I rolled my eyes as Ford gestured with a cookie at my little brother. He brushed a hand over some crumbs that had plopped onto his black cargo pants. “Exactly.”
Saving me from an answer, Matrix jumped down from the couch and plodded over to Raiden with a clack of his nails against the hardwood. Ford’s eyes widened as he raised his backwards baseball cap and slid some fingers through his wavy hair. A soft smile slid across his face as the dog brushed against my brother’s legs and then found his way over to Ford.
With his wriggling body full of excitement, Matrix’s tongue lolled from the side of his mouth as he stopped in front of the big man. “Hi there,” Ford said, his voice raising in pitch, and he leaned down, scratching the dog behind his ears. “Now, who are you?”
“That’s my new dog! His name is Matrix,” Raiden replied, leaning against the kitchen island and crossing his arms.
The grin immediately wiped off Ford’s face, and his gaze snapped to mine. Pulling my lips into a thin line, I offered him a quick, single nod. It hurt less, hearing that word. Hearing Raiden call to his dog no longer sliced a sharp sword through my heart. But the burning haze of remembering I’d never hear Duncan laugh or see him smile had yet to fade.
Ford raised slowly from the black-and-white dog, his square jaw knotting as he hesitantly pulled a wide-eyed stare back to Raiden. It seemed neither of us had been able to let go of things just yet, and that acceptance I’d thought I’d been experiencing in this strange journey of grief rumbled away as quickly as a gunshot.
“Matrix,” Ford muttered and shoved his hands in his pockets.
The cookies long gone, he chewed on nothing as he stared at the dog still wagging its tail by his feet. Raiden’s brows pulled together as he glanced between Ford and me, recognizing the same reaction I’d had. Yet, I’d never had the heart or energy to explain. I doubted I ever would.
A soft plunk sounded next to me on the counter, and a familiar brush of skin rubbed against my back. Ford’s eyes immediately lifted from Matrix as Muffin shoved herself beneath my elbow and stood on the edge of the counter.
Her bright green eyes darted up to mine as her tail slowly flicked back and forth. I set the mostly empty bowl off to the other side of me and lifted Muffin into my hands. Cradling her against me, I slowly slid my fingers down her back as she stretched out and quietly chattered.
“Needy,” I chastised and clicked my tongue. “I held you for like a fucking hour already.”
She stretched out and simply ignored my comment, settling in my arms.
“The fuck is that thing?” Ford blurted out.
“She is not a thing.” I shot a glare at him and pursed my lips. “Her name is Muffin, and she’s my cat.”
His jaw snapped open. “I’m sorry. Yours? When the hell did you get a cat?”
“Same time Raiden got Matrix,” I replied.
“And you named her Muffin?”
“She was already named that, and it fits her.”
“A cat who clearly gave you those scratches on your stomach fits the name Muffin? Why are you cuddling her right now knowing she might do that again?” His voice squeaked as he stared at the cat.
“Are you scared of her?” I continued to slide my fingers down her back.
“No.”
“Well,I have figured out that if she demands cuddles, you give them to her or you will get attacked. But then also if she is done with the snuggles you better let her go or she will do the same thing. And she only gives one warning before bringing out the claws. I call it the ‘slap chop’ ’cause first, it’s soft, then we get the danger knives from her,” I answered.
He shook his head. “That sounds semi-abusive, you know that?”
I nodded vigorously. “Yep. Pretty much.”
Ford slowly grinned and then let a deep chuckle ripple through his lips. “I don’t even know what to do with that kind of information.”
“Just accept it. I have.”
“Bernie also made Muffin her very own Kevlar so she can join you guys on your shit,” Raiden inserted.
Ford cackled even louder. “Of course he did. Tell me, it’s pink, isn’t it?”
“Damn fucking straight it is,” I replied.
“I expected nothing less.” Ford brushed at some dog hair that caught on his pants as Matrix wandered back to the couch and jumped up. Raiden followed after him, climbing onto the cushions and giving his pet some good scratches.