Page 38 of Blindsided
“Hiya, Freya.”
“Hiya, Roger.”
“Are you ready for this?” Roger asks, his eyes wide and excited as he makes his way to the back of the van.
Freya looks at me, tugging her ear nervously as she follows him. “If this is the part where I’m taken somewhere to sell my virginity off to the highest bidder, I’m afraid you boys could be disappointed at the price I bring in.”
My eyes narrow in silent warning, and she shrugs like she just can’t help herself.
Roger’s happy smile falls instantly. “I’m sure your virginity would bring in a smashing rate, ma’am.” Freya and I both freeze, staring back at Roger with dumbfounded expressions.
“Thanks for that, Roger,” Freya finally replies, turning to me with an amused look on her face.
“He just called you ma’am.” I chuckle and wince when Freya’s elbow connects with my ribs.
Roger opens the van door, and our attention shifts to the three pet carriers with wee cats inside.
“Oh my God!” Freya squeals and rushes over, nearly knocking Roger on his arse in hot pursuit. He looks a wee bit frightened as Freya exclaims, “Look at these beautiful creatures! I must have them all!”
Roger laughs awkwardly and turns to me with wide eyes. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
“Why? What do you mean?” Freya asks, not even looking back at him as she fingers the cages and lets the wee animals lick her through the metal barricades.
Roger clears his throat and does his best to sound professional. “These cats have already found loving homes, and today you’re going to help me deliver them to their new families.”
“Are you serious?” Freya asks, turning her gaze to me for more explanation.
I step forward, gripping the back of my neck nervously. “Roger works for a nonprofit organization I heard about from one of my teammates called Best Birthday Ever, and their job is to deliver rehabilitated pets as gifts. All the pets that are adopted through them have been rescued from kill shelters and rehabbed until they’re ready for proper homes. Basically, we get to help deliver three of them today and see the reaction of the receivers.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Freya says inelegantly, and her voice cracks at the end with barely contained emotion.
Roger and I both laugh.
“This is our date tonight? To give the gift of a pet?” Freya asks, tears filling her eyes before she turns to look at the wee kittens again. Her voice hitches to the octave of a wee babe as she coos into their cages, “How completely utterly, stupidly, wonderfully perfect of that big ox of a Scotsman. He’s not as scary as he looks. In fact, he’s a big cuddly teddy bear, isn’t he, you precious babies?”
Roger elbows me and gives me an enthusiastic thumbs up. I awkwardly give one back to him before he steps in and opens the first cage. He pulls out a black and white cat that looks a bit like a kitten still. He cradles it to his chest, and says, “This little fella is going to a girl name Shantay. It’s her tenth birthday, and it’s from her mum and dad.”
Roger thrusts the kitty into Freya’s eager hands and her eyes go wide. “We’re delivering the kitten now?”
He nods and points at the house behind us. “She’s right in there.”
“Stop,” Freya says, turning wide eyes to the house. “What do I say exactly? This is a huge moment, and I don’t want to screw it up for her.”
Roger smiles and reaches out to pet the cat. “Just say Happy Birthday from your mum and dad.”
“Oh my God, I’m so nervous!” Freya squeals, turning to me with obvious excitement all over her face.
“I’ll go with you,” I say, stepping up and wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
She looks up at me and nods her agreement, and we make our way to the front door.
“Oh, also!” Roger calls out as we finish crossing the street. “Make sure it’s the right girl before you give the cat away. I screwed that up once, and I still have nightmares about that awful day.”
The haunted look in Roger’s eye is unmistakable, but Freya is too focused on the cat to notice as she turns back towards the house. She scratches the side of his cheek and presses her lips to his furry head. “How did you come up with this idea, Mac?”
I shrug. “I just googled things to do in London with cats.”
Her shoulders shake with laughter. “And you found a place that lets just anybody deliver cats as presents?”
