The Dommes by Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings

Author:Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings [Dane, Cynthia & Billings, Hildred]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barachou Press
Published: 2024-07-30T00:00:00+00:00

Ira opens her door to find me holding a cat.

She promptly attempts to close it again.

“Hey!” I whack my hand against the door and squeeze through the tight opening, scoffing. The cat in my arms wiggles, but I made sure to pick out the most docile one. A cute black and white female with what looks like a patch over her eye and a heart on her butt.

“What is that?”

I face Ira, kitten prominently in my arms. “It’s a cat, dumbass. Thought maybe we could have a play date with our kitties.”

Sure enough, her cat perks up from the couch, stretching and pretending that it doesn’t care about the new feline intruder.

“I’m not sure if you’re crazy or just batshit.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t get her for you.” I cuddle the kitty against my chin. At this very moment, I have Annie out buying everything I need for a kitty. Beds. Bowls. Food and flea medicine. Brushes. Oh, and a litter box. And litter.

I’m very dedicated to this cat I surreptitiously plucked from another woman’s basket.

“What brought this on? I didn’t think you were into animals.” Ira leans against her kitchen counter, drinking coffee. She’s dressed like she’s about to go to a meeting. It’s hot but doesn’t scream “fuck me now” like her usual outfits. I don’t get the vibe she’s in the mood. Fine with me. I’m only stopping by for a minute.

“I like animals. Just because I didn’t have one before now…”

“All right, all right.”

My smile won’t get off my face. “Her name is Sinéad.”

“Sinéad?”

“What? At least you can pronounce this name. Unlike, uh…” Her cat is draped along the back of the couch, waiting for me to fuck up its name.

Ira does not look amused. “Saoirse.”

“Seer-sha…”

A meow sounds in the not-far-off distance.

“So, let me get this straight.” She doesn’t offer me coffee. She doesn’t kiss me hello. This Ira Mathison is the one I’ve known for years, although there were no problems with me strolling in like I belong here. “You randomly get a cat that looks like it could be related to mine… and also give it an Irish name.”

“I was inspired, okay?”

“Apparently.”

“You make it sound like I don’t know how to take care of a cat. I’ll have you know that my mother had tons of them while I was growing up. One even spent most of its time in my room when it got old. Okay, so I’ve never cleaned out a litter box before…” I see it, Ira. I see you grinning behind your coffee cup. “But I’ve got a cleaner to help me with that. I know how to feed and love on a kitty. Hey, I’ve put up with you before, haven’t I?”

“Har, har. You’re so funny, Kathleen.”

“What’s gotten into you?”

She gestures her cup toward me. “Not pussy, that’s for sure.”

“Tasteful.”

“Fine. I suppose I’m annoyed because…”

“Kathleen!”

Oh, no.

I hear Carolyn’s voice long before I see her out of the corner of my eye. There she is, the woman who used to look at me as an equal, if not a younger version of herself.

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