Tinsel

by Kris Bryant

  What was in the one you picked?

  Oh, it was adorable. Hang on. I leaned up enough to pull the bag closer to me and snapped a photo of the cute drawings, then of the wine essentials inside.

  You scored.

  I feel bad that my gift wasn’t enough. There was a lot of good stuff on that table.

  I’m sorry we had to leave early. But I’m happy you got a ride with TayTay and not Bob the axe murderer.

  And we were back on Taylor. Maybe SHE’S an axe murderer.

  Stop talking. Take your meds. Let me know if you need anything.

  Ugh. Good night.

  Catmas jumped onto the bed and curled up on my stomach. I was restless, but I didn’t move. I decided to sink to a new low and Google Dr. Taylor Mitchell. She went to Colorado State University, which had one of the top five vet schools in the country. Impressive. She interned almost every summer with a traveling practice that specialized in larger farm animals, including horses and cattle. There were photos, both professional and playful, and I was curious if any of the women in the photographs with her were girlfriends or wives. They were all very attractive. On paper, she was perfect. Why was she single? Wait, was she single? Just because she was alone at the party didn’t mean she didn’t have a wife or girlfriend. I tossed my phone onto the bed next to me, and the sound startled Catmas. I stroked her fur to calm her down and watched as she stretched, yawned, and closed her eyes again.

  I woke up in the middle of the night and turned up the heat. I couldn’t shake my chill. I took more cold medicine and forced myself to drink a whole glass of water. I was thankful I had another day to rest. Catmas jumped off the bed to grab a midnight snack and take care of business. I turned off the lights and crawled back into bed.

  Not only did the bright light outside wake me up, but the incessant knocking on my front door stopped me from slipping back into oblivion. I put the pillow over my head, but nothing helped. I threw it across the room and crawled out of bed.

  “All right, all right. Settle down. I’m coming, I’m coming.” The only way it was going to be okay was if Mo was on the other side with hot oatmeal, steaming coffee, and a giant apology for waking me up at this ungodly hour. I opened the door and winced at the bright sun reflecting off the fresh snow that had fallen overnight.

  “Close the door. We don’t want Catmas to escape.” Taylor breezed in carrying two bags of food and supplies.

  “What are you doing here?”

  She slipped off her coat and untwirled her scarf. “Quit snarling at me all the time. It snowed, and I knew you didn’t have much in the way of food, so I’m here to kind of rescue you.”

  Catmas raced over to her. Taylor reached down and tossed Catmas over her shoulder. “I brought chicken-noodle soup, fresh bread, cookies, and hot coffee that I promise not to spill on you, near you, or around you.”

  Great. That charming dimple curved in her cheek so adorably. I patted down my sweaty bed head and straightened my T-shirt. “I’m in desperate need of a shower. Can you wait five minutes?”

  She nodded. “That gives me time to set up. Do I have your permission to go through your cabinets to find bowls and utensils?”

  “Kind of late since you’ve already plowed through my kitchen. Go ahead. Make yourself at home.” I stomped off to the bathroom but was very aware that she was in my house, going through my things. I prayed nothing revealing was left out. The shower lasted five minutes, just enough time for me to tame the hair and wash the sweat away. I felt better being clean and in fresh clothes.

  “You look better than you did yesterday. Healthier, I mean.” She smiled at me and pointed at the dining-room table. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you lunch.”

  I obliged, not because she ordered me to, but because I was weak and needed nourishment. My stomach rumbled once the smell of warm comfort food hit my nostrils. I tore off a piece of bread and shoved it into my mouth. I was hungry. “Thank you.” At least those were the words I was going for. Garbled sounds came out.

  “I think you said thank you so you’re welcome.”

  How could somebody look that good all the time? Taylor was wearing a red sweater and black jeans. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, giving her a youthful appearance. Her lipstick matched the color of her sweater perfectly, and my eyes kept bouncing between the two.

  I nodded. “I did. Sorry. I haven’t eaten a lot this weekend. This is just what I needed.”

