Page 199 of Sweet Dominion

He opened the first slip of paper and checked the name written on it.

An intriguing smirk appeared on his face.

Then, he jotted that tally down in his notebook.

Whose name was it?

Dima unfolded the second slip of paper with a knowing smile and nodded.

Just then, a streak of a white paw darted out trying to bat at Dima’s pen.

Dima smiled at Barbara Whiskers who had her gaze targeting on his pen.

Rose laughed.

Showing patience that I didn’t even know he had, Dima gently nudged Barbara's paw away with his free hand and returned to writing down the tally.

But Barbara was persistent.

With the next swipe of his pen, she pounced again, this time her paw collided with his hand just enough to make a mark stray across the paper.

Dima scowled at her. “Do you want to vote?”

Her tail flicked energetically as she prepared for another round between her and the pen.

Dima gave it a third attempt.

Barbara pounced again, her paw clumsily batting at Dima's pen.

He chuckled, setting the pen down beside the tally sheet and teasing her with a gentle flick of his fingers along her whiskers. "Are you auditing my count, or just after my pen?"

The cat meowed and her tail twitched with excitement.

Soon, she shifted her attention between Dima's fingers and the fallen pen.

Dima continued to play along and glanced at Rose. "I give up.”

Grinning, Rose took the pen and notebook from Dima. “I’ll do it, while you give her some attention.”

Right as I was about to check to see what Moni and Jo were giggling about, Chen spoke much too loudly. "You know, Fen, in the vibrant, all-consuming tapestry of this lovely evening woven only by God and who knows who else, your presence, your lovely presence is like a breathtaking thread glowing. Golden. Unmistakable. Bright. It is my. . .favorite thread in this. . .tapestry."

What the fuck did he just say?

I eyed them.

“Well. . .” Fen blushed. “Thank. . .you. . .”

Chen blinked in horror. “Did that make sense?”

Fen nodded. "Yes. That was. . .awesome.”

“Are you sure?”

"You really see things in a unique way."

Chen smiled. "So, poetry does have its place tonight?"

Fen nodded. "It does, especially when it’s as heartfelt as yours."

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