Page 89 of Delayed Penalty

“An animal doctor.”

“That’s right.” Rory grins. “And as an animal doctor, sometimes people bring me pets they don’t want anymore or can’t take care of.”

“That’s what happened to me,” my niece whispers, and I grip the doorknob so tight my knuckles turn white.

Fuck my brother and his stupid fucking face.I’m glad he’s in jail so he can’t mess this little girl up more than he already has. He doesn’t deserve her. He never fucking did.

Rory’s eyes well up with tears, but she blinks them away as quickly as they came. “Well, then I guess you and this little creature have something in common.”

She holds the pumpkin bucket out, and Flora cautiously—oh so cautiously—steps forward and takes a look inside.

One.

Two.

Three.

That’s how many seconds it takes before she lets out the loudest shriek I’ve ever heard.

“A kitten!” she yells. “You got me a kitten!” She looks up at me. “You got me a kitten?”

I nod. “I got you a kitten.”

“But I thought you said…”

“I know what I said,” I say, dropping down to her level, “and I was wrong to not hear you out. So I thought about it”—I look over at Quinn, who isn’t as composed as Rory and is definitely wiping away tears, before I turn back to Flora—“and I decided you’reready for one. Youdeserveone because you’re the best kid I know.”

It’s lightning fast, so quick I don’t even see it coming. Flora flings her arms around my neck, and she squeezes me so tight I can barely breathe, but I don’t care.

She’s hugging me.

Flora is hugging me.

She’s never hugged me before, and I never realized how badly I needed it. Emotion climbs up my throat, robbing me of the ability to say anything as I squeeze her back just as tight, letting go far before I’m ready.

“Thank you, Uncle Adam.”

“You’re welcome, kid.” I sniffle, hoping like hell Lawson isn’t going to make fun of me for it later. “You want to hold her?”

“It’s a her?”

Rory laughs. “Yes, she’s a girl. I can teach you how to hold her properly if you’d like.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

I wave Lawson and Rory into the house, and they take Flora over to the couch. Rory talks to her about what to expect and how best to hold the kitten before pulling the black ball of fuzz from the Halloween bucket, coaching Flora as she takes hold of the little creature. She smiles down at it, happier than I’ve everseen her before, and that includes the time we let her getthreedifferent flavors of ice cream.

“Hi, Pickles. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Pickles? Is that her name?” Rory asks.

Flora nods.

“Why Pickles?”

“Because I love her like I love pickles, and I love picklesa lot.”

I laugh. It’s perfectly Flora.

---