Page 89 of Unlocking Melodies

I was about to defend my clearly underappreciated balloon artistry when movement caught my eye. Clark was crossing the clearing. His broad shoulders and perfect posture made him look like he'd stepped straight out of a comic book, an effect only slightly undermined by the pet carrier he was awkwardly holding.

He stopped in front of me, shifting the carrier like he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. “This is for you.”

I stared at him, then at the carrier, then back at him. “Is this some kind of initiation ritual? Do all new residents get mystery pets?”

A slight blush crept up his neck. “Actually, Ethan adopted her for you. He wanted it to be a surprise.”

“He what?” My voice definitely didn't crack on that question.

The carrier moved, and a soft meow emerged. My heart did something complicated in my chest as I remembered that day at the cat cafe - the fluffy ragdoll with striking blue eyes who'd seemed to choose me.

“Luna?” I asked softly.

Another meow confirmed it. Clark set down the carrier, and I knelt to look at it.

A whirlwind of emotions crashed through me as I stared at the carrier - confusion, disbelief, and something warm thatbloomed in my chest like spring flowers. My hands trembled slightly as I reached for the latch, every video call from the past week replaying in my mind. Not once had Ethan hinted at this, not a single tell in all our conversations.

“She's gorgeous,” I managed around the sudden thickness in my throat.

“She's yours,” Clark confirmed with a gentle smile that made him look even more like his comic book counterpart. “Ethan didn’t want to change her name and thought Luna suited her. Something about moonlight and new beginnings.”

Luna chose that moment to make her grand entrance, emerging from the carrier with the kind of dignity only cats can manage. She paused, considered her options, then proceeded to give my face an extremely thorough inspection with her sandpaper tongue.

“Well,” Nina commented, definitely not wiping away tears, “I guess that's her seal of approval.”

The small crowd that had gathered let out a collective “aww” that probably carried all the way to The Watering Hole.

Mrs. Henderson, never one to waste an opportunity or let anyone escape festival duty, immediately commandeered Clark's superhuman strength for heavy lifting. “Those pumpkins won't arrange themselves, dear,” she announced, dragging him away despite his protests about needing to get back to the cafe.

“But I have to-“

“The cats can wait five minutes. These gourds need proper placement for maximum seasonal impact.”

I laughed through my own tears, watching Clark resign himself to his fate. Some forces were more powerful than superstrength, and Mrs. Henderson's event planning enthusiasm was definitely one of them.

Luna settled into my lap like she'd always belonged there, purring up a storm while I tried to both pet her and finishmy balloon duties. Mrs. Henderson had apparently decided that having a cat was no excuse for subpar decoration standards.

“The orange ones still go with the yellow ones,” she called out, pausing in her Clark-directed pumpkin arrangement. “Even if you do have an adorable assistant now.”

Luna's tail flicked dismissively at the concept of color coordination, which pretty much summed up my feelings on the matter too.

My phone buzzed again - another message from Ethan.

Ethan

I take it from Mrs. Henderson's extremely detailed updates that Operation Cat Delivery was successful?

I managed to type back one-handed, my other hand busy giving Luna the attention she clearly felt was her due.

Me

You're incredible. She's perfect. Though Clark might never recover from being drafted into festival decoration duty.

His response made me laugh out loud.

Ethan

Small price to pay for love. Besides, I'm pretty sure he can handle a few pumpkins. Unless kryptonite is secretly orange...

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