Irene always settled for good enough.
Never perfect, never life changing, never mind-blowing. Just, enough. Which is probably how she ended up with straight-laced, decently rugged Hank Smith straight out of college. Sort of as a final 'fuck you' to her mother, Irene packed what little stuff she had at home and took a job as the youngest ever headmistress of an academy in New Orleans, dragging Hank in tow like a human sized bundle of baggage. From there she created her comfortable life, enjoying the freedom of running her own school for girls with gifted talents. Hank just so happened to stick around for it. Which was fine, she supposed. It wasn't like she was complaining.
He treated her well, never complained when she worked long hours, always remembered their anniversary. And Irene was comfortable with it. She couldn't ask for much more, because what else could be out there? Lousy dates with men who had sweaty palms and just wanted to get laid? She was perfectly happy with what she had, thank you very much.
And it stayed that way, up until she wasn't happy anymore.
It started with a particularly beautiful sunny day in New Orleans, and Irene wanted to take advantage of it by feeling the sun on her skin after what seemed like the longest work week of her life. Sitting on the floor of her closet, surrounded by dozens of items of clothing, she tried fruitlessly to find the one blouse she had in mind. She didn't always dress up for Hank, but made it a point to make herself presentable every morning by seeing to it that her outfit was immaculate and her hair fell just right. Finally seeing a scrap of it out of the corner of her eye, she pulled the blouse over her thin frame and crawled over to the floor length mirror. Enjoying the way it hugged her curves and showed just enough cleavage, Irene smiled to herself that she could still be considered attractive, even if Hank did sometimes compare her to a hot mess.
Shuffling downstairs, she padded over to the couch where Hank sat, intensely involved in the game on tv. Running her hands over his shoulders down to his chest, she leaned down and inhaled into his neck from behind. "It's such a nice day out, babe. You wanna go have a picnic or something?"
Hank barely wrenched his eyes from the scene on tv before replying, "Shit, Irene, the game's on. You know that. Jack is coming by in a few. Remember?"
Irene didn't remember, because Hank definitely hadn't mentioned that.
She paused her movements, a swell of disappointment bubbling up inside her. "Yeah, I must have forgotten. You don't have any time today?"
"No, babe. I told you this like, a week ago." This wasn't the first time he'd done this to her and it definitely wouldn't be the last. He conveniently forgot a lot of things, and it was never his own fault. Always Irene's. Hank's invalidation at her reactions always started small fights, but she didn't want today to be ruined so quickly after it had just begun. So she let him have this.
"Okay," she straightened up. "I'll go grocery shopping or something then." Willing off tears that didn't need to make themselves known, she smoothed her blouse down and proceeded to pander into the kitchen. Sometimes when Hank treated her as though she were a child, it hurt more than she let on. Especially now that she'd reached a point in her life where she yearned for that secure feeling everyone claimed to have with 'the one.' She was still waiting for that. Hoping she wouldn't have to wait forever, she grabbed her reusable recycling bags.
Briefly pausing at Hank's motionless position, she called out, "I'll be back in a few, okay? There's beers in the fridge for Jack."
"Yeah, can you get more if you're going out? That'd be great, babe."
"Sure," she said, then, sarcastically under her breath, "You can't get off your ass and do it?"
"What was that?"
"Nothing, love you."
"Mhm."
Sighing, Irene pushed her way out the door and into the streaming sunlight. Thankful for the beautiful day and time off work, she forged her way into her car and connected to Bluetooth. Finding Jisoo's name quickly in her recent calls, she dialed and put the car in reverse.
"Hi, babygirl, how are ya?"
"Hi, Chu, I'm good. How are you?"
"Great, I had a date with this guy Brad last night. Did I tell you about him? Twice divorced, rugged, hung like a—"
"Spare me, please." Irene laughed.
"I'm just saying. Sorry you're like, practically married at this point and wouldn't know what a good lay was if it smacked you in the face."
