'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Seventeen (Part 2)

"Where is she??" Nico burst into the shop with a grin on her face.

She saw the small, black kitten roaming around the new space curiously, but the sound of Nico's voice sent her running towards Carter.

"Oh, she's adorable!" Nico cooed as the kitten shied away from her and hid behind Carter's foot. "Look I got you a present," she said as she revealed the wooden climbing structure she had picked up on her way over. It matched the color scheme in Carter's home.

Nico loved cats more than anything in the world, but she was too forgetful to own one of her own. The last one she had jumped out of her fourth floor apartment window because she forgot to close it, and the poor thing never came back.

The entire day she had spent begging Carter for more pictures when he told her he'd gotten a kitten. She felt so left out too, especially when he sent her all the pictures of her on his couch, on his bed, in his arms. She didn't see him for three days and he was already making big life decisions about who he would be spending his time with and not consulting her, of course she felt a way.

The kitten peeked her head from behind the leg when she saw it.

Nico crouched down and opened her arms. "Come here.." she beckoned and then frowned when she saw Carter scoop the kitten into his arms.

"Stranger danger," he told the little kitten. "Even if they bring you gifts, you stay away," he spoke to the cat as he pet the fur on her back.

She purred softly in his arms and hugged him close.

"Good girl," he said.

Nico pouted. "I'm not a stranger, please let me hold her," she begged as she stood to her feet.

She opened her expecting arms for the kitten to jump into.

"Tell Nico to give daddy a kiss first," he directed as he looked towards his pet, ready for her to relay the message.

She just meowed, making Nico giggle as she threw her arms around Carter.

"Three days felt like forever," she complained before pressing her lips onto his. "I missed you, I missed you, I missed youuu."

She was thankful to spend the time bonding with her sister and family, but she was secretly counting down the days until she saw him today.

"Actually, I was enjoying the peace and quiet.."

The smile on her face disappeared and he laughed.

"Gimme, gimme," she called and reached for the kitten, and Carter coaxed into her arms.

The small animal wasn't afraid but looked towards Carter for reassurance, and he gently pet her back as Nico lifted her into her arms.

"So sweet... and she's taken to you so quickly. Look at her eyes," Nico cooed some more, as the green in them were piercing into her own. After a while of staring, the cat relaxed into Nico. "Aw.. you like Nico, huh? Or you do this with all the girls daddy brings you around?"

Carter started chuckling. "You're definitely her favorite so far," he joked but Nico ignored him as she bounced the kitten in her arms and looked around.

He was all ready to open two Wednesdays from now. Everything was set up and organized, even down to the little stand where he got his materials from while he worked, and it was all fully stocked.

"I was thinking... you should have like an event before opening. Get people talking and stuff... plus get some foot traffic and even set up appointments and stuff.. I think that'll be a good idea."