She had a button nose and inquisitive face. Fuck, I got caught staring. I go back to awkwardly looking at the groceries on the shelf. Kitten food, kitten food, what type of kitten food should I buy? How would I stop Maori from eating kitten food, or which wouldn’t be worse than the others? That… no… I whine as I see a shelf of cat food hitting the floor. The special food diet wasn’t something I needed for him, I think? Hopefully, none of these bags were broken—classic, clumsy Cat.
Trying to push all thoughts of Aqua haired beauty away. Hell, with how good my luck was, she was probably straight. Or better yet, trying to get an unflattering picture of me to mock on the internet.
“OMG. She’s so ugly.” A skinny, pretty mean girl whispers to her friend. Readily grabbing her phone out.
This was when posting pictures of people and making fun of them was found amusing by other facebookers. I never saw the thrill of tearing others down like that. Some of them are even being medical afflictions because people are just that appalling.
“Put that away!” Her arm candy grabs the phone from her. If he didn’t, I would have taken it and smashed it—lucky her.
“Hey.” She flutters her hand in my face, as I’ve way zoned out by now. “I was trying to ask what type of hair dye you use, then you wonked out there.” She offers me a cute smile, lightly teasing. Why would she waste her time on me? “Do you need help with the bags?” She offers.
I’m just staring at them in a daze. “Splat.” I finally answered feeling dumb, “And no, I think I have them.” There were merely a few left, she shrugs. Splat lasted longer and gave me the type of blue I wanted. Some ridiculed it for the stain effects it had, but it had a nicer smell and wasn’t tested on animals. A bonus! “What do you use?” I ask her, trying to figure out something to talk about. Small talk has never been my forte. Talking was something I could be considered bad at as I lacked proper social skills. Unless I knew you well, then I could talk your ear off for hours.
“Arctic fox. You should try it.” She awkwardly flicks at her hair. “So I take it you have a cat?” She peeks at the bag of cat food that I overlooked that was in my hands. Stupid, stupid me! Could I make myself look any further like an idiot?
Wait, no. I don’t need to tempt the universe even more.
I put it down in the cart. “Two, actually. I have a 5-year-old named Maori that I found in a trash bin when she was a kitten.” Her expression saddens, as it usually does when I tell someone that story. “Found her buried under her five dead siblings, and a dead momma buried further down.”
Her face freezes in shock for a moment, almost looking as if she’ll cry. Why did I start with that story? God, I have no social skills.
“That is so sweet.” She clutches my palm, a glitter of heat going through it. She pulls it away. “And who is the other one?” Eyes interested, surprising not having walked away by this point.
“Charming. Believe it or not, my cat Maori brought him in.” Her eyes expanded in astonishment. “He’s still in his kitten phase; he’s driving her insane.” I giggle, thinking back to their interactions. “Do you have any pets?”
She shakes her head. “Sadly, no. I live in a non-pet complex and can’t really change it there.” She rolls her eyes. Hell, I tried that with cats many times before either coughing up the money for the cat deposit or turning up a place that allowed cats in my budget. Going three years living in a non-pet place with Maori, another story for another day.
“The rent is cheap, and I’m taking a few classes here and there in my free time.” Mid-20’s probably had to support her own schooling. Admirable. I took a few classes here and there and have yet to finish.
“Cool. What are you studying?” I inquire, interested. Likely more interested in this stranger than I should be.
“I wish to teach. Special needs, if possible. I have a soft spot for them.” That reminds me of my brother. He was that way but had a friendly community around him, thankfully. If anybody tried any of the horror stories that I read on the internet of what monsters did to people like him… Well, it would be the last thing they did, plain and simple.
“That’s really cool.” I grin at her.
Attention shoppers, the store is closing in 15 minutes. Make your final selections, then make your way to the checkout section.
“I should grab the rest of the things I need, then get going.” I shift away from her, but she seizes my arm as I resist the urge to hug her or throw it off.
“I know this is forward, but would you go out with me?” The words stumble awkwardly from her lips in a jumble. Emerald eyes having the deer trapped in the headlight’s expression.
I answer in a heartbeat. “No.” Her face falls. “You’re a genuinely pretty girl, but I’m not really into the dating scene right now.” I don’t know if I ever would be.
She puts on a smile, handing me a piece of stationery with her name and number on it anyhow. “I’m sorry to hear you’ve been hurt. If you change your mind, call me. See you around.” She blows me a kiss. Goodbye. As I can’t help but gawk at her ass as she saunters away. I would be nothing but toxic with my damage.
I got home delighted to see my lover. Waiting in anticipation to see her all day.
Just last night, I proposed to her, and she said yes! I was worried she wouldn’t as we were taking things kind of fast. But she was elated at the question.
Unlocking the door, I grimace as all the lights are out. Did she have a last-minute call? I turn on the living room light, wishing my heart to not be bound to the worst of conclusions. But as I go through the rooms, the tracks of her are gone. Vanished. Like she never existed, except for a note on the fridge.
Cat,
I’m sorry to take off on you the way I did.
I wasn’t lying when I told you I would love to marry you. But marriage isn’t in the cards for me. I have too many things to accomplish to bother with stuff like that. I’m sorry to hurt you.
Love you always,
Susan
P.S. The apartment is still paid off through the end of the year. As long as utilities are paid, you can remain here until then.
Tears stream down my face, smudging the ink on the page as I read through it. Thought we were forever. I thought she was my soul mate. I snag the bottle of rum off the counter, collapsing onto the tiled kitchen floor as I take a swig from it.
Maori curling up next to me to join. Offering me comfort with her sweet words and loud purrs.
I’m dragged out of my memory as a store employee approaches me. “Ma’am, are you alright?”
I nod, willing myself not to cry from memory.
“Well, we’re closing, so now would be the time to check out.” He awkwardly looks around, an inexperienced teen uncertain what to make of the crying situation.
Yes, closing. Checking out so I could bring the goodies back to the cats I adore so much. See if Maori has taught Charming anything in the meantime. His brain is probably too young to absorb much now, other than the primary impulses.
I must still seem off as the guy asks. “Are you certain you’re alright?” He asks again, presuming it’s the right thing to do.
I wiped away a tear I didn’t realize was falling down my face. “Yeah, just memories. My fiance left the day after I proposed. Packed up all her things and just left. The only thing of hers left was the writing on the note she left me on the fridge.” My voice cracks as he gives me a sympathetic side hug.
I sniffle, drawing myself together. I didn’t need to be making myself look weak in front of others. I didn’t need to be wearing a bright neon sign that said ‘IN NEED OF RESCUING.’ “Sorry about that, sir; I’ll go check out.”
“You don’t need to apologize. We all have our past demons.” I see a look of understanding in his eyes. And if we weren’t strangers, we could have a few shots as we exchanged stories. As friends only, no hanky panky.
I didn’t know him, though, so I wasn’t about to give him the wrong impression. “Have a good night.” I wave to him.
Going to see how much I racked up buying the kitten and Maori things. Hoping to hell I don’t step in another pile of shit on my way in.
Chapter 9
Maori
“Maori! Maori! Maori!” The kid didn’t give up, his voice an annoying ringing as my name keeps being called through the apartment. Surprisingly enough, not alerting the other pets in the building. I’m sure he’d love Snickers, the yappy small neighbor dog. They moved away a couple of months ago, though, thankfully. Those yaps drove me insane, along with every other cat in the complex.
Two words I never wanted to hear again, after all the times he repeated them. “Let’s play!” Maybe Cat could pick up one of those cages to shove him in. Then I could put in some earplugs and sleep without the bugger trying to jump me.