"I'm quite content, thank you very much," was Irene's complacent reply.
Jisoo huffed out a laugh of disbelief, "Yeah, as if he could ever satisfy you the way you deserve, babe. Like, I get it, you love him and all but Jesus. There's so many eligible people out there that would kill for a piece of your ass. Men and women. Take your pick."
Despite the crassness, Irene smiled to herself before asking, "Chu, what is your problem with Hank? He treats me just fine. I'm happy with him." Her warm tone was a welcome distraction for Jisoo, who was used to Irene fiercely defending Hank as though he personally had put the stars in the sky. She thought it must be the weather, or maybe Irene had just woken up on the right side of the bed for once.
"I don't have a problem with him per se, I just don't think he treats you the way you deserve. You deserve like, mind-numbing orgasms and being treated to fancy dinners five times a week. Not microwaved meals and boring sex once a month. Don't you miss having fun?"
Musing for a moment, Irene considered Jisoo's words. It's not like she wasn't unsatisfied. She was an adult for God's sake, she could take control over her own sexual experiences. But on the other hand, maybe she did deserve someone more attentive in bed. But truthfully, what more could she want? Hank was always right there with her, ready at the drop of a hat to tell her how sexy she was, how amazing she felt, how great she fucked—his compliments always circled right back to him and his pleasure, not Irene's.
Never Irene's.
Snapping back into the moment, Irene replied, "We've been through this, there's nothing lacking in my relationship. He loves me, and that's it. End of argument."
Jisoo sighed dramatically and Irene could practically hear her rhythmic nails tapping. "Yeah, whatever. Just don't ask me to be a bridesmaid if y'all ever get married. I love you, but I'd have a hard time not making a scene."
Rolling her eyes, Irene pandered, "What are you doing right now? I need a break from being in the house."
"Shit, babe, you're in luck. I was just about to head to that new coffee shop. The kitty cafe?"
"Kitty cafe?" Irene asked, perplexed, "Like, they sell kittens too?"
Jisoo hummed, "This is why you need to leave your house more often. Like I know you're teaching our future leaders and shit, but come on. You've never heard of a kitty cafe?"
"No, Jisoo," Irene sighed, "But if you want me to come you'll have to stop being mean to me and tell me about it."
"Okay, buzzkill. It's this cute little place that has kittens up for adoption and you get to play with them while sipping your latte. You wanna come or not?"
Irene paused, wondering if Hank would even miss her for the few hours she'd be gone. Deciding that he was probably grossly invested in the game by now, she agreed with a simple, "Yes. Send me the address."
Fifteen minutes later, Irene pulled up and parallel parked behind Jisoo's car. Seeing the empty driver's seat, she glanced inside the glass window front to see Jisoo had already made her way inside, a tiny kitten propped in her arms like it had made itself a home there. Laughing at Jisoo's bewildered expression, she made her way inside the tiny shop. When the bell chimed, signaling her arrival, Jisoo's voice cut through the low chatter of the shop. "Irene, go order your drink and then get the fuck over here. I swear to God I'm about to become a cat lady at the ripe old age of twenty-eight."
Irene chuckled to herself, nodding her head and following direct orders. In her usual air of confidence, she stepped over two kittens lightly batting at each other before standing in front of the counter and looking up at—
Oh, fuck.
In front of Irene was the prettiest woman she'd ever seen. It was like a bolt of lightning struck her right in the chest, leaving an imprint that would commemorate a scar on her heart no matter where this short conversation would leave them. Having seen a lot of pretty women, it said a lot that her throat constricted and she stumbled over her one word greeting. Everything about her was intoxicating in all the nicest ways, like the way her unruly blonde hair still looked soft enough to run your hands through️, and the way her piercing doe eyes looked like they'd seen the depths of Irene's soul. And most definitely her thin frame draped with an outfit Irene could only describe as the perfect mix of Stevie Nicks and Cher's lovechild who just so happened to work at this cafe.
