Page 99 of Claimed By my Father's Enemies
I open the door. It walks straight past me to the kitchen island and jumps up like it lives here.
"Well, don't be shy," I say. "Make yourself at home."
The cat looks at me. Looks at the fridge.
Sienna comes in first. She stops in the doorway, her voice going immediately warm and slightly ridiculous: "Oh, you are faaaat. Adrian has been feeding you too much."
Adrian is right behind her and his face tightens when he sees the cat, something moving through him in a fraction of a second before it's gone. His eyes go from the cat to Sienna.
"You have to feed him healthier things," Sienna is saying, stroking the cat's back. "He is chunky."
"I haven't been feeding him anything." Adrian's voice is slightly careful. "He hasn't shown up since..." He looks at Sienna. Stops. "Since the morning after I drove you to get your truck at Dev’s."
Something happens between them. A look, a small pause. Sienna's hand slows on the cat and then starts again.
I lean over, pick up the cat by the front paws, and hold him facing me. Take a proper look.
I set him down. Look at both of them.
"You two need to go back to the biology classes. This is a very pregnant lady cat."
Adrian stares.
Sienna turns immediately to the fridge, takes out the milk, finds a saucer, fills it, and kneels on the floor to place it carefully.
I pat Adrian on the shoulder. "It seems you are going to be a grandparent."
"It's not my cat." he says.
He says it with the conviction of a man who is already working out where to put the litter box.
I look at my watch. "We are officially late. I think it's best if we grab breakfast on the go."
"Yeah," Adrian says. He's still looking at the cat. "Probably best."
"Come on. We'll take my car."
Sienna turns from the floor where she's crouched beside the milk saucer and gives me a look.
"Right," she says. "Cause it will be totally normal to arrive at site in a Bentley Flying Spur." She blows a raspberry. "We will take my truck."
I look at her face. I have an internal debate on whether this is a fight I want to have, which takes approximately two seconds.
"Fine," I say. "But let's go." I start toward the door.
Adrian falls in behind me and when he gets close enough he drops his voice: "That's not a truck. That's a rusted death trap."
"I heard that." Sienna says from the doorway.
Adrian grimaces. Turns back toward the kitchen. Stops at the sofa where the cat has already relocated and is arranging herself among the cushions like she has been living here for years.
He looks at the cat for a long moment. Then he goes back to the fridge and takes out more milk and the brie, which he sets out carefully on the coffee table.
He stands there and points at her. "Behave."
We don't wait to see if she listens.
By four in the afternoon I’m feeling exhausted as I survey how much we have done so far..