  She picked up Catmas and nuzzled her head. “And you, Princess Flufferkins, I didn’t forget about you.” Taylor pulled out what looked like a juice box and poked a hole in it. She found a saucer and poured enough of the liquid to cover the circle where the cup sits.

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s called Catsip. It’s a nutritional blend of good stuff that cats like. I promise I’m not poisoning her.”

  Catmas danced around Taylor’s leg, carefully reaching a paw up to her. Taylor looked at me before putting the saucer down on the floor. “She’s going to love this.”

  We watched as Catmas planted a paw on either side of the saucer and face-dove it. The little noises she made, both growly and pleasure grunts, were adorable, and we both quietly giggled. Taylor gave her a big berth and sat down at the table with me. She was entirely too close to me and I was too self-conscious. I knew I looked one step above death. My nose was raw from blowing it with toilet paper after I ran out of tissue yesterday. My hair was limp and wet, and my sweatpants and sweatshirt were entirely too big. I had no makeup on, and my eyes were watery from coughing all night. This was my hell—me at my worst sitting next to an available woman. Wait, was she?

  “Are you dating somebody?” Where my filter was with her was beyond me. “I mean, if you have a girlfriend, she has to be mad that you’re spending a lot of time with me.” That sounded lame. I watched as Taylor held up a finger, napkin to her mouth, and swallowed her bite.

  “I’ve only been here six months and have spent most of my spare time getting the business straightened up so I can hire another vet and two more technicians. Kevin and I can’t run it all the time. We need a break. I think Hillside is almost to the point where we can afford it. This spring I’ll concentrate on myself. I’m in no rush.”

  I took another sip of soup. This was interesting news, and I wasn’t sure how to process it.

  “What about you? You just got out of a relationship, right?”

  I rolled my eyes. “It wasn’t much of a relationship. She cheated on me with somebody I work with. So work has been fun too.”

  “Ouch. That’s got to be tough. No wonder you’re struggling.”

  “What do you mean struggling?” I sat up taller, ready to argue if she said anything disparaging.

  “I mean the recent breakup, work, cold, new pet. It’s overwhelming,” she said.

  “Look, you don’t know anything about me. Ever since day one you’ve been judging me. Guess what? Not every lesbian in the world wants a cat. Not every relationship works out. Not everyone you meet is going to fall at your feet and do everything you want them to.”

  She slowly backed the chair away from the table and stood. “Okay. I see I’ve overstepped. I apologize for that. I’m going to go. I hope you feel better.”

  Catmas meowed and looked at me as if to say make it right, don’t let her leave. I watched her step into her snow boots and put on her black coat. Fuck my non-filter. My shoulders sank. I couldn’t have been a bigger asshole. I stood and started to talk.

  She held up her hand to stop me. “I think you’ve said enough. Bye, Jess.”

  And just like that, she was gone. I watched Catmas trot to the door and look at it as if she was either waiting for Taylor to return or she wanted out to chase her since I wasn’t doing the job. I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. I was a horrible person. Why was I such a bitch to her? I ate a few more bites because I needed the energy, but wrapped the rest of the food and put it up before I crawled back into bed with the Puffs Plus tissue box Taylor wa
s so kind to bring over. Catmas ignored me and disappeared into the kitchen. Everyone was disappointed in me, including myself.

  I looked at my buzzing phone and groaned, but answered it anyway.

  “How are you feeling?” My mom’s voice was syrupy sweet, very empathetic, but I wasn’t in the mood. I had to answer because, if I didn’t, she’d send an ambulance for me.

  “Hi, Mom. I need to sleep. I’m getting better, but I’m tired.”

  “Do you need me to bring you anything?”

  “No, thanks. One of my friends brought me soup and tissues. I’m good. Can I call you later?” I stuttered over the word friend because I wasn’t treating Taylor like one. I was too embarrassed to even tell my mom what happened. I knew my mother would like her. She was everything my mother wanted for me and more. I sulked and crawled under the covers to hide before I poisoned everything in my life.