The woman behind the counter, whose name tag read "Lisa," smirked and jerked her head towards the menu. "First time here?"
Irene nodded slowly, intoxicated in the way her words sparked life in neurons of her brain that she didn't even know existed. "Yeah, I just became aware this place was a thing."
"Well, welcome," Lisa soothed her soul as she spoke, "I'm assuming you're familiar with coffee, so what can I get you on that behalf?" The way she smiled at Irene made her mouth go dry and then immediately water when Lisa licked her bottom lip. Stuttering, Irene murmured, "Just a small latte."
"Sure thing. Since it's your first time and all, would you like me to introduce you to the kittens here?" Irene wanted to tell her to do that and more. She settled for a calm, "Sure, I'd love that." When Lisa turned around to make her drink, Irene glanced behind her and decided Jisoo was doing just fine on her own, chatting up a man who was gracefully balancing two kittens in his lap. Lisa's voice cut her out of her trance, and she turned back to pull out her wallet.
"Nah, don't worry about it," Lisa shooed her away, "It's on me. Your first time and all." Winking, she gently pressed Irene's hands off the counter.
Irene, too caught up in the way Lisa's soft hands brushed hers, barely managed to peep out, "No, I can pay you, I have the money—"
Lisa stopped her again. "Nah, just consider a small donation for the babies here who need food and accessories." Jerking her head towards the donation bucket, Irene followed her gaze and swiftly stuck a $50 bill in it.
Lisa's eyes went wide and she flashed her a bright smile, gleaming teeth shining like stars in Irene's eyes. "Well, now you have to meet them. You're like their sugar mama, they're gonna love you." Merely nodding, Irene rooted herself in place while Lisa slung her cute little apron off and meandered from behind the counter. Crouching down next to Irene, she picked up a small white kitten with a few grey streaks who looked no more than a few weeks old. Holding him up like she was cradling a precious ruby, Lisa came back up to eye level. Carefully handing the kitten to Irene, she murmured, "This is Louis, he's four weeks old and an absolute doll."
Irene broke out into an infectious grin, scratching Louis' chin lightly before asking incredulously, "Do you name them all?"
Lisa nodded, seeming proud of herself. "All by myself. I manage the place, so there's not really anyone above me to tell me what to name them."
Enjoying the way Louis purred in her soft grip, Irene smiled warmly, an instantaneous swell of positive emotion fluttering rapidly throughout her. Carefully setting him down, Irene straightened up and watched him scamper away. "Who's next?"
Clapping her hands excitedly, Lisa twirled around for a moment, debating on who to pick up next. Picking out an older cat that seemed utterly disturbed that Lisa would even dare glance at her, she hoisted the cat into Irene's waiting arms. "This is Lily, she's about three years old and hates everyone and everything. It's probably why no one wants her, she's got a mean streak in her."
Uncomfortably shifting Lily in her hold, Irene asked, "I— will she bite or scratch?"
Lisa huffed out a small laugh, "Oh God, no." She leaned into Irene's proximity, taking Lily's head between careful palms and kissing her forehead. "No, she just gets this mean look in her eyes that everyone gets turned off by. Underneath it all, I think she's a big softie. Ain't that right, baby?" Still in Irene's immediate surroundings, Lisa looked so at ease in her element that Irene couldn't help but smile. She also wished Lisa would lean in just a little closer, but that was a problem to lock away in her brain for another day.
Lifting Lily up, her heart swelled to hear her soft purring. She pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead to mirror Lisa's, then placed her down before she was immediately handed another. "Now this guy is my favorite, don't tell the others." She placed a beautiful grey and white cat in her arms, and he immediately began purring contentedly. "His name is Leo, and he's about one and a half. He's been here a little over half a year and I can't, for the life of me understand, why. He's perfect. Low maintenance, easy going, loves people, clearly." Motioning towards the way Leo had ducked his tiny head in the crook of Irene's elbow, she gave the two of them a look of pure joy.
