Sunday, June 24, 2012

be my guest



It was a pouring chilly rain, but Audrey didn't call anyone for a ride home. No, she walked home in the dark. It wasn't all that far. That was the whole point of living where she did. Of course, she was drowning wet herself, but she felt happy to be on her own.

Halfway home, she heard something that sounded so mournful. She couldn't ignore it. There in the bushes by some day care center was something that appeared to be in pain. It was a feline. Audrey took off her sweater and wrapped the cat up in it. She wasn't sure what was wrong with it, but it didn't hiss. Soon enough, it was purring in her arms. She hurried home and got inside with it.

Of course, her teeth were chattering, but she went to find a dry towel for it and dried the cat off.

"Well, you are my first guest." She told the long haired cat. It was full grown. No tags. "Aidan doesn't count." She looked around at the apricot walls. She wasn't sure she loved the color, but that was all Aidan's mother had left over from her kitchen makeover. She couldn't be choosey.

The cat purred.

"Are you hungry?" She asked as if the cat would tell her. She went to look in her small refrigerator which was part of her main room. She had a microwave, an electric teapot and a sink. What more did she need? She lived on ravioli, frozen dinners and fresh fruit. She did have some skim milk. She put some in a teacup and brought it to the cat.

The cat drank up quickly. Audrey smiled as she scratched its furry chin. "Oh, you are so sweet." It was instant love. Honestly, she had never felt anything quite like it.

There was a clash of thunder. It slightly made her jump. She hated storms. Audrey took the cat in her arms.

"I really don't think anyone wants you," Audrey said to the cat. "How can that be? You're so darn cute." She took the cat to her bedroom. Another apricot room. There was one wall that was a bookcase. Of course, there were only a few books. The rest were a few little things she'd accumulated. Mostly CDs, and fingernail polishes, a few baskets filled with undies, and towels. She turned on some soothing modern age music.

She left the cat on the bed while she went to dress for bed in the bathroom. She slipped into some boy boxers and a tank top. Audrey brushed her teeth wondering what beautiful name to decide for the cat. She had no idea if the cat was a boy or a girl. It really didn't matter.

Just then came a tap at her door. It was Aidan.

"Why didn't you call?" He wanted to know. It was pouring rain, still and he was damp himself.

"I'm fine." She shrugged.

"OK, I was just checking." But he wasn't going anywhere. She supposed she could make tea. "You sure, you're all right?"

"I'm fine."

Of course, the cat strolled into the room. Aidan instantly sneezed.

"How convenient." Audrey scoffed. Just her luck he was allergic to cats. Or was it the sight of a cat that  made him sneeze?

"What ..what is that?" Aidan eyeballed the cat.

"At least its not a rat." She shrugged as she went to get the brew ready. "I found him on the way home." She was sure of it. The cat was male. There was this slight dream in her head that he'd turn into James McAvoy after midnight and it would be best night of her life.

"What's his name?" Aidan asked as he made himself comfortable on the old couch that used to be on his mother's screened-in back porch.

"Um..Mac." Audrey pressed a grin. No need to let him in on this little dream of her's.

"Mac, the cat?" Aidan smiled.

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe." Finally, the water was hot enough. She made him tea.

"I did go to the library, looking for you." He told her.

"You, shouldn't have?" Audrey winced. She knew he was busy with the kinks of this divorce. "Sorry, I worried you." It felt a little ridiculous to call him on her cell. After all, he was in the house, and she lived above his garage.

"Do you even have a litter box?" He was worried about the cat, already.

"Oh, no." She hadn't thought of that. "I don't have cat food."

He looked at her as if this would be important if she were keeping a cat. If she did keep the cat, and if she saw posters out about the cat, she'd have to return it to its owner. Audrey promised she would.

"I guess we better go to the grocery store then." Aidan said, finishing up his tea.

Audrey went to grab some flannel pants and her hoodie.

"I'm not wearing a bra." She shouted from the other room.

"Is that suppose to be a turn on or something?" Aidan shouted back.

"No, I'm just saying..." She sighed, thinking it was always something she said to her mother so she wouldn't nag her about it. "Never mind."

James McAvoy would not appear after midnight, and she clearly wasn't trying to be anymore than a friend to Aidan.

6 comments: