Page 133 of Don't Make Me Beg
“Oh my goodness. I can’t believe how perfect she is,” Scout squeals. “L.O.K.I. is going to be so excited!”
I didn’t think I could get wrapped around her finger any tighter than I already was, but seeing how giddy she is right now has made me realize that I’ve severely underestimated the power this woman has over me. Because I can’t think of a single thing I wouldn’t do to make her smile like that.
She’s got this glow to her now, a light behind her eyes that wasn’t there before. I can’t get over how much more relaxed she is. She looks so fucking happy.
And she isn’t the only one. My damn face is sore from how much I’ve smiled today. I didn’t even know that was possible.
We make our way up the steps, and I’m careful not to jostle the box too much as I open the door. “L.O.K.I.” I call out as I step inside. Scout slaps a hand over her mouth to cover her excited grin.
“Everything all right Mr. Luka?” L.O.K.I. replies, a hint of suspicion in his tone.
“Relax, L.O.K.I., you’re not in trouble.”
“Oh. Thank goodness. Is there something I can do for you?”
I kick the door closed as Scout and I make our way into the living room. Avengers End Game is playing on the TV, and L.O.K.I. quickly switches it off. “Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you’d be back so soon. I figured you were busy since you weren’t responding to my texts.”
“I was busy,” I say, ignoring the sass in his tone as I set the Spiderman wrapped box on the floor. It was the best I could do on short notice, and the only superhero-themed wrapping paper Market carried.
“What is that? I don’t recall it being anyone’s birthday.” L.O.K.I. asks. A moment passes, then he finally says, “Wait a second… is todaymybirthday?”
“Not exactly. But this is for you,” I finally say just as the tiniest mewl comes from the box.
“Why is my present making noises?”
Rather than answering him, I lift the lid, and Scout pulls out a tiny, black and orange kitten.
The kitten lets out a louder mewl of protest as she wiggles against her chest, probably telling us she didn’t appreciate being trapped in that dark box for the last five minutes.
“You got me a kitten!?” L.O.K.I. screams in excitement, making all the lights in the house flicker. “You got me my very own pet? I can’t believe it!”
I’ve always wanted a pet of my own, but I was hesitant to commit to it. Work has kept me so busy these past few years, and the last thing I wanted was to bring an animal home just to leave it alone all day. Not to mention L.O.K.I., who keeps getting into trouble with his insatiable curiosity.
But after his last escapade with the online dating scandal, I realized he needed something more to keep him occupied. Notjust the random research tasks I give him, or his unlimited access to all the streaming networks.
Maybe it’s because now I have Scout around, and I’d never realized how nice it’d be to come home to someone at the end of the day. To share a meal together and spend time with.
But what he needed couldn’t have been more obvious.
What L.O.K.I. needed was a companion.
So after running it by Scout and making sure she was on the same page and ready for the commitment, we left brunch and headed straight to the local animal shelter.
My mom’s been volunteering there for years and already had the perfect kitten in mind.
We both fell in love the moment we saw her and knew she was always meant to be ours.
“Well, what do you think?” Scout asks, holding the kitten out to give L.O.K.I. a better look. “She’s a tortie. Isn’t she adorable?”
“I love her! I love her so much. This is the happiest day of my life!”
For some reason, hearing my precocious AI so beside himself with excitement does something to me. I feel my throat grow thick with emotion.
“What’s her name?”
Scout and I share a look. “Well, we were thinking you could name her.”
“Hela, ”L.O.K.I. says immediately. “Her name is Hela.”
