it around the house.”

  They stared at each other for a long moment before they both burst out laughing.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed in my whole life.”

  “I wasn’t even going to say anything. But then you asked about BD, and before I could stop myself, it was out.”

  “But then you enjoyed it. That little remark about the coat hanger?”

  “Yeah, I wanted to see if you could reach that shade of the bricks on our front porch. You were this close.” Audie held up her thumb and forefinger.

  “Sorry I couldn’t be more accommodating.” Her misery wasn’t over. After a blush as intense as that one, her neck and face would be splotched for the next half hour. “So how was BD? Did he go quietly?”

  “He was fine. He’ll be a little subdued tonight.”

  “And where will you be if I need emergency cat assistance?”

  Audie dug her wallet from her backpack. “I’m glad you said that. I meant to give you this yesterday.” She handed Beth a folded piece of paper. “It’s my cell phone. You won’t have to call all over the place looking for me anymore. I always have my phone with me.”

  “Oka
y.” She tucked the number in her pocket. “Thanks.”

  “No, thank you.” Audie’s look was serious. “And I’ll be home tonight if BD gives you any trouble.”

  “You should see him, Ginger. He’s all black with huge yellow eyes. Audie said she thought from the shape of his face that he was part Siamese.” Beth tucked the phone under her chin and got down on all fours to look under the couch. BD had vanished.

  “I still can’t believe you got a cat. You’re going to be the classic lesbian old maid.”

  “I am not.”

  “I can see it now. No one hears from you for days and your neighbors start complaining about a bad smell. So they break down your door and all the mangy cats are eating out of your stomach.”

  “You’re so disgusting.” She opened the laundry alcove and stood on tiptoes to look behind the washer and dryer.

  “So tell me again how you ended up with this cat.”

  “I’m not really sure how it happened, to tell you the truth. It was when Audie and I were talking about Diva and I said something like cats were less trouble. Next thing I know, she’s handing me this little terror.”

  “Why didn’t she get you a kitten?”

  “I don’t know. It was like she really wanted me to have this one. His time was almost up and no one else would have wanted a cat this wild.”

  “Are you sure you can tame it?”

  “Maybe. If I can find it!”

  “He’s still hiding?”

  “Yes. I guess I need to go. I’m going to have to tear this place apart.”

  “Good luck. Don’t forget you’re having lunch with me on Saturday.”

  “I won’t. Talk to you soon.”

  Audie grinned as the door opened. “Miss him already, do you?”

  “Not funny! I’ve looked everywhere.”

  “Obviously not.” She stepped inside and followed Beth to the living room. “He’s probably just hunkered down, sulking about the loss of his boyhood.”

  “I can’t let him just hide out, Audie. He had surgery today. I have to make sure he’s okay.”

  Audie pulled a small bag of cat treats from her backpack.

  “He’s not going to come out for something like that. I already put fresh tuna in his bowl.”

  “It’s not to draw him out. It’s to reward him when he comes.”

  Audie walked into the kitchen. “I guess you looked in all the cabinets? Behind the refrigerator? In the refrigerator?”

  Beth gave her a skeptical look and opened the refrigerator.

  “He’s not here.”

  Together, they retraced the steps Beth had made three times already, from the closets to the cabinets to the furniture, even opening the sofa bed.

  “And you’re positive he didn’t get outside?” They had turned the place upside down. There was nowhere else he could be.

  “I haven’t opened the door at all since I let him out of his crate.”

  “Not even the balcony?”

  Beth shook her head. “No.”

  “And all of the windows are—” Her eyes landed on the one place they hadn’t searched, and therefore, the only place BD could be. “Is your flue open?”

  “My flue?”

  Audie crawled over to the fireplace and peered upward. “He’s going to bite the shit out of me.”

  “Do you see him?”

  “No, but I’ll bet you ten bucks he’s stretched out on a shelf up there.” Careful not to make any sudden moves, she reached her hand up inside the chimney. “Ow!”

  “BD!”

  “At least now I know which end is his head. No wonder he didn’t like that.” She reached up again and firmly grasped the nape of his neck, withdrawing him from his lair.

  “Poor baby.”

  “Watch out, he’s covered with soot.”

  “I don’t care.” Beth took him and cuddled him to her chest. “It’s okay, BD. I know you hate Audie right now, but I won’t let her hurt you anymore.”

  Audie rolled her eyes, but was secretly thrilled to see Beth making over the terrified animal. Without a doubt, she had bonded with the little fellow, and it was just a matter of time before he bonded with her.

  “Think he’ll want the tuna?”

  “He may not have much of an appetite. Anesthesia sometimes has that effect.”

  Beth set BD in front of his bowl, where he immediately debunked Audie’s claim.

  “I appreciate you coming over. I was worried to death.”