I give him a dead-eye stare, which he seems impervious to—him flinging his small slinky body into mine. I quickly turned him over, so he’s cornered. “Let’s get some things straight. If you’re going to stick around here, there are rules you’re going to go by.” Since I doubt Cat was going to get rid of the ass kisser at this rate. Hell, she went to get stuff at the store for him, practically committed in those first moments.
“Rules?” He stares at me questionably, temporarily stopping the waving of his paws around from underneath me as he processes the word. Not seeming to understand or like the taste of how it sounds.
“There are things you can’t do.” I try to explain it to him. Be the good big sister that Cat wishes I’ll be.
“Can’t?” He tries out the word, a look of befuddlement on his face. “But I want to show I can do all the things! Like how fast I can go, how…” I zone the words out as he continues on his rant. Yes, how amazing he thinks he is. How simplified the world is for a young kitten. He pauses once he hears a scamper of feet across the floor, eyes growing enormous. “Mouse!” All other topics have sailed off from the brain.
Hector must have made a house visit?
Poor fool...
Charming aims to pounce for him but is just the slightest hair too quick. Hector getting much more of a run than he’s used to. “Maori, do something about this runt.” I’m tempted to just let it proceed, not that I had a resentment against him. He was just a bit overly nasty about the shining confidence from me never catching him.
He flies across the carpet but doesn’t find security across the beds and chairs. Finally, finding a stop up on the window ledge, between the curtains. Charming’s stubby kitten legs not yet adequate to jump that high. “Come on, Maori, go get him!” He seeks to appeal to me, perceiving that my legs were tall enough to get up there.
“Doesn’t look worth it for that little meat.” Hector giving me the ‘what the fuck’ look, used to my witty remarks by now.
“I won’t taste good. Mice taste like a rotten lot.” He struggles to defend himself from Charming. Charming still eyeing him like he’s a vulture, and the mouse is prey. “Can you get him to stop that?” He squeals, voice shrill.
I bat the kitten on the head with my paw.
He pauses to look at it, offended. “What was that for?” Eyes narrowing, as much as they can on the youthful face. This isn’t much since he hasn’t grown large enough to learn the cat looks of great disdain.
I bat a bracelet off the coffee table, and that catches his attention. As he rushes it with its jingling charms around the apartment. It wasn’t like Cat wore it much, anyway. She slipped it on once at the party that she received it, then it kind of just dwelt on the table. As its charms impeded her from doing her other works.
“Sorry, Hector.” I bow to him, apologizing for the idiot’s behavior.
“Since when has he been here?” He narrows his eyes at the kitten as he goes into the bedroom with his new favorite toy.
“Remember the neighbor that you mentioned had a litter of kittens?” He slowly nods. “Well, they moved. And one managed to get left behind.” His mouth is a line of slight sympathy. Not overly much, though, as it meant he had to deal with him now on his home calls. “What brings you around tonight?”
“Your human needs to be careful about that one fellow. He’s seeking to set her up for disaster.” That wasn’t anything new. Trying to short her earlier. He wished her to walk that delicate line to the depths of gone. And with this job, most left before they withdrew didn’t leave on the best of terms. Brian would be damned if he laid a pudgy finger on her.
I felt awful for Cat. Humans at every corner trying to get to her. Susan wanted her to back down. Brian had it out for her guts for some unexplained reason. It was like he knew her and wished to destroy her brick by brick.
“Anything else?” I ask towards him as I hear the door downstairs coming to an open. Cat maybe? It was about time; she was gone closer to two hours than one. She hardly had human friends; what the hell took her?
“I should probably get going before the human decides I need to be dispossessed.” He truly hated humans. He had a human friend once that ended up dumping him soon after. Not being bright enough to learn the tricks in perfect tempo, he was thrust away like an old fish. Cat would never be like that with him, but I knew it would be a losing fight as he takes off.
A few moments later, the door opens, Cat’s arms full to the brim. “Did you guys have fun while I was gone?” Charming being the dipshit, he runs to greet her, his paws under her legs, so she goes stumbling over. Cat toys making unearthly loud cries as they hit the ground.
