Blood red love
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The one thing that didn’t change, no matter what happened around them, was the Thursday club. Vidar had tried to suggest they move it to be digital. Both he and Cain felt it was too predictable. Charlie remembered what Jenni had told her about how important the Thursday club had been for keeping ‘The red lady‘ afloat. So she refused to agree to even suggest it. Even though the card playing had stopped almost completely, and she had to endure Min and her remarks, Rayvin still enjoyed Thursday evenings. They were just leaving ‘The red lady‘ on such an evening when there was a noise from the alley next to the bar. Charlie tensed up and instinctively stepped closer to Vidar. Both he and Caine trailed their eyes toward the noise and she could feel Vidar taking in air to scent it. Then she felt him relax and chuckle.
“No need to worry,” he told Charlie and k*ssed her temple.
“You’re sure?” she asked. She looked between the two men. They were both wearing entertained smirks.
“I am. Why don’t we have a look to put your mind at ease?” Vidar suggested. Charlie relaxed. She knew Vidar wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t know it was safe. She could just leave. it at that. But the amusement on the boys had her curious. She nodded and Caine walked over to wait by the car with Malcom as Vidar took her into the alley. There was some noise coming
from a pile of undetermined origin that were covered in a tarp. When they walked closer, to ”
nose stopped. The alley was dark, the only light came from the streetlights behind them.
“What is it?” Charlie whispered.
“Wait here,” Vidar whispered back. He quietly walked over to the tarp. Charlie was a little nervous. She knew Vida and Caine deemed it safe. But what was safe in their view might not be safe for her. He lifted the tarp and something came jumping out. The only thing Charlie saw were a set or round, yellow eyes and she yelped and jumped back. Then her eyes focused on the small creature and her heart melted. It was a little cat, its fur was black as night and it had puffed itself up to a little fluff ball to make itself look bigger. When it had watched Vidar and Charlie for a while, it deflated and sat down and looked at them a little more.
“Oh
my,
how darling,” Charlie cooed. Vidar chuckled.
“Nothing to be afraid of,” he said, walking the two steps to her. Charlie saw the little cat
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stand up and follow Vidar.
“He likes you,” she said. Vidar looked back at the spot the cat had been sitting, which now was empty. He frowned until he looked down at his leg. The cat was purring and rubbing itself all over Vidar’s leg. “Aww, how cute,” Charlie said, feeling her heart melting.
“No, Charlie,” Vidar said.
“What?”
“We are not taking that thing home,” Vidar told her.
“First, it’s a cat, not a thing. Second, why not?” she asked.
“It’s a stray, a alley cat. It lives in the alley,” he said. Gesturing at the alley.
“Well, I was living in my apartment until a couple of months ago. You let me move in with you,” she pointed out. Vidar looked at her like she had gone insane.
“You’re not a cat,” he said.
“True. Compared to me, he won’t take up much space and we will only need to get him a couple of things. You won’t even know he’s there,” she insisted and crunched down and stretched her hand out.
“Don’t. He might scratch you,” Vidar said. But the cat only sniffed Charlie’s hand, then continued to purr and rubbed its head on her hand. She couldn’t help put to coo at it and give it scratches behind the ears. It made the cat stand in one spot and tread with its front paws. “Up you go,” Vidar said, taking her under the arms and lifting her to her feet. “Move.” He gently nudged her in the direction of the car.
“But…”
“No buts,” he insisted. Charlie looked over her shoulder and saw the little black cat trotting along after them, and she smiled.
“I think he has chosen us,” she pointed out, making Vidar look behind them. He swore and
stopped. They were always at the car and Caine watched them.
“He can’t be an outside cat where we live,” Vidar pointed out. Charlie smiled even bigger. He had already given in..
“The apartment is big enough for him. We’ll buy some trees for him to climb and some toys and a litter box, and a food and water bowl. Oh, and some beds to put in different rooms,” Charlie told him.
“I thought you said a couple of things and that I wouldn’t even notice he was there. How do you even know it’s a he?”
“He feels like a he,” she said. Caine burst out laughing.
“What are you laughing about? If he comes home with us, you will have to live with him too,” Vidar snapped. He used the broadside of his foot to push the cat, who was once again rubbing itself all over Vidar’s legs, towards Caine. Cain squinted at the small animal and then he growled at it. The cat inflated and became a fluff ball again. Then it sniffed at Caine, as if to assess who the jerk was. the cat deflated and began chatting. It almost sounded like a bird chipper. The little fur ball walked up to Caine, who didn’t take his eyes off it. The cat wiggled its butt and jumped halfway up Caine’s leg, then continued to climb his way up his suit until he landed on Caine’s shoulder. All the time, he chatted.