  “I told you all you had to do was call.” Audie surprised herself with her next statement. “And that offer’s good for anything, not just cat stuff.”

  From the look on her face, Beth was definitely surprised. And why wouldn’t she be, considering that just yesterday, Audie had cursed her out and threatened to move her Grammaw to another home?

  “Thanks, Audie. I’ll make the same deal with you.”

  In the few seconds of silence that passed, Audie sensed a dramatic shift in their relationship, from a casual friendship to something potentially deeper, and she felt a rush of warmth. If this had been Dennis or Joel, she would have reached out for a hug. With Beth, she held back, not quite trusting where they stood.

  “Of course, making deals with somebody like you could be dangerous,” Beth continued. “I see what you do with a simple ‘I’ve thought about getting a cat.’”

  “You’ll thank me one of these days.”

  “But the scars will endure for always,” she said with a dramatic sigh.

  Audie chuckled. “I need to introduce you to some of my drama queen friends so they can see a real pro in action.” She glanced at the books and papers that covered the dining room table. “I guess I should go so you can get back to your studying.”

  “I’m actually done for the night. I wish the test was this Monday instead of next. I’m ready to get it over with.”

  “So take a break. Let’s go get something to eat.” Audie looked at her watch. It was almost eight. She had come straight from the shelter and hadn’t eaten anything since a ham and egg sandwich in the car on her way to work this morning.

  “I already ate the rest of that quiche you crinkled your nose at yesterday, but I’ll go with you.”

  “I did not crinkle my nose… much. There was a burger out there with my name on it.”

  “And what’s calling you tonight?”

  “I’m not sure yet. You want dessert?”

  “I shouldn’t.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  “You’re a bad influence.”

  “I’ve been hearing that all my life.” Audie grinned and led the way down the stairs to her car, where she held the passenger door open for Beth. “Sorry for the mess. Buster’s kind of a slob.”

  Beth collected the trash from the passenger seat and floorboard and passed it through the console. “I’ll say. He just throws his fast food wrappers anywhere. Am I going to get something gross on my clothes if I sit here?”

  Audie grimaced. “Gee, I hope not. If you want, I could take my shirt off and let you sit on it.” She would have said the same thing to Dennis, but saying it to Beth made it come out sounding like a flirt.

  “If you’re going to do that, let’s take my car so people who know me will see me riding around with a topless woman. It’ll do wonders for my reputation.”

  “It would probably be good for mine too, being seen with better company than I usually keep.” Audie turned toward her favorite diner. “You okay with Leon’s?”

  “Leon’s has ten different pies every day. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

  “I’m a bad influence, remember?”

  Ten minutes later, they were seated in a booth by the window, poring over the sticky plastic menus. A tired-looking waitress appeared to take their order.

  “I’ll have a piece of… apple—no—lemon pie.”

  “The apple’s better,” the waitress said in a flat voice.

  “Okay, apple.”

  “You want that plain or h
ot with vanilla ice cream?”

  Beth groaned before answering in a small voice. “Hot with ice cream.”

  “And I’ll have a cheeseburger with onion rings instead of fries. No pickle. And a Coke.”

  “You want lettuce and tomato?”

  “No, just ketchup.”

  The waitress collected the menus and disappeared.

  “Audie, can I ask you a personal question?”

  “Of course. I’ve seen your vibrator. We can talk about anything now.” She was very pleased with herself to see the familiar blush return.

  “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

  “It’s only been twelve hours. I should be allowed to get more mileage out of it than that.”

  “Fine.”

  “So what’s your question?”

  “Don’t you ever eat vegetables?”

  “Onion rings are a vegetable.”

  “Well, yeah… like apple pie is a fruit.”

  The waitress deposited Audie’s Coke and a glass of water for Beth.

  “Your Grammaw’s right about you not taking care of yourself. Eating out at fast food restaurants all the time isn’t good for you.”

  “Leon’s isn’t fast food.”

  “But you ordered a burger and onion rings.”

  “I know. But I hate to cook almost as much as I hate to go to the grocery.”

  “You need to start eating better. If you want, I can show you a few things that are good for you that are easy to make.”

  Audie recognized the kind gesture for what it was, but it triggered a memory of her Grammaw in the kitchen, something she probably would never see again. And with the memory came a sudden rush of tears.

  “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “It’s okay, it’s not your fault.” Hastily, she wiped her eyes. “It just made me think about Grammaw running me out of her kitchen.”

  “I’m really sorry.” Beth’s hand crept across the table to Audie’s.

  “I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.”

  Audie took the hand and squeezed, trying to compose herself.

  “Everybody has hard times. I try not to think about stuff, but it comes anyway.”

  “Of course it does. Your whole life’s been turned upside down.”