Ryan thought about Kitty the entire day.
What had caused him to go crazy like that?
He had heard that some cats are jealous for attention, but he’d never attacked anyone before. Not even when he was playing games with his mates the entire evening, ignoring Kitty altogether, he had never even hissed at anyone.
How could he suddenly turn so violent?
Maybe it was the perfume.
Lilah had been wearing a heavy perfume that night. Maybe the strong smell triggered something in Kitty?
Ryan hoped that was it and thought about sending a message to Lilah, but reconsidered. She’ll just get mad that I’m blaming her again, he decided.
He thought about Kitty running towards him and him closing the door in the cat’s face. He had deserved it, but it still felt kinda cold.
Ryan promised himself to make it up to Kitty. He’d make chicken dinner tonight, they both loved chicken. Ryan made a mental note to buy a chicken as he got off work.
***
The coffeeshop was busy as always, but one customer stood out. He wasn’t a regular, but he looked kind of familiar to Ryan.
It was a guy in a suit.
He seated himself at a table near the window and ordered just a black coffee. Then he sat there for about an hour, with just that one cup of coffee. He had been looking at Ryan too, he had felt it.
Strange man, Ryan thought. I hope I don’t see him again.
***
When he had finished up his work, and closed the shop at 8.30pm, Ryan went home.
He had managed to go out and buy a pre-roasted chicken in his lunch break, and was looking forward to eating it with Kitty. They were going to have a long Netflix Saturday evening together.
*pling* said his phone and Ryan looked at the screen. Lilah had sent a message.
[Are you bored tonight?] Ryan thought about this. The answer was obviously no. But this was a reachout. A chance to make things right with her. He had to take it, if he wanted to patch things up with Lilah. He couldn’t just say he was planning on spending a quiet evening with Kitty. That would only piss her off more.
Ryan sighed. “Relationships are tiresome..." He mumbled to himself as he replied: [Kinda, yeah… wanna meet up?]
Umpf… he just got his hangover sorted out and now he had to go out drinking again. As one part of Ryan had these thoughts, the other part of his mind slapped the first part in the face and scolded him.
“You are 22, you are in college. Get out, dance, drink and get laid. Staying at home on a Saturday night is something you can do plenty when you’re old!”
***
As Ryan entered his apartment, he called Kitty, who immediately started curling himself around his legs purring.
Wow, as if nothing happened. He hoped cats just had bad memory, like fish. Maybe Kitty forgot all about it already. He stroked the cat and started talking to him.
“Hey little one, I’ve brought us something good, let me heat it up in the microwave and then we can…”
Ryan stopped in his tracks as he saw what lay on the table: an absurdly large dead chicken, blood and feathers and all. Oh crap, that must be one from the petting zoo... Holy shit my cat stole a chicken from the petting zoo.
Ryan looked at said cat. It was beaming with pride and purring. And Ryan just couldn't find it in his heart to be mad. He kneeled down.
“Hey boy, have you brought me a chicken? How did you do that? Seriously, how? The chicken is almost as big as you, little guy!"
Ryan didn’t know what to do with the enormous chicken, though. So he decided to put it in the refrigerator. He’d figure it out later.
What he did want to figure out was why his cat was behaving so strangely. First the attack and now this… gift?
Ryan looked at his bag and realised there was a roasted chicken in it. He had bought his cat his favourite food to apologise for kicking him out. Maybe the cat had done the same to apologise for attacking Lilah?
Could cats have that kind of complex emotions?
Kitty purred and looked him right in his eyes.
Yeah… he probably does.
“Thank you, little one, I’m touched.” Said Ryan to the cat and petted him on his head.
“You know what? I’m gonna let Lilah know you’re sorry too. Then she’ll forgive you for sure.”
He took a picture of the chicken and sent it to Lilah with the text: [Kitty brought over a chicken to apologise to you about yesterday].
Ryan put the pre-roasted chicken in the microwave and started making a potato salad. Then received a reply: [ew, gross *barfing face*].
[Yeah it is kinda gross, but he meant well. Will you forgive him?]
[I don’t want to think about that horrible cat OK? See you at the club XX]
Ryan picked up his cat and held him in his arms like a baby.
“Sorry Kitty. She’s still mad. But she’ll come around…. She has to cause I wuv you so much” he said in a baby voice as he tickled Kitty’s belly and kissed him between his ears.
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