Page 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

NOPE, NOT QUALIFIED

ADELINE

Jezebel is massive. It’s only been a few weeks since we found out she’s pregnant, but apparently each trimester in Sphynx life is twenty days. That’s one area where they’ve lucked out.

Her pink, stretched-out belly drags on the floor when she waddles across the room, looking both smug and fatigued at all times.

It’s a Wednesday and we have a game at Clarity Field tomorrow night, so we’re enjoying a quiet evening at home.

My job is still in transition, but it’s gotten much more manageable now that Lorelai and I are sharing more responsibilities.

I’d still like to be home even more, but I want to finish out the year as is and then Lorelai and I can reassess.

I’ve been watching the kids playing outside, but I run inside to check on Jezebel.

I’m surprised to find Penn sitting cross-legged on the floor nearby, looking suspiciously focused on the cat.

He’s been reading about feline labor for weeks, paranoid that she’ll give birth on the couch or somewhere equally awful.

“Here you are,” I say.

“Yeah, I came in to go to the bathroom and this arrived.” He holds a box up and my eyes narrow.

“What is that?”

“It’s a pet birthing kit. I bought it online.” He lines up the supplies, studying each item carefully.

I sit down next to him, while Jezebel lounges on her side, her stomach twitching occasionally.

“Could be any day now,” he says, his tone very serious.

I press my lips together, trying not to giggle. He keeps me laughing about this cat, but now, instead of it being because he’s terrified of her, it’s how over the top he is with trying to prepare for the kittens. He won’t admit it, but I think he’s grown rather fond of her.

I’ve caught him practicing petting her, one finger at a time.

Jezebel flicks her tail and then flinches.

“Yep, you’ve been saying that every day this week.”

“But look at her.” He gestures at her belly, which is rippling like there’s a dance-off going on inside. “She’s ready.”

Just then, she lets out an agonized sound. Then another. Penn and I stare at each other.

“Oh my God. Is it happening?” I ask.

“I knew it,” he whispers.

She stands up—or tries to—and a wave of panic rolls over me because holy shit, this is actually happening. Penn scrambles to his knees as Jezebel circles once, twice, and then dramatically flops over with a heavy plop. Her tail thrashes.

“Okay,” Penn says in a gentle tone. He moves toward her carefully and barely shudders when he lifts her. “Let’s get you to a soft place, Jezzy.”

Jezzy?

Heart, mush.

I follow him as he goes to the laundry room, where he’s set up the portable crib he bought for this moment. The side even comes down on one side. He sets her in there like she’s so fragile and nods.

“You’ve got this,” he tells her.

Jezebel does not look like she’s got this. Her eyes are huge as she lets out a pained sound that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“I’ll be right back,” Penn says.

I watch as he rushes back into the living room and grabs the birthing kit.

“Good thing I bought this,” he says, grinning at me. And then he’s all focus, smoothing out the pad he’s put on top of a soft blanket.

“Should we call Dr. Amber?” I ask. “I feel extremely underqualified for this situation.”

“No, it’ll be okay.” He grabs a towel and scoots closer to Jezebel. “We just have to stay calm and let her do her thing.” His eyes are bright when he looks up at me. “Would you tell Sam I think it’s happening? He wanted to see this.”

I nod, backing up. “Maybe I’ll turn on a movie for Winnie, just in case she doesn’t want to see it?”

He grins at me reassuringly. “Sounds good.”

“How are you so calm right now?” I ask as I’m leaving the room.

“I have no idea,” he says.

When I go outside, Sam is playing tennis with himself against the house as Winnie dances nearby.

“Sam.” I motion for him to come closer and he jogs over. “I think Jezebel might be having her kittens.”

He gasps. “Is Penn with her?”

“Oh, he’s all over it.”

We grin at each other. It’s been a source of constant amusement for us to tease Penn about Jezebel.

“If you want to come in and watch, I’ll set a movie up for Winnie,” I tell him.

“Good idea. She does not love the sight of blood.” He moves toward the house, his level of excitement rivaling Penn’s.

I’ve gotten attached to Jezebel and am excited to see her kittens, but I’m nervous about the delivery part.

Once Winnie is happy with her movie and snacks, I go back to check on Jezebel. When I walk into the room, she’s stretched out and her legs are working back and forth as she pushes. Soothing music is playing and Penn is reassuring her.

“You’re doing so good,” he says.

It makes me emotional, seeing how sweet he’s being to her. My lip starts to tremble as I watch him calm her as she struggles and strains.

“It’s coming!” Sam’s eyes are wild. “I see something!”

It takes some time, but then—oh wow—a tiny, slimy creature slides most of the way out. Penn helps maneuver it the rest of the way with his gloved hands.