Irene nuzzled her nose on top Leo's head, enjoying the way he lifted his chin to bump his nose against her. Giggling at how ticklish it was, Irene felt something serious stir inside her that lashed out on a whim, "I want him. How much are adoption fees?"
Lisa paused for a moment, looking shocked that Irene had blurted this out so quickly after meeting him. "Oh, well, it's usually $50 but you already donated so nothing, now. You just need to sign the adoption papers," she seemed skeptical, "You're sure you want him?"
Irene nodded quickly, noting fleetingly that she had absolutely no expertise in taking care of a cat. She decided she might just need a little help that came in the form of a kitty cafe manager. "Positive. Especially if he's your favorite, I trust your judgment. Can I play for a while, though?"
Pulling her apron back on to greet a customer that walked in, Lisa walked backwards towards the counter while maintaining eye contact with Irene, "Yeah, you can chill out for a bit, I'll get the papers and you'll be good to go."
Biting her bottom lip, Irene placed Leo down and scratched his head once more. Finally making her way over to Jisoo and her new friend, she sat cross-legged on the floor and kissed Jisoo cheek in greeting. "Hi, Chu."
Jisoo hummed her hello, too busy watching a tiny kitten chase a string she was dangling above its head. "Irene, this is Eric, he's a lawyer down the street and comes here on his lunch break to find some peace and quiet during his day. Isn't that nice?" Jisoo shot her a suggestive look, raising one eyebrow and not so subtly scooting away from the two of them. Trying her damndest not to roll her eyes to the back of her head, Irene sighed out a hello and held out her hand to shake his.
Grasping it, Eric chuckled out, "Your friend here tells me you're a headmistress? Where's your nun outfit and ruler, huh?" He proceeded to laugh at his own lame joke which made Irene shrivel up a little inside.
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. "At home with my boyfriend." Eric paused, looking as though Irene had shoved a stake right through his heart and consequently ruined every future relationship for him. He seemed the type to rarely get shot down and Irene was merely glad to be of service at the blow to his ego. Pressing her lips into a thin smile, she sat up and offered her hand again. "Gotta go talk to my friend, it was nice to meet you."
Trying and failing to sound calm and collected, he quickly wrote his name and number down on a discarded flyer and handed it to her, "Call me if that boyfriend thing ever changes, yeah?"
"Sure thing." Irene watched as he sulked out through the shop doors without so much as a parting look back. She also noticed, much to her delight, that Lisa had also watched him scurry out, with what Irene swore was a hint of a smirk on her face. Jisoo's low, angry tone came out of nowhere off to the side of her. "Are you fucking kidding me? You know how hard I talked you up just now?"
"I would really appreciate it if you stopped trying to set me up when I'm already in a relationship," Irene chastised. "And honestly, could you stop blindsiding me? I'm getting tired of shooting men down."
"I'm just trying to help you out," Jisoo grumbled. "Anyway, isn't this place cute?"
Glancing around at the dozens of cats hopping around the store, Irene nodded. "I think I agreed to adopt one while you were chatting up the hotshot lawyer."
Jisoo's mouth dropped open. "Shut up. Shut up. Which one?" Irene pointed to Leo, who was currently sprawled out in a patch of sun coming through the window, his tiny chest rising and falling with every breath. Her heart clenched at the absolute cuteness of it, already knowing there was no way she could possibly back out of taking him now. "Isn't he the cutest little thing? I hope Hank doesn't mind. Will you come with me tomorrow to pick up supplies for him?"
"Who cares what Hank thinks? This little guy is the only man you're gonna need in your life," Jisoo cooed, bending over to tickle Leo's stomach. "And yes, I'll be spending lots of time at your place now." This was saying a lot for her, because she normally avoided seeing Hank as if he carried the plague with him everywhere he went.