  Chapter Seven

  I felt a flutter of activity on my bed. When I heard the screams, I bolted out of bed. Catmas was tearing around the house, knocking things over, meowing like she was dying. My heart sank at the noise while beating twice as fast as normal.

  “What’s wrong? What’s happening?” I tried to catch her when she ran into the bathroom, but she darted into her litter box. She was quiet for about ten seconds, but then she shot between my legs and galloped down the hallway. What in the hell was happening? I raced for my phone and called Taylor, ignoring the time.

  “Hello?”

  I was surprised she even answered. I’d texted her a few times earlier in the week when I felt better, throwing in a photo of Catmas and an apology she never acknowledged.

  “Taylor, something’s wrong with Catmas. She’s racing around the house, screeching like I’ve never heard before.” I heard rustling around before she answered.

  “Okay. Did you feed her anything different? Or does she have anything wrapped around her leg or her neck like yarn or rope?”

  “Rope? I don’t play rodeo with her. There’s no rope in my house.”

  “That’s not the point. Cats are notorious for getting into things they shouldn’t, hence the phrase curiosity killed the cat.”

  We both stopped talking as Catmas howled when she darted past me.

  “Did you hear that?”

  “Don’t panic. Can you scoop her up and throw her into a carrier? I can meet you at the office in ten minutes.”

  “I don’t have a carrier.”

  “Put her in a box then, with a cover, and make sure she can breathe. Ten minutes.” She disconnected the call.

  I threw on flannel pants, a sweatshirt, heavy boots, and tried to find her. “Catmas. Here, kitty, kitty. Where are you?” My laundry basket had a lid so I emptied it and threw a towel in. The last place I’d seen Catmas was the kitchen. I crawled around until I found her cowering in the small space between the refrigerator and the pantry.

  “Come here, baby. Let’s go see Doc. She’s going to make you better.” Catmas hissed. This wasn’t going to be easy. I pulled a piece of turkey out to entice her. She sniffed it hesitantly and slowly left the sanctity of her safe space. I tossed the turkey into the basket, and she followed it. Once she was in, I clamped down the lid and raced to the garage. The sounds coming out of that little kitty were horrific. I sped.

  From initial phone call to parking lot took twelve minutes. Taylor was already there, standing at the door waiting for us.

  “Wow. She’s not happy.” She ushered us into an examination room. “Put on a coat. I’m going to need help.”

  “What?” I wanted to sit out in the waiting room until she fixed Catmas.

  “We’re the only ones here, and I need more than two hands. You’ll have to hold her steady while I check her out.”

  I hated that I was focused on Taylor’s creamy smooth skin and how perfect she looked at three in the morning. I reluctantly grabbed a coat off one of the hooks and slipped into it while she opened the lid and looked at Catmas, whose stomach gurgled.

  “It’s definitely digestive. I’m going to pull her out and need you to hold her. One hand on the scruff of her neck and the other on her back.”

  I started feeling weak. “Doc, this is a lot for me to take.”

  Those blue eyes stared back at me. “This is a lot more for her. We’re all she has. Just give me a chance to examine her.”

  “I’m not trying to get out of it. Just keep in mind that I’m not familiar with cats or how to hold them, but I’m going to do everything you tell me to.”

  She gave me a weak smile. “I’m sorry. It’s stressful for everyone. Ready?” At my nod, she reached down and pulled Catmas out. “Hi, sweetheart. I hear you’re having a rough night. We’re going to find out what’s wrong with you.”

  I swear Catmas relaxed in her grip. Taylor reached for her stethoscope and listened to Catmas’s stomach.

  “She definitely ate something she shouldn’t have,” Taylor said.

  “It could have been anything. I don’t know what cats get into and what they like to eat that they shouldn’t.” I was starting to shake. I was over my cold, but I was so far behind on sleep.

  Taylor put her hand on mine. “You’ll be fine. Hold her a few more seconds. Watch her nails. She hasn’t used them on me, but she might be close to fighting us.”

  Taylor’s touch gave me a rush and I nodded, trying to focus on the problem, not the warmth spreading throughout my body because of her nearness. She lifted Catmas’s tail. “Okay. I found the problem.”