“I missed you.” He runs up, licking her face. Acting as if he hasn’t seen her in years.
“I missed you too, Charming.” She brushes herself off, coddling him. Then doing the same to me. “Was he good for you, Maori?”
I scoff. “Hardly.” Not sure he was capable of such a task. Give it another six months, or maybe a year.
Him already running off to investigate what she got. She picked up more cat litter, another box, a cat tree, some other smaller toys. “I have a few more things to grab outside, but then I’ll be in for the night.” Her voice has dropped some of its tempo. Causing me to wonder what caused the decline in joy. Usually, anything cat related was by nature a major win. Cats were her happiness.
She’s soon back in the apartment. Charming already struggling to strangle himself with the plastic bag. “Baby, don’t do that.” She picks him up for him to just climb up on her shoulder.
“Why did you leave me alone with him for so long?” I narrow my eyes at her. Her smile fell a bit, verifying that something happened at the grocery store. I brush against her. “What happened?”
She shakes her head. “It’ll sound foolish if I explain it.” Her defenses up.
I purr against her leg, head butting her. I perceived what to do to get her to guard down.
“Some woman pursued me in the store and tried to ask me out. Around that time, I was hit with memories of Susan.”
Chapter 10
Cat
Our song.
Her hand fit perfectly in mine. Snuggling against her was awkward at first, with us both being tall, but once we fit, it was a feeling I would never want to get rid of.
I gaze into her eyes, getting lost in their deep pools. Wanting this moment to last forever, just sleeping in her arms.
xxXxx
“Let’s dance.” She holds her hand out towards me.
We were on an adventure to a roundup bar. I enjoyed watching her dance around, throwing back a few shots, but there was no way she would get me on the floor. “I’m not drunk enough to be doing that.” Square dancing, that just had to be a no.
“Not even for me.” She pouts her full lips, eyes becoming as big as saucers with her puppy dog stare. Who could say no to that?
“Fine.” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms as I fail at looking annoyed at her. “I’m having a few more shots first, though.” I hold up a finger to get the drinks and the alcoholic courage running through my veins.
Shortly after accompanying her on the floor. Often falling out of place because dancing wasn’t at all my forte. That doesn�
�t deter her from trying to teach me and reveling in our time together.
I loved how she would smile at me like I was her world. How everything else around us would just seem to disappear.
She opened a lot of doors for me. Helped me believe in myself. Helped me realize who I wished to be, so I wasn’t just that depressed little girl anymore. I was a woman with a purpose. With goals. Goals of what she craved from life. Someone who wasn’t as afraid to try new things and reach out of her bubble.
It took a long time to love myself. But once I did, it was like everything else slipped into place. Sure, I would get depressive episodes here and there because that’s just how I was.
Then once that was all said and done, she left. Leaving me to build myself up all over again. Four years since I saw her, I noticed her name on the report while researching, but I didn’t think it could be the same one in a million years.
Chapter 11
Cat
“Maybe you should take the chance. That was years ago, Cat. Not everyone’s like that.” Maori told me, snuggled against my side.
I knew that, but it was hard to believe. The initial person that really built me up was the first one that deceived me. Sure, there were some short-lived flings after that, but nothing serious. Couldn’t commit all of myself to someone like that again after that betrayal.
“Any exciting plans for the weekend?” I ask my co-worker Joe. Or golden-haired boy, if you called him the nickname my brother did. The nickname Clark Kent reserved for when Joe wore his glasses.
He had long, enviable hair that was always great. Maybe my hair would be in healthier condition if I didn’t dye it so frequently. Or put in more time on self-care, instead of every other little thing going on around me. That’ll never happen. Workaholic was one of my main personality traits. If I was a sim, it would be one of my three traits, along with overly caring about the people I love and cat lovers.
Dr. Susan's Reign: Cat Johnson series (Cat Johnson Chronicles Book 1) Page 5