Grateful that Jisoo's attention was shifted towards Leo, Irene took in the surroundings of the tiny shop. It was decorated extremely adorably, with toys in every nook and cranny and funny cat photos framed on the walls. There were even cat friendly plants that lined the windowsill, if the way Lily was chomping down on it ferociously any indication. She swirled her head around, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the head of soft blonde locks that she uncharacteristically wanted to feel in her hands. When she turned back around, she gasped out at Lisa, who had crept up in front of her while her back was turned.
"Gosh, I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she apologized. "I just got your papers all ready, but there's a few questions we like to ask. Can you come with me?"
Biting back the urge to say yes, I'll go anywhere with you, just ask, Irene shook her head and proceeded to follow Lisa into a small office area. Gesturing for her to sit, Lisa flung herself comfortably into an old armchair. "Sorry I have to like, grill you, but it's policy, you know? Can't be letting crazy people take our babies," Lisa laughed out. Unlike Eric's condescending and unfunny joke, it was charming for Irene to see Lisa make light of herself. It was almost like the aura surrounding her was just that—light and airy.
And maybe Irene needed a little light in her life.
"I'm gonna be honest, I don't know the first thing about caring for a cat," she admitted. "But I run a school for girls, so Leo will constantly be in good hands, I promise. They're on Spring break, but they come in and out as they please." She wrung her hands out nervously, partially at the thought of adopting this cat, and partially over being alone in a small space with someone she wanted to feel underneath her.
"I trust your judgment, unlike some people that come in," she leaned in to close the gap between them, dropping her tone in a vow of secrecy, "Like that guy Eric? Only comes on his lunch break to pick up women that stop by here during the week. It's ridiculous. He doesn't even like the cats."
Irene huffed out a noise of displeasure, glad she shot him down and simultaneously mad that Jisoo clearly didn't have any standards for her choice in men. "That's so annoying, Lisa. Sorry—can I call you that? I just noticed your name tag."
"Oh," her fingers flew up to touch the tag like she'd forgotten it was there, "Yeah, of course. I didn't catch yours?"
"Irene."
"Irene," she repeated back, the way it dripped off her lips sending sparks shooting through Irene's body, "What a pretty name. Matches your pretty face."
Blushing intensely and ducking her head, Irene mumbled back a feeble, "Oh, thank you."
"Okay, so basically I just need to know if you live in a smoke-free home, and if anyone in your household is allergic? Husband, boyfriend, kids, girlfriend?" Irene caught a hint of hopefulness that she didn't have any of these before shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, my boyfriend, I don't know. I don't think he is allergic, he said he had a cat while growing up. I'm sorry." She didn't know if she was apologizing for her lack of knowledge or for the boyfriend himself. "We don't smoke though," she added too quickly.
Biting the cap of her pen, Lisa averted her eyes, looking almost upset that Irene had mentioned a significant other. "No that's fine, we just don't want to send a cat off and have them brought back a week later because someone had an allergic reaction. I trust you," she murmured.
Taking that confession from her lips, savoring it as though she'd just expressed her greatest secret, Irene replied back with a simple, "I wouldn't dream of bringing him back."
Lisa seemed to brighten up. "Well that's settled, I'm gonna need your signature here and you'll be the proud new owner of Leo," her eyes twinkled a little, maybe from happiness, likely from tears she fought off. "I'm gonna miss him a lot."
With the flick of her wrist, Irene signed away her responsibility for the first time in what felt like literal lifetimes. She twirled a lock of her hair around a finger, let it bounce back, then twirled it again all while musing silently. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Could I have your number?" Rushing to explain herself at Lisa's startled expression, she backtracked, "I mean, so I can send you photos of him and ask for advice if need be? Since you'll miss him so much."
She watched Lisa's shoulders relax. "Oh, Irene, I sure would love that." She took the pen back from her and scribbled her number down, complete with a tiny heart in the corner. Irene took it from her like a precious gift that was to be placed in the utmost careful hands. Folding it, she placed it in her pocket.
