Minutes after I arrived home, Ember showed up. Without bothering to knock, she used her key and barged straight in, throwing open the door. It was moments like these that I wondered why I'd given her a key in the first place.
"Hey, Hay!" She said, entering the kitchen, where I was rummaging through the fridge.
I directed a pointed glance toward her shoes. "Shoes. Off."
With an exaggerated groan, she walked back towards the door, removed her shoes, and tossed them with a loud thump into the closet before closing it with an audible click. "Where's the little kitty?"
"Somewhere around here. Listen for the bells." I caught sight of a leftover casserole in the fridge. "Are you staying for dinner?"
She tsk'd, walking around the kitchen and into the living room. "This is why he keeps escaping on you."
No, it really wasn't. "Are you staying for dinner?" I repeated.
"What's his name?"
"Ani. Last chance. Are you. Staying. For. Dinner?"
She paced back behind me, peering over my shoulder to check the contents my fridge. "Depends. What are you having?"
Catching sight of the very leftovers I'd been eying, she stretched forward over my shoulder, reaching over to point them out. "Is that your homemade tater tot casserole?! I want it!"
I smacked her hand away. "Yes, it is, and I was going to share. I'm starting to rethink my generous offer."
Immediately, she backed off. "I'll go introduce myself to little Ani. Thanks, Hayden!"
I pulled the casserole out of the fridge and heated it up, listening to her stomp through the apartment, looking for Ani. When she found him, she shouted, "Awwww, what a cutie! Hi, little kitty! I'm your auntie, Ember. Who's a good kitty? Is it you?..."
Her voice echoed into the kitchen from the library, and I felt a moment of panic. While reading the first volume of Heirs, I attempted to sketch out some of the people and scenery I'd noticed as I came across their depictions. If she saw and recognized them, I'd never hear the end of it from her.
The microwave beeped, saving me. I interrupted Ember's monologue with a shout. "Dinner!"
She was in the kitchen in seconds, and bells jingled as Ani trotted in behind her. That collar was the best purchase so far. I placed a heaping and steaming plate of food on the dark gray placemat in front of her, sitting myself and my food across the table.
"So?" I asked.
"He's a very sweet kitty!"
No. No, he really wasn't.
"Do you think you can help me?"
She considered for a minute, shoveling food into her mouth. She swallowed a bite, pointed her fork at me, and said, "Who do you think you're talking to?"
I pretended to consider her words. "An idiot."
"And yet, you were the one who asked for my help. What does that make you?"
"Desperate."
"I still can't believe you're going to buy me the limited edition volume of Heirs."
"I can still change my mind."
"It's just weird. Normally you'd be all 'isekai's suck' and 'I'm not going to let you buy a dumb book. Take Great Expectations instead.'"
Admittedly, it did sound like something I would have said.
Still, I refused to tell her I was reading Heirs. The mental image of that smug look on her face was already irritating me. I refused to be liable for how I'd react if I saw the real thing.
"Desperate." I reminded her.
"The pre-order period closes in a month. You need to get it before then."
"I will, don't worry."
Her eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should go ahead and buy it right now."
"What? No."
"Fine. Then send me the receipt."
"You don't trust me?"
"With this? Not really."
That stung. "I'm not that bad." Her face twisted, and she opened her mouth to argue. "I'll send you the receipt."
Still skeptical, she asked. "Within the month?"
"Tomorrow."
"I'll nag you until you do it." She threatened. Knowing her, she would.
When When we finished dinner, we placed our dishes in the dishwasher and moved to the living room. I settled on my leather couch, Ember sitting on the plush carpet with Ani, cat toy in hand. They played as we talked. Ember jangled the wand around, watching as Ani lept and flipped into the air, attempting to catch it before landing on his feet with a frump.
"So? How do I stop him?"
"Well, he's showing up because he's lonely. If he stops feeling lonely, the problem is solved."
Sinking deeper into the couch, I asked. "And how do I do that?"
"You can try playing with him more, getting him automatic toys, stuff like that."
That sounded too risky. "You work from home, don't you?"
"I already have two cats of my own."
"So what's one more?" I needled.
"Cats are territorial. Moving them back and forth is stressful."
"I can assure you that he does not care."
"Also, he's not my cat."
It was time to play the winning hand. "I'll buy you every limited edition volume of Heirs as it comes out."
There was no way she'd be able to resist–
"No."
–or not. I sat up, looking at her disappointed face. "You won't even for Heirs?"
"Not even for Heirs. I have cats of my own to worry about. You could hire someone."
The thought had crossed my mind, but it wasn't a real option. Ember was annoying, but if Ani revealed his abilities to her, I could trust her to keep it secret. The same couldn't be said for any random person.
"Or ask Mom and Dad," she suggested.
I grimaced. "But they live all the way out in the suburbs."
She gave a half-shrug. "Not my problem."
"Please?"
"No."
Time to reframe the situation. "How about this, then? If you don't at least try it, I'll tell your boyfriend about that time you accidentally looked up–"
Panic and embarrassment crossed her face as she shot up, lunging across the couch to place a flushed hand over my mouth. "We agreed never to speak of that again."
She let me yank her hand off my face, and I pleaded, "Please, Em? I can't lose my job over something like this."
With a sound that was a half groan, half growl, she finally agreed. "Fine, but you need to bring him over and pick him up each day. If he has any issues, the deal is off. Also, I want food once a week."
A little weird, but "Done." Mustering the most heartfelt tone I could, I added, "Thank you, Em."
Mission accomplished, we drifted into other discussions about cats. Ember suggested various items and toys I could buy Ani, and, for a moment, under the dimming light of the evening, she reminded me of Faust, playing with Ani.
My chest burned, and I couldn't tell if the recollection made me happy or sad.