Crazy about the Cat Lady by J.T. Marie

Author:J.T. Marie [Marie, J.T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Published: 2018-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Dayla finds she quickly falls into a routine. Every morning after breakfast, she heads over to Keri’s to check on the cats. The first few days she fusses with her appearance, making sure every hair is in place and her makeup is perfect, but when she discovers Keri isn’t there to see the trouble she’s gone to, she stops bothering. Instead, if she isn’t heading to the salon afterward, she wears a bra under the T-shirt she slept in and a pair of jeans out of the hamper, and her hair up in a messy bun.

Who’s she kidding? She still looks cute. But Keri must leave at the crack of dawn because she’s never home when Dayla swings by.

The first time she comes over, Dayla feels a little weird, as if she’s breaking into the house and sneaking around. Her key opens the side door by the mudroom, which adds to her feeling of wrongdoing. As she steps inside, she calls out, “Keri?” but the house is empty.

Except for the cats, of course. She checks on mama cat first, but there’s plenty of food and water and Missy still looks huge, so no kittens yet. Thank God. She isn’t completely sure how she’s going to react when the babies do come, but she knows she isn’t ready for them on day one. Or, hell, day one hundred, either. How long do cats stay pregnant anyway? With luck, Keri might even have the pool finished by then.

Or no. On her way up the stairs to check on the other two cats, Dayla pulls up Google on her phone only to discover the answer is about sixty-five days. So that’s what, two months? Ish. And Keri hasn’t even broken ground on the pool yet, whereas mama cat is about ready to pop.

So it isn’t a matter of if but when. And Dayla seriously hopes it happens overnight, when Keri’s here and she isn’t.

Though who knows? Maybe I’ll be here, too.

Who’s she kidding? If Keri isn’t going to be home when she stops by, Dayla may never see her again. For all she knows, their future communications may be by text or notes left in an envelope with her check at the end of the week.

The cats upstairs barely acknowledge her presence. Dayla scoops their litter, refreshes their water bowls, and gives them half a can of wet food each. She tries to pet them as they eat, but Sable moves out of reach and Juju growls in warning. So Dayla goes back to the kitten room to scoop Missy’s box. “At least you like me,” she says, rubbing the large, furry belly, and Missy purrs in agreement.

Before she leaves, she takes a photo of the calico, relaxing on its back in the sunbeam, and texts it to Keri. Everyone ok here. Have a great day!

The reply is almost instantaneous, a smiley face and two words. YOU TOO!!

Dayla grins. How cute is that?

* * * *

In the evenings Dayla does the whole thing again, swinging by on her way home from work.

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