Page 94 of Texting Dr. Stalker

I know the feeling, little buddy.

The cat meowed as if it’d been separated from her for years before snuggling in the hollow spot of her collarbone. Sailor sighed heavily and closed her eyes, hugging him back.

The moment was so intimate, I squeezed the back of my neck and dropped my gaze.

The suggestion that he’d already found his forever home danced on my tongue, but I didn’t want to scare her off. Plus…coming over to ‘collect him’ was a good excuse to see her again tomorrow.

“Why Penguin, by the way?” I cleared my throat, forcing myself to smile like a normal person and not a crazy fool.

For a second, she lost all fear of me and grinned. “I was throwing random words around, and he seemed to like it. I’ve already shortened it to Peng, though. The ‘guin’ is a bit of a mouthful.”

“And what does Peng mean?”

“No idea. But he’s Peng.” Cradling him, she backstepped toward her front door. “I’ll keep him overnight for you. I hope you get some sleep, Zander. You work too hard.”

Before I could reply, she spun and darted back inside.

* 25 *

Sailor

Surprise in the Letterbox

ME:I TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID before. It’s obviously made you uncomfortable and I’m sorry. Let’s forget about it.

I sat on the floor in the snug where I’d been watching a TV show on my tablet with Peng fast asleep on my lap. I should go to bed. It was late, and I’d officially done nothing all day but play with my new addiction known as the kitten. I’d barely been able to cook dinner without burning my chicken fillets, thanks to Peng bouncing around my countertops and batting at all the drying herbs.

How embarrassing that I’d almost cried when I’d handed him back to Zander. How stupid could I be to become so attached in just a few hours? But having little Peng spend the night with me? Having him knead my hair and purr? All those things were fast becoming my favourite things in the world.

What am I going to do tomorrow when Zander comes to collect him?

How early would he pop around? Was I really going to let him take Peng to the shelter?

Are you really ready for a pet though? Something reliant on you for everything? Something that will restrict your travel and other freedoms?

I scoffed at myself.

I’d never liked to travel, and what other freedoms? I’d successfully ensured I had none, but with Peng I already felt braver about the world. The house cracking—as the old walls cooled from yet another hot summer day—didn’t scare me nearly as much.

I didn’t feel as if I was being watched.

I wasn’t so afraid of being alone.

Peng’s head suddenly shot up, his little ears pricked toward the living room where the old box TV rested by the wall. The snug off to the side held a beaten-up tan couch and a low coffee table where we used to have Monopoly nights and Pops tried to teach me chess. It’d always been one of my favourite rooms to sprawl and read or do a puzzle.

Milton had preferred the living room to watch his sports. In a way, the snug was untainted and the urge to rip out all the furniture and carpet in the living room had me itching for daylight to continue my renovation.

Peng hissed just as the box TV sprang on, hissing back with snow and white noise.

I didn’t jump this time. I didn’t scream or have a panic attack.

The TV wasn’t Milton there to murder me.

It was the conduit from the woman I loved most in the world.

“Hey, Nana.” I grinned and plucked Peng off my lap and held him out to the empty room. “Say hi to Peng.”

The kitten stopped hissing and cocked his head as if hearing something otherworldly. They did say that was why cats were always favoured in folklore. The many myths hinting that they could sense ghosts and demons.

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