Elevator Kiss

“But they’re so playful! Easy care, soft, and so intelligent.”

“Ferrets have no merits for me. One ate my pet frog when I was a kid. It was hard to get over.”

Fair enough. “Do you have any pets right now?”

“Nah.” He looked at his shoes and then back at me. “But it’d be nice to come home to someone.”

The burning in his eyes didn’t suggest puppies. A MilkBone dog biscuit lodged in my throat.

“Tell me something, Calvin. Can you commit to … a pet?” I meant to me of course, not a kitten or a puppy or anything else.

This was it. How he answered would tell me everything I needed to know.

“Amanda, I—”

The door swung open. “Ah, lovely Americans. You’re still here.” Mrs. Gaffer held a fuzzy black ball in her arms. “I’ll take the dollar. This is much better.” She shoved it into my arms, snatched the dollar away from Calvin, and shut the door again. From behind it, we heard Good luck! followed by a cackle.

The warm fur in my arms began purring.