While I acknowledge having Claudine take care of the finer cleaning and shopping and even prepping dinners from time to time, we mesh on the finer things. Like when I need to escape into playing the piano, or giving Bethany time to read, or even better, when we come together to binge watch shows or movies all cuddled up on the couch, we fit. Tonight, though, will probably be our first hurdle, which is why I’m stacking it in my favor by bringing home something I hope puts her in a good mood.
When I open the door I can hear pop music coming from what Bethany has dubbed the library, which means Bethany is reading on the overstuffed chair in the room. The door is open and her eyes are already on me as I round the corner. I love watching her face light up as she catches sight of me, then her eyes shift to the carrier.
“What did you do?” she whispers.
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” I set the carrier down on the floor, then sit down beside it. Mittens meows her displeasure at not being set free now that she’s not moving.
Bethany gasps. “A kitten?”
“Open up and see,” I invite her.
She pushes the ottoman out of the way to give her more room to sit down in front of the carrier. Another gasp. “Two? A kitten and her momma?”
“Not quite. I went in for the kitten, but Maude and Mittens had a connection. Maude has been there for almost a year since she’s a granny cat no one wanted to adopt her. I didn’t have the heart to separate them, as ever since Mittens got there over the last month, Maude has been taking care of her.” Finally, the carrier is opened. Mittens sniffs at the opening and glances up at me. “They are rag dolls. I asked for a cat that was like a dog, and they said these two were it.”
She groans as Mittens makes a run for it and clambers into my lap. “Oh my god, she is adorable. I’ve never seen cats like these, they have the coloring of Siamese but are super fluffy.” Maude peeks her head out, looking for Mittens. “Hi, gorgeous, you have the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.” Maude sniffs Bethany’s fingers then rubs her head over them, letting Bethany know she can pet her. “How could no one want you?”
Maude declares Bethany good and climbs onto her lap. “I think she likes you.”
“I love her. Thank you so much.” Her voice goes up on the last word. “I am not going to cry.” Her eyes glisten though. Mittens goes alert and jumps off me and over to Bethany. A meow of question and she’s on Bethany’s lap, purring as she bumps her head against Bethany’s chest.
“You know I hate it when you cry.” I pull her toward me. Her eyes glitter like emeralds up at me. This is the first time they’ve been such an intense green when I wasn’t deep inside her. I did good.
“Sorry, I’m happy. I really am. Thank you. I love
them.”
The doorbell goes. “Okay, that’s all their supplies from the pet store. What do you think about making this their room? Putting the litter boxes in here and one of the cat trees?”
“One of their cat trees? How many did you get them?”
I go red. “A couple. I might have gone overboard. I want them to be happy here, and this is a big place. Be back in a minute.”
The guys from the pet store were smart enough to bring a flat-lying dolly to hold the three large cat trees, two cat hammocks, two litter boxes and water fountain, plus a mountain of cat toys, food, and treats. One cat tree and the litter boxes go in the library, and the rest goes into the open family area. It doesn’t take long to get everything sorted out.
We spend the rest of the evening, with a small break for dinner, unpacking everything and putting together the cat trees. Bethany is like a kid at Christmas, all smiles and laughter, and I’m too damn happy to bring up what I was supposed to.
We’re lying in bed completely spent from making love. I’m reaching over to turn off the light on the bedside table when Bethany sighs. “So are you really not going to tell me what’s made you all tense tonight?”
Damn, she knows me better than I thought. I leave the light on as I look down at her. “Che wanted me to get a free doctor’s office going, for you to practice in after you get licensed. It’s up and running now, a mobile office on the southside. I wanted to take you down there tomorrow to talk you into working there.”
A groan and she’s pushing up to look down at me. “I can’t believe you and Cesare sometimes.”
“How is this a bad thing exactly? We got more funding from a few other places in town and a huge amount of donations from corporations for supplies we need. Not just you but the other nurses will get significantly better than the average salary out there, which is frankly ridiculous. Do you know Cook County only wants to pay forty-five thousand for a PA and nurse practitioners, and forty thousand for a registered nurse? Fuck that shit, you can’t live off that in Chicago.”
She collapses on my chest, and I hug her tight. “It’s already done. You already hired people?”
“Yeah, there’s a huge need. We weren’t going to wait for you to say no or yes. We did it so you would have a place to practice for sure, but it’s also to help the community—that’s the whole point of the foundation.”
“I swear, sometimes it’s like you’re trying to make me crazy.”
“I’m not trying, promise.”
“Fine. I’ll go with you tomorrow. Thank you again for Mittens and Maude, they are the best guilt present you could have ever gotten me.”
I kiss her. “I knew you’d chuck jewelry at me. I was pretty sure you wouldn’t throw a kitten.”
“How did I ever get so lucky to land someone so smart and beautiful as you?”