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“Floyd hopped up on the loveseat next to me.
"Hi, pal," I said, feeling a little drained. "Your mom should be back soon."
His meow sounded like a whine.
"I know the feeling. But maybe I can help you out?"
When I went to the kitchen and cut up a scallop, he meowed again and went up on his hind legs, begging.
"Did you just twirl?" I said, astonished.
I sat back down on the sofa and put my hand out, and he became a little furry seafood vacuum.
"I didn't know you could purr as you ate. That's kind of amazing."
He headbutted my empty hand, and I took a hint and ran it through his silky fur. I dug my fingertips around his ears and chin, and he closed his eyes and purred even more loudly.
"Such a good boy," I said, feeling a little better. "You like that? Is that, oof!" His big back feet drove the air out of me while he climbed onto my chest. "Jesus, cat, at least buy me a drink first." He ignored my smartass comment and stretched out from my thighs to my shoulders.
"I guess this is me now. Your throne, forever."
Green-gold eyes blinked slowly.
"Are you smiling?"
He rested his head under my chin and sighed.
We hadn't had animals when I was a kid. Too messy, Mom said. Too needy,
Dad said.
But maybe this was the upside of being needed. Quiet, sweet moments like this one. "OK," I told him. "Just for a little bit."

Ellie


Was Kieran crooning? Maybe the wall of the cottage was distorting his voice?
"That feels so good, doesn't it, bud? Such a big, nice cat. Yes, you are."
Yes, he was. He rubbed Floyd's cheeks and my cat melted for him like fluffy butter.”
― Sarah Chamberlain, The Slowest Burn

“I love strawberry ice cream."
I blinked, confused. "Yes, I saw you chugging your In-N-Out milkshakes like you'd spent forty days in the desert. But what does that have to do with feelings?"
He tugged my hand. "No, listen. I mean, I've always ordered it whenever I go to an ice cream store, because I know I like it, even the cheap kind that's like the Ghost of Strawberries Past. Until I met you, I was basically treating my life like strawberry ice cream. I'd found something that I was good at, that I knew worked for me, and just did that, day in, day out. I told myself that this was what it took to be successful, but deep down I was afraid of fucking up, just the same way my parents are terrified of fucking up. I was afraid if I got close to someone, I'd make a mess and disappoint them.
"But now, with you, I want to try the whole ice cream parlor. I want to order, like, a monster sundae with all the crazy flavors I can think of. Blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond fudge and mango sorbet."
It still wasn't adding up. "You want to try new things because of me?"
"I want to be brave," he said earnestly. "To give my all to everything, even though it might not work out." He swallowed hard. "You're so strong, Ellie, and you believe in me. I want to be worthy of that. Worthy of your faith and your strength.”
― Sarah Chamberlain, The Slowest Burn