lady grabs all my supplies and carries them to the SUV.
“Have a good day,” the lady shouts at us as she walks back to the store. Liz waves.
When we get into the SUV, I buckle myself carefully in the back seat and sit his carrier next to me.
The little man’s bright-green eyes fixate on mine. Despite everything going on around us in the SUV, he stares directly. Liz is nattering on about something and driving erratically, as usual. The cat carrier slides toward me on the corners, making his ears go back.
“It’s okay.” I stick my finger in the cage and wait for him to bring his face closer. He sniffs me, curious and maybe worried. I want so badly to pet him, but I know how cats are. You have to let them come to you.
“Hello?” Liz answers her Bluetooth before I realize the phone has rung.
“Hey, can you come back sooner? I have a showing. That couple from yesterday wants to put in an offer,” James says over the speakers.
“Yeah, of course. We got the cat,” Liz sings, excited.
“The black-and-white one?”
“Yes.” She’s more worked up over it than I am. “And oh my God, there was this white one. I want him.”
“Okay, we can talk about that later. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Fine.” Liz presses to end the call and speaks to me in the rearview mirror. “Are you going to be okay with me not coming in?”
“Honestly, I’m fine.” I turn to the car carrier. “We’re fine.” I am a “we.” My heart swells.
“Okay. The kids and I might come by tomorrow to see him if he’s calmed down enough.” She beams. “And if I’m persuasive enough I will be getting my own cat later.”
“The kids will be so pumped if James says yes to the white cat. And thanks for the help. Sorry I’m such a mess.” I’ve never apologized so much in my life as I have this year. It’s a lot, even for a Canadian.
“No problem.” Liz waves me off as she parks near the front door, in the visitor spot for the building. “I’ll text later and let you know how it goes with James.” She winks. “And either way, I’ll see you tomorrow. Text me pictures when he gets inside and starts sniffing and being weird.”
“Will do.” I open the door and lift the large plastic carrier up and out carefully by the handle.
“Is it too heavy?”
“No, I’m okay,” I answer. “I’ll take this to the door and come back for the rest.”
“Hey, let me get that! Doctor’s orders,” Sam calls out, running across the parking lot to me. He’s in his workout clothes again.
“Oh, that’s okay.” I try to brush him off, but he takes the stack of cat supplies from the trunk.
“Hi, Sam,” Liz calls from the driver seat.
“Afternoon.” His eyes widen as he sees what’s inside the carrier I’m holding. “Oh hello, sir. Aren’t you handsome?” He glances at me. “Who’s this?”
“He was named Romeo by the old lady who had him. I think we might keep the name.”
“Maybe she had the hots for Leo.” He laughs but I have no idea what he’s talking about.
“Leo?” I ask, following him to the door. “Bye, Liz. Thanks again,” I call back to my sister as I fish out my keys.
“Love you.” She gives me a worried look.
“You never saw Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo and Juliet when you were a kid?” Sam asks.
“Not ringing bells.” I open the door for him. Romeo meows.
“Okay, I don’t know how to feel about that. I’m disappointed but also kinda sorry for you. I mean, you’ve missed a level of hotness that you won’t be able to appreciate now. You’re old.”
“Wow.” I scoff and press the “up” button. “Old? You’re older. What does that make you? Ancient?”
“Twenty-nine plus taxes, of course.” He winks.
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes at him.
“How’s the head?”
“Fine,” I say but hold back the misery I still have with light sensitivity and headaches. I don’t want him to worry. I Googled and it said this was common. “How are you?”
“Better now that I know this handsome guy is going to be next door. Look at him.” He gushes over the cat who is now rubbing against the cage and trying to woo Sam.
“I meant with the Covid thing.”
“Not awesome. We’re prepping for it to hit here. When it does, I have an idea of how this will look. I was in school in Ontario right after SARS. We were definitely trained