  “What?”

  “Take a look.”

  I cringed but looked anyway. Tinsel. “Shut up. I told my mom it was banned for a reason. Now I know. What do we do?”

  “It’s going to have to come out. You’re going to have to hold her tightly. I have to check to see how embedded it is. Hopefully it’s loose enough so we can take care of this right now.”

  I didn’t have words to describe the sounds this tiny cat was making. My eyes had to have been huge, but I held Catmas as tight as I could without crushing her tiny body.

  “You’re doing great, Jess.” Her eyes briefly held mine before she focused her attention back on Catmas. “Hold her. She’s not going to like this. Put the palm of your hand on her rib cage, but whatever you do, don’t let her go.”

  A few meows, a futile struggle, and the tinsel was out. I was sweating for multiple reasons. Catmas was in pain, Taylor was so close to me, and it was just a giant stressful situation. Taylor picked up Catmas and petted her calmly until she fell limp against her.

  “Here comes the second half of this fun event.”

  “What do you mean? Is there more? I don’t know if I can do that again.”

  “No, but she needs a bath, and she’s not going to like that either.” Taylor stroked under Catmas’s chin and along her neck. “She’ll feel better after it. And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to get rid of the tinsel in the house.”

  “Like immediately once I get home. I’m going to pull it off, vacuum the place just in case I have any stragglers, and get rid of anything stringy. Lesson learned.” I would have to keep Catmas sequestered in my room until I was done with the house.

  “Let’s go to the groomer side of the clinic. There’s a sink back there. We’re both going to wear gloves because her claws will come out for sure.”

  I followed Taylor into another room containing shallow sinks with retractable nozzles that looked like they belonged in a restaurant, not in a vet’s office.

  “I’ll get the water temperature right. I’ll hold her, and you’ll have to actually give her the bath. We only have to get the back half of her. She’s too fuzzy to try to let her clean herself.”

  Cue the sweating again. I was already nervous, and we hadn’t even started. “Okay. I can do this. I can do this.”

  Taylor switched places with me and gently placed Catmas in the sink. Surprisingly, she didn’t struggle at all. It was as if she knew we were trying to help.

  “Wow. I can’t believe this. She’s doi
ng great.”

  Taylor smiled at me the same way she did with Catmas when she first met her. I melted and couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Most cats will groom themselves, so you don’t have to worry about this with her. I mean, if you keep her,” Taylor said.

  She circled behind me, her breasts bumping my back. I tingled at the soft brush.

  “Sorry about that. Here, let me take over. You can hold her if you want, just to keep her calm.”

  “Sure, sure. I understand.”

  We were quiet, working together to finish as soon as possible. Taylor shut the water off, wrapped Catmas in a towel, and handed her to me. “Okay, all better now.”

  “I love that she’s purring now. After the horrific sounds she made, I thought for sure she was dying.” I hugged her bundled body closer and kissed her forehead. I looked at Taylor. “First of all, thank you for taking my call and helping me with her. And I’m really sorry I’m such a downer and treated you unfairly. I have no excuse, really, other than I’m a jerk.”

  Taylor touched my forearm, and I didn’t move away. “You were right. I don’t know what’s going on in your life. I accept your apology, though, because deep down I know you aren’t that kind of person.”

  I shrugged. “That’s no excuse. I’d like to be your friend. I know you’re new to the area, and I owe you a lot. You took care of me when I was sick and have been nothing but kind to me and Catmas, whose name nobody likes.”

  Taylor laughed. “It’s not great. I mean it is, but that’s only because it’s Christmas. In June people are going to think it’s strange.” She towel-dried Catmas as gently as she could.

  “I think my cat loves you.” Catmas was gazing at Taylor so adoringly.

  “Your cat, huh?’

  I sighed. “Right now she is. But seriously, what if she belongs to someone? What if I fall in love with her, and she gets ripped away from me? And maybe it’s not some sweet eight-year- old child who will love her and brush her every day, but a family with five rough kids who’ll tie a string to her tail because they’re just mean?”