A Rose by Any Other Name

Chapter 36

"Okay." I said quickly, threading my fingers through my hair and shifting uncomfortably in my seat. "I don't need to hear anymore. Thanks for giving me the abbreviated version."

She gave me a dazzling smile, mischief glinting in her eyes. When she smiled like that I realized she was actually gorgeous. Maria was almost as dark as Mike, rich golden brown skin only accentuating her high cheekbones, large expressive eyes, and full mouth. She was tall and lanky enough I couldn't believe she'd had twins. The three of them all had the tall thing in common, but where Dr. Song was slender and Ky was buff, Maria was svelte. Her gentle curves reminded me of the average Victoria Secret model. If you could call a Victoria Secret model average. They were the kind of family that would be  pre-positioned in frames. All stock picture perfect.

Maria was snuggling Sol with a gentle, attentive voice. "What a sweet girl you are, you're nothing like any of those shitty cats that normally come through here. So quiet and submissive. That's a good girl." Maria gently touched Sol's face, pushing her jaw open, examining her teeth. After she finished checking her out, she guided her back into the cat carrier. She released the spell and I heard Sol cry out from the carrier.

"You're lucky to have a cat like that." Maria said in her regular voice, removing her gloves and tossing them in the trash.

"All cats aren't like that?"

Maria snorted and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear reminding me of the way Ky frequently did that. I wondered if she started doing that because of him or if he started doing that because of her. "Cats are evil bastards. You seem to have found the one sweet one. Any other cat would've sliced me six ways to Sunday by now. Treat her well. We'll do a check up in six months and I'll have a vet tech call about the results of the blood work." She hesitated for a moment. "You don't exactly seem like a cat lover."

I looked at Sol in the cat carrier. "Well, I'm trying new things."

"Getting a pet because you're feeling lonely or depressed isn't going to solve your problems." She didn't have a sneer on her face but it was awfully close. "I see people come in here all the time excited to be new pet owners because of a whim and then weeks or months past and suddenly their animals are a burden."

"This is different." I convinced both her and myself. I turned to leave but she made a noise like she wasn't done talking to me. She walked up to me screwed her eyes in concentration. It was like the air held still for a moment, a sustained moment of weightlessness where nothing happened. It was becoming disconcerting when she eventually said: "Something's wrong with you."

I flinched, not at all expecting that. But she only moved closer, close enough for me to smell the scent of her shampoo, some weird coconut tropical medley. There was even the suggestion of freckles on her face, barely there spots on the bridge of her nose. "I can feel it." She said. "Listen, if you're terminal, who's going to take care of the cat? She's a maine coon cat that's still growing. Her last owner took her on walks." She gave me a doubtful look. "Can you do that? I saw the way you sat in that chair like it was life support." Maria gave me a concerned look but just crossed her arms across her chest like she was trying to figure something out.

"You're worse than Ky!" I snapped. "I'm perfectly fine and I know how to take care of a cat, thank you very much." I bent to pick up my cat carrier and stood up, blood rushing to my head too quickly as I teetered before regaining my balance as spots swarmed in and out of my eyes.

I left the vet clinic in a rush, hoping my body wouldn't betray me again.

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Writer's note - Maine coon cats are super big.  Like the size of a medium dog. They look kinda like that ->