Page 26 of When Annika Met Thom

But still.

More importantly, what could she do to make up for her stupid comment to Thom?

Annika showered and dressed, then took Percival on a shopping trip. They had a special onTitanicat the movie rental store, which she’d never seen, so she picked up a copy. The phone number of the apartment worked just the way Thom had said, which made her grateful for his kindness again.

She loaded up on provisions at the local grocery since Leo didn’t have any, then bought a teapot at the Korean take-out for her tea. She also bought provisions for making brownies, hoping they’d do as an apology. It was early afternoon by the time she got back and she fed Percival, then made herself a sandwich. It was a nice sunny day and her heart skipped a little when she saw it was almost noon.

Just a few more hours until she knew for sure.

But what a difference a day made. Instead of imagining great sex with Leo, she was wondering whether they’d break up.

It was a difficult possibility to even acknowledge. For twenty years, their joined future had been a given. What kind of person was she to question all of that because Leo was gone one day?

Annika mixed the brownies very thoroughly, taking out some of her frustration on the batter. She spread the batter in a foil pan and put it in the oven to bake, then put on the kettle.

It was when she was taking the tea bag out of the pot that it happened. She was sure she’d fastened the latch on Percival’s cage. She didn’t think twice when Cerberus stirred, stood, stretched, then sauntered closer to the cage. That tail was wagging as the dog bent down to sniff the cage. Cerberus was a bit more cautious than the day before, which made Annika smile. A lesson had been learned.

She didn’t worry when Percival hissed, sure that the ferret was safe in his cage. Cerberus wagged harder. Percival hissed louder. Cerberus gave a little yip, like she was inviting Percival to play, and bowed, her butt in the air and her chest on the floor, that tail swinging. She barked again.

Suddenly, something shot across the floor like white lightning, disappearing beneath the fridge so quickly that Annika might have imagined it.

She knew better. She spun to look, hoping she wouldn’t see what she expected.

The door to the cage was swinging.

No!

Annika dropped the spoon and the teabag. Cerberus bounded after Percival, crashing on the floor and shoving her nose against the gap at the bottom of the fridge. Her tail was swinging wildly and it was clear that she was convinced the game was on.

Annika dropped down beside the dog, trying to see under the fridge. Something white moved at the back, hissed, and vanished.

“Percival?” Annika knew that calling a ferret had just about no chance of making a difference.

She also had no hope of moving the fridge.

She tried.

She looked again but couldn’t spot him. She heard him hissing, though, and thought he was rustling through something. Were there gaps at the back of the cabinets? How far could he get from his hiding place?

She sat down, back against the cabinets and closed her eyes as she wondered whether he could get into the walls of the building. She might never find him again.

No. She wouldn’t panic.

She opened the cupboards and emptied them frantically, which didn’t take long because there were three pots and a measuring cup. Cerberus was ready to be a part of it, sniffing in the pots and nudging against Annika in her enthusiasm.

“He’ll never come out when you’re right here,” she told the dog, but her chances of moving the Great Dane away from such an interesting development were non-existent.

A long idle afternoon didn’t yawn ahead of her anymore. She had to get Percival back into his cage before he found trouble.

Too bad she’d fed him already.

* * *

Annika ateher lunch and let the brownies bake, reasoning that Percival needed a little time to get hungry again. Meanwhile, Cerberus repeatedly tried to wedge her paw into the gap under the fridge to take a swipe at the ferret. At least there was no doubting his location, given the sound of hissing from beneath the appliance. She couldn’t ask for help, though, since ferrets were illegal in Manhattan. She found herself wishing for Thom’s return, and told herself it was only because Leo knew zip about animals. She cleaned up, then crouched down beside Cerberus again.

There was a glimmer of white in the deepest shadows, against the back wall. Annika would not think about what kind of muck might be under the fridge or what unhealthy tidbits Percival might be finding to eat under there.

She tried all the kitchen tools available, even a flyswatter from the linen closet, in the hope of sweeping Percival out. No luck. She offered the last bite of her sandwich, knowing he was a fan of hummus, pushing it under the edge of the fridge. Cerberus nudged her aside and scored the bite, sliding her huge pink tongue under the fridge to capture it then sniffing as if Annika might be hiding more.

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