“Isn’t he a sweetheart?” Charlie said. Caine snorted and Vidar chuckled. “So, it’s decided? He is coming home with us?” she asked, looking at Vidar with her best impression of puppy eyes.
“Fine,” he told her. Charlie flung herself at Vidar and k*ssed him.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said repeatedly. He just shook his head and drew her into him.
“The little fuck needs a name, so I know who to curse at,” Caine said.
“We need to know if he’s a boy or a girl,” Charlie said. Caine gripped the cat around its ribs, plucked it from his shoulder and unceremoniously flipped it over.
“Boy,” he told them, then he held out the kitten to Charlie. She took it and held it gently to her. She felt it crawl up to her shoulder and snuggle in against her n*ck.
“Cute, get in the car, baby,” Vidar told her. Malcom held the door open and Charlie got in, holding Shadow in place.
“Where are we going to get food and a litter box this time of day?” she asked as the car started moving. Vidar and Caine exchange a look and Vidar nodded. Caine started making calls.
“It’s going to be okay,” Vidar told her and placed his hand on her knee.
“Thank you for letting me bring him home,” she said. He shrugged.
‘Sometimes there is no choice. When both you and him had made your minds up, I never stood a chance,” he said. Charlie smiled and in her mind, she agreed. In the front seat, Caine was giving Malcom directions. They stopped in front of a small pet shop on the outskirts of the city.
“I don’t think a place like this is open this time of day,” Charlie pointed out as she looked at the store. To her surprise, the security gate was drawn up and an older man stepped out.
“It’s open because I say it should be. I own it,” Vidar told her as he helped her out of the car, Shadow in her arms.
“You own a pet shop?” she asked. It didn’t sound very likely.
“I do as of ten minutes. Mr Gino, the former owner, didn’t know how to pay for his son to go to Harvard. Bow his son can go to the school of his choice. Mr Gino can still run the shop and we will always have a place to buy pet supplies,” he said. Charlie just stared at him. This man was amazing, she thought.
“Mr Vidar?” the older man asked as they walked up to him.
“Yes, Mr Gino, I presume?” Vidar asked.
“Yes. Please step inside. I have called the local vet as you asked. He will be here in about ten minutes. I can help you pick out what you need in the meantime,” Mr Gino said.
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“Thank you.
Charlie will be the one deciding what we get. Give her what she wants. I will pay when we are done,” Vidar said. Mr Gino guided Charlie around the cat section, telling her what was essential and what was optional. Charlie had the time of her life picking out different items. Mr Gino even offered Shadow some treats. There was a ding as the door opened and a man stepped into the shop.
“Bill, come in. I have your patient here. Miss Charlie, this is our veterinarian, Bill Compta,” Mr Gino introduced them. Charlie gave Shadow to the vet for an examination. Shadow did not enjoy the experience and spent the time spitting and hissing.
“He’s a little on the skinny side, but nothing dangerous. A week or two with food and a deworming treatment and he will be healthy. He doesn’t have flees, so no bath needed. I would like to give him his shots. It’s high time. I can put a chip under his skin so he can be traced back to you if he wonders off,” the vet offered.
“Can you ch*ck if he already has one?” Charlie asked. She hated the idea of giving him up. But if someone was looking for him, she would have to. Vidar put his arm around her.
“Don’t worry, lilla lo, he’s yours no matter what the vet finds,” he said. She smiled at him. Luckily, the vet didn’t find a chip. So Shadow got his shots and got a chip installed, under loud objections. He was then placed into Charlie’s arms again. He scurried and hid in her n*ck. On the ride home, the car was packed with beds, climbing trees, food, toys and litter boxes. “Are you happy?” Vidar asked and stroked Charlie over her hair. Charlie looked up at him and then snuggled her nose into the sleeping kitties fur.
“I am. Thank you for this, Vidar,” she said.
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“Don’t come to me and complain when he eats your precious fishes,” Vidar chuckled and k*ssed her on her temple.
“He would never,” Charlie defended Shadow. But she made a mental note to keep her office door closed until she could get a cover for her aquarium.