"Mrow. Mrow. Mrow!" Milo jumped onto his hind legs and kneaded the apartment's front door. He checked the kitchen clock for the 100th time and got down.
Anxiety swirled like a galaxy in Milo's gut. He returned to his catnip mouse in the common area to calm himself and batted it again. It would have been a lot more fun if his sibling was there.
Milo hoped nothing terrible had happened to Maisie but wasn't sure. She had been gone too long.
He almost sprinted at the sound of the door unlocking but backed up when only Feya and Daisy entered the apartment—not Maisie.
Feya wore a safari-like hat, olive green pants, and an orange shirt with blended-in animal designs. Her dirty blonde braid hung over her right shoulder, and she sported a backpack and lunch box.
"Hey, Milo!" she said, grinning.
"Mrow." Milo passed her and headed for the door.
"Oh, don't worry," Feya continued. "She's right behind me."
Sure enough, Maisie stepped into the apartment soon after her, and Milo's fear vanished. His tail shot up, and he ran in a few circles. "Mrow! Mrow! Mrow!"
"Hey, baby." Maisie set her bundle of blue shirts and shorts down and scooped him up. She kissed Milo's head. "Are you okay?"
Better, now that you're here. Milo gently slapped her cheek.
Maisie hugged him. "I know. I'm sorry, but you'll get used to it."
Used to what? Milo didn't want Maisie to disappear on him every day. As her ESA, he promised to look after her during the DCP and prove he could care for a sibling, too.
"So, Maisie..." Feya took off her backpack and tossed her lunch box onto the couch. "You good to take the animals and have a G.N.O.? Let's get manis and pedis! There's a nail salon in the village."
"Sure, Feya." Maisie set Milo down. "Let me change first."
"Me, too." Feya sniffed her shirt. "I stink, girl!"
Maisie was comfortable around Feya now, but Milo wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was Maisie's ESA—not Feya. She hadn't watched her grieve and almost kill herself in the past two years.
The memory of that day, December of 2021, four months after her brother's death, still haunted him: Maisie pointing a knife at her heart and saying she couldn't do it anymore. Her parents stopped her, thank God, and instantly pulled her out of school for online classes so they could watch her. Milo became Maisie's ESA soon after that incident.
Feya pulled him out of his trance. "We're gonna have so much fun, girl!" She attempted to sprint for her room but tripped and fell. She went down hard, too.
"Feya!" Maisie almost stepped on Milo and hurried to her.
Milo's cheeks puffed out.
"One day at a time, girl," Maisie ordered, helping Feya sit. "You can't run yet. Are you okay?"
Feya shakily stood. "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I got a little overexcited. Oops."
Maisie brushed down her shirt. "It's cool. I merely don't want you getting hurt."
"Even more than I already am?" Feya joked, removing her hat.
Okay, Milo didn't like that smirk Maisie gave her. He pushed his mouse to her and batted her leg.
For the first time, Maisie ignored him. She grasped Feya's shoulder and led her to her room.
Daisy followed, but Milo froze. Was this heartbreak he felt? No, it was jealousy, but he tried not to succumb. Maisie, as sweet as she was, was helping Feya, and Milo was getting underfoot.
He really wished he had his sibling now.
***
Maisie and Feya drove to the nail salon in Flaming Crossings Village. Milo always got the front seat, but Maisie put him in the back so Feya and Daisy could have it instead.
The salon was across from a few hotels and in Flamingo's palm tree-decorated downtown area.
Maisie parked but kept the car and AC running until she got Feya settled. Feya! Milo liked her, but this was getting out of hand.
Maisie walked over to Feya's side and opened the door for her.
Freak! She usually did that for Milo! How was Feya suddenly more important than him?
Maisie offered Feya her hand, but she pushed it away. "I can do it, Maisie." She grabbed the single crutch she had brought and used it to get out of the car, almost banging her head in the process. She positioned it under her left arm and stood off to the side.
Eventually, Maisie came to Milo's side and opened his door. That was more like it. She shut off the car, locked it, and carried him to Feya.
She messed with her hair, now styled in a romantic tuck, and questioned, "Are you going to get a mani or pedi?"
"Both," Maisie answered, shifting her feet on the brick road. "What about you?"
"Only a mani. I prefer those over pedis." Feya tucked her hidden prosthetic behind her other leg and tugged her sky-blue, sleeveless top.
"You know, Feya," Maisie said, glancing at her leg, "you don't have to be scared to show your leg. Remember the Inclusion Key?"
She cringed but smiled. "There's a Ben & Jerry's across the street. Let's go there afterward. It's a hot one today."
"Feya..."
"Come on, Maisie. Luxor's closes at 8:00, and it's 7:00." Feya left her and slipped into the salon.
Maisie exhaled and chased after her.
Being stuck in a nail salon with two college girls for one hour was awful! Maisie and Feya talked across the store at each other, and Milo covered his ears. The scent of nail polish made him gag. He didn't like being that close to water, too. When the pedicurist asked Maisie to take her feet out of the bucket, Milo tried to avoid the splashes.
"How are you doing over there?" Maisie asked Feya, who was sitting at the manicure table.
"Never better!" Feya showed off her sky-blue nails. "Our nails are going to look hot, girl!"
Oh, God, please. Get me out of here, Milo mentally begged. This wasn't helping his jealousy. He liked that Maisie was coming out of her shell, but still. Luckily, Ben & Jerry's made up for Luxor's.
Maisie got Mint Chocolate Chip, her favorite, and Feya went with Cookie Dough. They sat at one of the tables, under Ben & Jerry's iconic logo, and ate their ice cream like excited children.
Maisie let Milo lick her spoon.
He tasted the mint and smacked his lips. Was it always that sweet?
"This has been fun," Feya admitted once she finished her dessert. "We should do this once a week, Maisie. See if we can fit it in with our schedules."
Maisie gripped her chin. "Believe me, girl, I want to, but..." she mumbled.
"But? Why is there always a 'but'?" Feya giggled. "You need to look on the bright side of things. This is Disney, the most magical place on Earth."
"Yes, but I have a cat and his sibling to consider." Maisie dropped her hands and stroked Milo.
"I have a dog to consider, but I make it work," Feya countered.
"True, but she's a Service Animal, not an ESA. She'll never be alone."
A light bulb seemed to click above Feya, and she beamed. "Hey, if it will make you feel better, I can have Daisy stay home with Milo. At least until he finds a sibling."
Maisie met her eyes. "That's sweet, Feya, but you need Daisy."
"I'm getting better; I can make it work. You saw me—I almost ran today." Feya tapped her left sneaker on the floor.
A long silence ensured.
Milo saw fear on Daisy's face but didn't think Feya's idea was half-bad. It would allow him to practice his sibling skills.
After a few minutes, Maisie sighed. "I'll think about it."