Building A (Strange) Family

New Addition

Lilly wasn't home when the guys got up.
The jeep was gone, so they weren't too worried.

Eventually, she came through the door, practically dancing.

David looked at her from where he lounged on one of the couches, looked to the others, then shrugged, jumping up to dance with her.
The boys laughed and stood to join the impromptu, musicless dance party.

"Not that I mind, but what are we dancing to?"
David asked as he held her close, swinging her around.

"I just had an interview with the local animal shelter. They hired me on the spot! Part time, afternoons. I start tomorrow and after work, I'm bringing home our new cat!"

David looked at her, a little smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Well, look at you..."

Robert had now connected his phone to the stereo by bluetooth so it wasn't quite as silly to be dancing.
David swung Lilly out and into Nick's arms.
As Nick danced with her, David pulled Mark over to start dancing with him.

Joel and Robert moved the coffee table to the side so they didn't have to dance around it and what had started as Lilly's happy "new job" wiggle became a whole night of dancing.

When Lilly came home the next day, as promised, she brought home the new cat.
Though she left the carrier open, he just sat in it for hours.
Mark crouched near the carrier, suggested reaching in to pull him out.
Lilly's eyes went wide as she slowly shook her head.

That caught everyone's attention.
She didn't meet anyone's eye.

David looked at the carrier sitting in the living room, then to Lilly.
"Lilly... is there something you want to tell us about our... newest addition?"

Lilly let out a long exhale.
"Alright, maybe... He was going to be euthanized because he was brought into the shelter from four different homes for being a mean little asshole. I figured even if he never warms up, Tudball and Wiggins are cuddly enough! He can just.... live here. I just couldn't let them kill him..."

Nick started laughing.
"Leave it to you, Lilly. We should call this place The Last Resort!"

Lilly didn't lift her head, turning red.
But she did mumble.

David smiled at her, reaching to lift her chin.
"What was that love?"

"I said I kinda like it. It's kinda 'Pride and Prejudice", naming the houses. Last Resort works."

Lilly ended up falling asleep on the couch.
The guys were outside, doing something dangerous and possibly stupid.

David was on the other couch.
Occasionally, he would watch Lilly's sleeping form, wondering if he should carry her down to bed.

The new cat finally decided to come out.
It sniffed the room, slinking low to the ground and moving slow.

David caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

He didn't move for fear of starling it.
He just watched it explore.

It was all black and slightly bigger then Wiggins, not nearly as big as Tudball.

It seemed to realize it was being watched.
It looked up at David, wide eyed.

David still didn't move. He wondered if he should alert Lilly.

It ran at him and for a second he braced himself for attack.

It jumped on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. It stood there, looking into his eyes.
He didn't know if it was like a dog and challenging him, if he should look away or what.

He blinked.
Slowly, the cat blinked back.
It walked in a little circle on his chest before laying down on him.

He wasn't even used to Tudball or Wiggins doing that.
It felt odd since it chose to lay right over the scar on his chest.
But, he decided, not unpleasant.

Tentatively, he reached and scratched behind it's ear.

"Ek!"
He had never heard a cat make that sound.
But, it seemed content so he continued.

Soon it made a sound not quite a purr, more like a broken muffler on a ducati.

He chuckled.
"Hello, Herman..."

He decided not to tell Lilly. He wanted to wait and let her think she had the first interaction with the supposedly asshole cat.

It would be years before she got that moment.