“Holy shit!” Penn laughs, holding the little body up for a second before he sets it in front of Jezebel. “We’ve got a baby!”

Jezebel immediately starts licking the kitten.

“That’s a good mama,” Penn coos.

“You did it, Jezebel. You did it,” Sam says.

“Whew. That is a lot of blood and fluids,” I say weakly.

Penn cleans Jezebel’s backside with pet wipes as I stare in shock.

“Who even are you right now?” I ask.

He grins like an absolute madman.

“Isn’t this the craziest thing you’ve ever seen?” His brows lift when Jezebel meows and starts shifting her feet. “Oh, I think we’ve got another one coming.”

He moves the kitten out of the way and covers it slightly with the blanket.

This time seems a little easier for Jezebel, but she stands and flops to her other side before we see signs of the next kitten.

Penn is ready this time. He gently massages Jezebel’s belly while she labors and helps the kitten the rest of the way out when it’s ready.

This one is smaller and wobbly, but Penn’s hands are steady as he places it in front of Jezebel.

“You’re like a cat doula,” I say in awe.

“They’re so cute!” Sam says. “Don’t you think so?” he asks Penn.

He leans in, as if he doesn’t want Jezebel to hear him, and whispers, “I still think they’re hideous looking, but there’s something very regal about our Jezebel.”

She keeps going and Penn stays calm the whole time, Sam too.

Penn moves the kittens a little closer to Jezebel and helps them latch on.

It takes the second one a little longer to nurse, but they have a few minutes near their mama before she starts shifting again.

I watch in awe as the third kitten squirms its way into the world.

We wait for a while and Jezebel stretches out like she’s completely spent. When nothing else happens, Penn looks at me.

“I think maybe she’s done.”

When she doesn’t budge, it seems like he’s right.

“They’re so tiny,” I say softly, watching the last one nuzzle into Jezebel’s side.

Penn throws his gloves away and scrubs his hands at the sink. As he’s drying his hands on a towel, he smiles down at the newborns. Setting the towel aside, he leans down. “You did amazing, Jezzy,” he murmurs, stroking her ear.

She’s exhausted but purring, and she nuzzles his hand, as if she’s thanking him.

He looks up at me, swallowing hard.

“Did you see that?” he asks, his voice raspy.

I lean over and kiss his cheek. “I could not love you more right now.”

His face is flushed and his eyes are luminous. “I love you . And this thing we’re doing…this life we’re building…it’s fucking intense.”

“You think?” I laugh and we hear Sam laughing next to us.

He reaches for Sam’s shoulder. “And this guy. Such a trouper.”

“So proud of you both,” I tell them. “There were a couple of times I thought I might faint.”

Sam grins at me. “But you didn’t.”

I lean over and kiss his forehead. “Nope, I sure didn’t. But I couldn’t have done what you guys did.” I point at Penn. “This guy helping pull those kittens out? No, just no.”

Penn looks down at the kittens. “Three of them. That’s a lot of mouths to feed.”

I lift my hand toward him. “Well…good thing we have a professional Sphynx handler in our midst.”

A little later, Penn has moved Jezebel’s bed into the living room so we can watch them. I’m on the couch peeking at them next to Winnie, and Sam and Penn are sprawled on the floor nearby.

My phone buzzes and it’s Goldie.

“Hey!” I answer.

“Hey.” She sounds breathless. “You will not believe what just happened.”

“What?”

“So, I’m walking to work and I see this turkey in the middle of the street. Cars are honking—it was by work, so imagine the neighborhood near Lake Nokomis…busy!—and the turkey just nonchalantly meanders across.”

“Oh no.” I laugh.

“And then…” She lowers her voice dramatically. “The turkey notices the mail carrier walking by and just…loses it.”

“What do you mean ‘loses it’?”

“It starts chasing him!”

I cover my mouth when a loud cackle comes out. I look over to see if it disturbed Jezebel and the kittens, but she’s as serene as a floating cloud now that the kittens are here.

“The man was sprinting, Adeline! And the turkey was keeping up.”

“Please tell me someone recorded this.”

“I wish! It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I’m still laughing when Goldie says, “How’s our pregnant vixen?”

“Well, I was going to call you in a little bit actually. We have three adorable kittens.”

She gasps. “No way!”

“Yep. She had them not too long ago.”

“Where are my pictures?”

“I will send some ASAP.” I giggle. “I’ll send you a video right now.”

I send her the video that I’ve probably watched ten times since recording it. It’s of Penn encouraging Jezebel and then helping get the first kitten out. I hear her play the video and gasp.

“Stop!” she shrieks. “Your hottie is a cat midwife too?”

We both cackle and I glance over at Penn, who has fallen asleep on the floor. His hand is on the lowered rail of the crib.

“He’s pretty perfect under pressure.”