Lisa sat up, searching around for a moment before pulling out a cardboard carrier and handing it to Irene. "I'm just gonna assume you haven't gotten a carrier or food, for that matter."
Fidgeting, Irene replied, "No, I haven't quite gotten the chance to do that. But I will," she rushed to reassure Lisa, "I promise."
Bending down, giving Irene a clear view of her backside, Lisa dug around before presenting her with two cans of food and small dry food bag. Catching her wandering eyes before they were wrenched back up towards her face to make eye contact, Lisa smirked devilishly and brushed the dust off her pants. "That should be good for a few days."
Embarrassed, Irene gathered the supplies and went to stand, ducking past Lisa's form like she'd been caught red-handed with her hands in the cookie jar. In the doorway, she paused. "Okay, so now I just like, take him home? I feel like I'm bringing a baby home from the hospital."
Lisa leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on Irene's shoulder, construing a thousand more sentiments, dozens of indecent ones flashing through Irene's mind that begged to ask her to do that again. Realizing her proximity, she leaned back but left her hand where it was perched. "It's that easy, Irene. Just make sure to give him space at home for a few days so he'll get used to it."
Nodding slowly, taking this all in with rapt attention, Irene chewed her bottom lip between teeth. "I—well, okay I guess that's it. It was very nice to meet you. You wanna come say goodbye to him?"
Shaking her head no, Lisa hung back and crossed her arms around herself. Quietly, she replied, "No, because I'll cry. I'm really gonna miss him." She sniffled once, already teary eyed from the mere thought of parting with Leo. Irene's heart shattered, and she felt bad that she'd be the one to separate the two. "Maybe you could swing by sometime to see him? His progress, you know?" Her bold invitation was proved to be fruitful when Lisa's eyes lit up and the grin she flashed was enough to sustain Irene's happiness a thousand times over.
"Oh, please. You wouldn't mind?"
"Not one bit."
Five minutes later, two scratches, and one cat meowing in the backseat of her car, Irene was on her way home after bidding goodbye to Jisoo. Being alone in the car with Leo was the oddest feeling, like she'd just adopted a needy child that was currently wailing as if she'd taken him away from his family. And in retrospect, she had. Pretty positive Lisa cared more about those cats than herself, Irene felt a pang of terror clash through her. What was she thinking? Leaving the house for groceries and coming back with a cat? Someone should really be keeping tabs on her reckless ideas.
Pulling up and parking in the driveway, Irene got out and wrangled the cat carrier clumsily out of her backseat. Struggling to carry it and the bag of food she'd been so graciously given, she jangled her keys before finally sliding the key in the lock. Setting the carrier down carefully, she called out, "Hank, I'm home."
His head popped out from the kitchen archway. "Jesus, you've been gone for hours. Did you get the beer? Jack left after like an hour to go watch the game at the bar because we had nothing."
"Well, I...didn't have time, you see—"
"Are you kidding? All that time and you didn't even make it to the store? What are we supposed to eat tonight, ramen? I'll just order Mexican, I guess."
"Hank, stop. I have something for you. For us," she corrected. Picking the carrier up, she carried it into the living room and motioned for Hank to sit in the armchair. "Don't freak out, okay?"
"Why would I frea—oh you have got to be kidding me, Irene. A fucking cat?" He scrunched his face in disgust at Leo's face that curiously peeked itself out. At Hank's snarl, Leo retreated immediately back into the safety of the box.
"Honey, you scared him. Look, he's very sweet, and I just couldn't leave him there. The woman at the shop said he's very easy-going."
"Irene, cats are a goddamn nuisance. And I don't think you know the first thing about taking care of something other than yourself. Who talked you into this? Jisoo? This has her written all over it."
"I take care of you," Irene snapped defensively. "And no, this was all me, thank you very much. I decided I wanted him."
Hank threw his hands up in distaste, leaning back to pick up the remote and put the game back on. Irene sat on the floor hunched over, willing off fresh tears that always seemed to make themselves known when Hank was around. But it was fine, because he loved her.
