Page 106 of The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down
“What’s going on, Ace? What’s wrong?” I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know he’d been crying.
The teen wiped his eye with the back of one hand. “I, um… I was wondering if you… do you think… um…” He took a deep breath, clearly centering himself, then glanced down at the kitten and kissed its little head before glancing at me and away again as he spoke.
“Do you think you could maybe… take care of Confetti for me? She’s really sweet and well-behaved, and I took her to the vet last week to get dewormed and the shots she was old enough for.But she… she’s still a baby and still needs a bottle, and I just… I don’t think I… I can’t… I don’t… have the money to…” He took a shuddering breath. “I can’t take care of her the way she deserves. She needs a good home. And you’re so good with your pets, so I thought maybe…”
Even though I didn’t want to read his emotions, I knew the kid needed some comfort, so I reached over and gave his forearm a squeeze.
Despair. Grief. Dread.
Stress. Anxiety. Worry.
Hopefulness.
I pushed past his overwhelming emotions and tried my best to focus on what was right in front of me. “Hey, it’s okay, Ace.” I glanced at Winter, and he gave me a nod before I refocused on the kid. “We can help.”
Tears spilled over onto his cheeks, and his wet eyes finally met mine. “Really?”
The hope in him grew, almost taking over all the sad and grief-stricken emotions.
I nodded. “Yeah, of course we’ll help. I’ve been thinking about getting another cat anyway.”
Winter added, “I’ve been talking about it too, honestly. I think Goliath and Odin will both like having a new member of the family.”
My eyes widened and shot over to Winter, but he was staring at the teenager, so I looked away.
A new member of the family?
As in, Goliath and Odin were a family?
As in…wewere a family?
It wasn’t like we were living together.
I mean, yeah, he—and Goliath—were here all the time, they slept over more than not, and sometimes, even when they hadn’tslept over, Goliath came to spend the day with Odin while we were at work.
But family?
Family?
Werewe a family?
I…
My heart clenched at the idea, yet a part of me grasped onto it with every fiber of my being.
A family.
I’d always wanted a family.
I’d never had one. Not a real one.
Not one that supported each other. Not one that loved each other.
I’d almost had one, five years ago, with Laney. But that’d been taken away from me in the blink of an eye.
Did I… did I really want to try again?
If not, then what the hell was I even doing with Winter to begin with? He’d been very clear from the beginning that this was serious for him, that he was all in.
