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CONOR

“CONOR!”

Though I winced at the high pitch, I smiled as Katina came bursting through the doors to our office, screeching until she found her way to my desk, arms outstretched so when she barreled into me, she could immediately wrap me up in a hug.

That was when I heard a snarl from the hall.

“Goddamn cats!”

Katina grinned at me before she planted a sticky kiss on my cheek. “Star hates them now but they’re so cute, Conor. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you convinced her for me?—”

“Ow! You bast?—”

Katina’s grin turned into a laugh. “They keep scratching her.”

“Why?”

“She called them Ren and Stimpy.”

I chuckled. “So they’re offended?”

“I think so. I don’t know who they are?—”

“Gross cartoon characters from when we grew up.”

“I didn’t know they had cartoons when you guys were young.”

“Katina, exactly how old do you think we are?” I grumbled, pulling back at her in offense.

“Don’t ask her that question or you’re begging to be insulted,” Star growled from the doorway, one kitten dangling from her shirt by its claws and the other hissing and swiping at her with every step she took. “Katina, they’re your kittens. Why am I the one carrying them?”

“Seems like they’re doing most of the heavy lifting.”

She glowered at me. “Shut up. This is your fault.”

Katina skipped away from me and started cooing at her pets. Within a couple moments, she had them purring in her arms, both tucked together against her chest as they relaxed.

Star gaped at her. “Why didn’t you do that earlier when Stimpy tried to bite me?”

“Her name isn’t Stimpy. It’s Suzette.”

“Stimpy’s a better name,” was Star’s bland retort as she rubbed her arm where the kitten had scratched her by the look of things.

“What’s the other cat’s name?”

Star grimaced. “Wait for it…”

“Crepe.”

“As in… Crepe Suzette?”

“Lily served it for dessert and it was so yummy. They’re the color of it too! Yellow and cream.”

“I agree that Ren and Stimpy are much better names.”

Star sniffed. “I have superlative skills at picking names.”

“You do,” I concurred. To Katina, I shook my head. “You don’t.”

She huffed. “They’re my kittens.”

“And you can call them Crepe and Suzette and we’ll call them Ren and Stimpy because after a few weeks of changing that litter box, I can guaran-damn-tee that’s going to be a chore you ‘accidentally’ forget to do,” Star grumbled, but she sounded more resigned than annoyed.

Still, Katina didn’t seem nervous at being in what was her new home. That was a bonus that came from the cats breaking the ice when she put them down on the floor and they immediately took off toward the door.

As she ran toward them, Star called out, “Make sure they use the couch in the living room as a scratching post!”

“Hey!” I argued.

“That couch is miserably uncomfortable. It’s like Captain America’s uniform—overpadded and too good to be true.”

“I thought Katina was supposed to be the queen of insults.”

“She is but she came by it honestly— me .”

Grinning, I asked, “How did it go in West Orange?”

“It went.”

“That bad?”

“No, just…” She cleared her throat. “I should have mentioned it before but they want us to come to a party.”

“Okay. We can do that. A family one?”

“It’ll probably be a house party.”

“Thank God. Their last BBQ ended with Savvie and Aidan getting kidnapped.”

“Yeah, well, they’ll be tucked up safe and sound in Hell’s Kitchen so that won’t happen again.”

“You know what I mean.”

She rolled her eyes. “I do.”

“When is it?”

“Couple weeks’ time. After everything’s calmed down.”

“How’s Alessa taking the move?”

“Think she’s ready for a break. She’s only a young kid herself and she has to deal with Maverick’s illness. Throw in Kat and two kittens and she needs a vacation.”

“She knows she’s welcome to visit us anytime, right?”

Her smile was sheepish. “You’re too good, you know that?”

“Makes up for how naughty you are.”

A gleam appeared in her eyes. “You like me when I’m naughty.”

“Bet your sweet ass?—”

“STAR! Suzette peed on the rug!”

She growled under her breath. “I showed you the litter box! And since when do cats pee on rugs? That’s for dogs!”

When she stormed off after her, both of their shouts breaking up the still silence of only moments before, a dopey smile quirked along my lips as I rocked back in my chair.

I wasn’t meant for silence.

I’d been the middle child in a large family—chaos was in my bloodstream.

That didn’t stop me from wincing when a loud crash sounded in the living room and Kat yelled, “Sorry, Conor!”

Despite the fact I'd curated everything in my apartment, I had to smile at the sounds of life both women brought to it.

God, it was good to have them home.