Page 60 of See Me

I hear another little squeak and get up to look through the glass door and make sure I didn’t leave the TV on or something. When I turn to sit, I hear a very distinct little meow. I turn in circles and search the entire patio for the little noisemaker. I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight, sweeping it back and forth. I look behind the potted plants, under the table and chairs, and scan the railings.

“I can’t find you, little kitty.” I click my tongue and wait for the next meow. I turn when I hear the sound coming from the patio next door. At least six feet separate the railings and when I shine my light through the plants I see two glowing orbs shining back at me.

“Oh, hey there. Is that you making all that noise?”

The little gray kitten with a rhinestone collar answers by rubbing her head on the railing back and forth. She leaps up to balance on the railing.

“Oh no. Get down before you fall.” I shoo her with my hand, hoping she’ll get scared and jump down. She dips her head and looks like she’s winding up to jump. I put my hands up, as if that would stop her. I lean over the railing and my head spins at the dizzying height and space she has to leap to land safely. I grab my head to steady the spinning.

How old was that wine? Wait, that’s not how that works. It’s not milk. How strong was that wine? And where do I get more? If I can get this buzzed off less than a glass, that’s my new go-to beverage.

The little kitty bobs her head up and down and lets anothermeepout right before she jumps.

She lands with a small thump on the wide wooden railingand traverses the edge over to me. I hear the purr before she graces me with a vibrating rub along my arm.

She looks up.Meow.

“You’re right. I should’ve believed you. You obviously know what you’re doing.”

“Tuesday?” I look up when I hear the word coming from the patio next door.

“Tuesday?” I say to the little fluff ball trying to climb in my robe. “That’s a random word to be calling out, isn’t it.” I hiss through my teeth when the kitten essentially climbs the front of my robe and her razor-sharp kitten claws dig into my chest. I giggle when she nuzzles my neck and purrs in my ear. “Okay, you’re forgiven.”

The neighbor’s patio door slides open and I duck behind the plants. I don’t need to meet my neighbors wine drunk and sweating through my robe. I cradle the cat and shush her ear.

“Tuesday? Where are you?”

“Oh, wait,” I whisper. “That’s you. Crap. Crap.” The cat came from that patio. Of course, that’s probably her owner. Tuesday didn’t strike me as a cat’s name. Kind of cute, actually. And now I’m ducking behind a bush, hiding, like a kitty thief.

“Tuesday? C’mon little one.”

That voice.

No.

No, no, no.

I look down at her and she opens her mouth but no sound comes out. Like she knows we’re hiding and doesn’t want to blow our cover. “You little…” I don’t even know what. Now I have to stand up, looking a hot mess, and give him back his cat.

And this day started off so well.

I hear him moving around his patio. “C’mon, Tuesday.” He’s sliding furniture and clicking his tongue.

Don’t think about his tongue.

I stand up and peer around the plants. He’s wearing sweatpants and nothing else. Tattoos on full display in all his bare-chested glory.

Fuck me.

I mean, fluff me?

No, that doesn’t work.

I step out from behind my wall of plants. “I’m assuming this little one's name is Tuesday?”

He spins around at my voice and purses his lips when he sees the kitten cradled near my neck.

I absently stroke the cat’s fur and keep my eyes down. “I didn’t know we were neighbors.”

---