Page 14 of Meow

Noted. I’m not receiving a warm welcome, but I’d rather she give me an honest hard time than a fake smile. "I'm Tabby's new boss. I drove her home. She won’t be taking the bus ever again."

She takes a long breath, sizing me up. Fair enough. A man like me at her door warrants skepticism, and I appreciate the protectiveness.

But that's my job now, and the sooner Nana trusts me, the better.

"All right. Thank you," she says, stepping aside. "Would you like to come in?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Tabby grins as her grandmother steps back inside, and whispers, her fingers giving my arm a happy squeeze, "She likes you! I knew she would!" Which contradicts my impression, but I'll take it.

Inside, I spot another cat watching from the stairs.

"That's Gumball," Tabby explains, her eyes lighting up every time she sees one of the cats. "She's shy. I need to change and feed them. You'll be okay with Nana?"

"We'll be fine," Nana answers before I can. "Come sit with me, young man."

I hate that she’s going to be out of my sight even here where I’m sure she’s safe, but I follow Nana to a barely furnished sitting room. The house is clean but bare and desperate for repairs. My timeline for moving Tabby just accelerated.

The walls display Tabby at various ages—school photos, graduation, a newspaper clipping showing her in cat ears presenting an oversized check.

But the room itself is sparse—two mismatched armchairs, an ancient TV, worn carpet, and peeling wallpaper with claw marks along the bottom edge.

Mrs. Burrows gestures to a chair and takes the other. As I sit, she says bluntly, "I don't believe you."

"Excuse me?"

"I want the truth. You said making sure Tabby got back safely was all. I wasn't born yesterday."

I've had easier interrogations from men who wanted me dead. "You’re right."

"Good. I can't stand bullshit. What are your intentions toward my granddaughter?"

"I'm going to make her mine. If you want the truth, she’s mine already, I just need to seal the deal. She’s a handful, but I’ve got two big hands."

No sugar-coating for this woman.

"Does she know?"

I consider that. "I think she suspects."

"But you haven't told her?"

"No."

For a few heartbeats, I think she’s going to tell me to fuck off. And I really hope that doesn’t happen, because I don’t want to go to war with an old lady. “She’s everything to me, you hear me? You hurt that girl, you break her heart, and I’m going to hunt you down and make you scream for your mother before I’m finished with you. Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You have good manners. I like that.”

“Miss Burrows. No bullshit. I’m in love with your granddaughter. I’m going to take care of her.”

She stares for a moment, then nods. “I like that too. A man should know his own heart, and he should be man enough to admit it. Too many men these days are scared of everything.Scared of commitment, scared of opening up their hearts, scared of telling their girl that she’stheir girl, and nobody and nothing is going to take her away.”

“If anybody even tries to take Tabby away from me…” The thought has me grinding my teeth, and she nods.

“Good. Keep it that way and we won’t have a problem. When Tabby returns I’m going to ask you if you would like to stay to dinner. You’re going to refuse. I need an evening with my granddaughter while she’s still mine and not yours. Am I understood?”

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