Right?
Gently coaxing Leo out of the box, she cooed and fawned over him for a moment before he tentatively jumped into her lap. Irene lifted her head, upset to see Hank hadn't even moved his an inch to gaze at them. Picking Leo up, she scooted over towards the chair where Hank sat. "Baby, don't you want to hold him?"
Hank scoffed at the two of them, making Irene feel like she'd shrunk into the size of an ant, the weight of his words beating down on her. "Absolutely not. This is your problem now, not mine. And he better not meow all night or he's going to the backyard to stay."
Quickly gathering Leo in her arms, Irene stood and hovered over Hank, trying to chose her words carefully before she said fuck it and kicked him out. "He's not a problem, Hank. If you cared to notice he hasn't made any noise or even an attempt to be a 'nuisance'. And over my dead body would he live in the backyard. There's animals that will kill him out there," she seethed through her teeth.
Hank chuckled scathingly at her, refusing to even look at her. "Whatever you say, babe. Are you making dinner or not? Because I'm hungry."
"I'm not," she called as white hot anger prickled at the base of her neck. "Make your own damn food."
"You betcha," was his sarcastic reply.
Stomping up the stairs as loud as she could make it, Irene slammed their bedroom door so hard it rattled the windows. Quickly apologizing to Leo; who tensed in her arms, she put him down gently atop her immaculate comforter. Turning, she put on her speaker, closing her eyes to relish in the low sounds of Connie Francis that filled the room.
Knowing Hank despised her older music, claiming it 'horrendously bad', she turned it up just enough to where she knew he would hear it well. Curling up into fetal position on her side of the bed, she lay there a moment, unable to do anything except breathe in and out. From beside her, she felt the bed dip slightly, and then a tiny paw press against the side of her waist. Freezing in place, not wanting to scare him off, she waited until Leo jumped up and over her, making himself comfortable in the space between her knees and chest.
Almost immediately, his tiny breaths evened out and she knew he had found his forever home with the way he fell asleep with such ease.
Heart aching with pure love, Irene sighed and reached over to grab her phone as delicately as she could without jostling Leo. Thumbing through her messages a moment, an idea sparked in her mind.
Carefully angling her phone, she opened the camera and shot a quick photo of her and Leo before reaching into her pocket for one of two numbers she'd received today. Tossing Eric's over the side of her bed to deal with at a later time, she typed in Lisa's number with precision and sent the photo without so much as a second thought. Anyway, she was on a roll today with reckless ideas so what was one more?
Debating for a moment, she then typed out another message. 'I think he likes it here ;) it's Irene btw, sorry if I'm bothering you!' Locking her phone, she closed her eyes to savor the stillness of her room.
The message came back almost immediately and Irene's heart pounded. Her thumbprint wasn't recognized and she had to manually put her password in three times before her trembling fingers got it right. Pulling up the text thread, she was delighted to see a photo of the cats still at the shop, all of them looking intently at the person who had shot the picture.
'How could I forget such a pretty face? I think they miss him, but we're all glad he's happy :) had to hold some treats in the air for them to pay attention long enough for a photo. cute shirt btw. and you're not bothering me, keep the photos comin'!'
Smiling to herself, Irene felt a rush of emotion bloom deep inside her chest. She sent off a quick reply, saying Lisa should come over sometime this coming week to visit him. Reading the text again, she noticed that she'd skimmed over Lisa's compliment about her shirt. The one she'd put on for Hank. The one he didn't even take a second out of his day to compliment.
Almost immediately her tears started stinging her eyes and there was no way for her to stop them. Angling her face so that they wouldn't drip on Leo, she let them free fall. It wasn't that she was mad, angry, or even mildly upset with Hank. She was mad at herself, that she'd let herself become so stationary in her relationship and that she allowed herself to be talked down on and treated this way.
It was hard for her to even imagine a life outside the walls of her relationship, even if it did hold the premise of something happier. Something life changing. Because truthfully, Hank wasn't a terrible person. An asshole sometimes, yes. But still someone that treated with her with basic decency and loved her even through her bad days. But what if it wasn't enough? What if she did deserve more? It hurt to even think about all the time she'd possibly lost with him. Who would even want her, with all her emotional baggage and now a kitten in tow?
For an hour or so, the tears came on and off, Leo's curled position unmoving in quiet support. Thankful for the bundle of love that came in the form of this small animal, she let herself be used for warmth with no qualms. It felt good that someone was going to love her even like this, messy hair and nose raw from the sniffling.
Finally, when twilight began spreading its soft light into the cracks of her curtains, Irene slowed the tears from sobs to a low sniffle every few moments. From down the stairs, she heard the tv shut off and the following sound of Hank padding up the stairs.
Irene folded back into herself, still careful to avoid moving Leo. When the door creaked open, she heard Hank pause, watching her stationary figure. When she sniffled, he poached the conversation.
"Irene? Baby?"
"What?" Came the disgruntled reply. She wasn't in the mood for his shitty apologies and promises to be nicer in the morning.
"Come on, you're really mad at me? Because I wouldn't hold your cat?"
"No," she lifted her head off the pillow, "I'm mad because you were being an asshole."
Hank snorted, ignoring her name calling. Crawling up next to her on the bed, he peppered kisses up the length of her clothed body. "I'm sorry, alright? Don't get all twisted up over it. I'm not the world's biggest fan of cats."
When he pulled Irene underneath him, Leo scampered off the bed and into the closet Irene had left cracked open this morning. Sighing, she went to roll off the bed and check on him but Hank clasped her wrists and tugged her into a sitting position. For a moment he held her face between palms, looking at her so intensely that she grew uncomfortable after a beat.
"Sorry, just wondering how I got so lucky with you," was his reasoning.
You should be considered so lucky, you bastard.
Before she could reply, he kissed her. He grunted into it, pulling her flush against him, and she knew immediately what his intentions were. Hank pulled back long enough to unbutton her shirt and unclasp her bra with quick movements. "You're so sexy," he whispered, already shucking his on pants off, "You know that?"
Humming her off kilter agreement into the next kiss, Irene let him unbutton her pants and slide his hand inside. Closing her eyes, she clutched at his back and imagined it was Lisa's back, the way her soft skin would tense and quiver as she scratched her nails up and down it lightly. Gasping when Hank teased at her through underwear, he made an approving noise. "You're so wet already."
When he slipped inside her, her brain was filled with lewd images of Lisa's two—no, three fingers doing the same. Trying to stop the images from overpowering any thoughts in her cerebrum, her plan was foiled when all she could dare think about was blonde hair tickling her thighs, Lisa's wet lips on her most intimate places, teasing ringed fingers on her nipples. Her chest flushed red, and she ignored Hank's obvious attempts to claim responsibility for her newfound enthusiasm. She was throbbing, flushed all over, and it had very little to do with his efforts. With every thrust, more ideas sparked in Irene's mind.
Ideas of Lisa holding her tightly, coaxing tiny moans out of Irene like she never wanted to hear anything else. Ideas of Lisa whispering in her ear, with that electrifying voice telling her that she's so wet, that she can't wait for Irene to fuck her so good. Ideas of Lisa spreading her legs like an offering and Irene putting her own mouth between them, pushing two fingers inside her.
Without paying any mind to Hank's soft grunts and half assed compliments, she let the perilous rush of arousal at her silent fantasies push her closer and closer to the edge.
When she came, it was accompanied with the mental image of Lisa looking up at her from between her thighs, licking her lips and sucking her fingers to clean them off and savor that final taste of Irene like she didn't want to forget it.
Hank held her through the jerky movements, gripping her hips a little too hard for her liking. Afterwards, he kissed her once more and declared, "You're my girl, you know? That was amazing."
"Yeah," she pressed her lips into a thin line, "I know."