I hate putting in Author's Notes.
But I am, because I think you will enjoy the story better with what I'll tell you to do.
After all, your enjoyment is of importance here.
Initially I wanted each chapter to have a different title, a song that explains each chapter.
So now, I'll just head each chapter like this, to keep the flow:
*
Sick Like Me
*****
I lay on the wicker lounge chair, an arm shielding my face from the sun. I jiggled my leg now and then, so the mosquitos would stay away. I felt a soft tug on my shirt, and felt something go up on my chest. I removed my arm to see the tabby kitten curling up on my chest. It had tracked dirt all over my shirt.
"Oh you, you're just too cute to get angry at," I murmured, as I pulled it closer.
I found the kitten on the second day I was here, hanging around the front porch. It was an ordinary brown and grey tabby- when it first saw us, it ran to hide; then from its safe point it watched us, shoulders high and tense, as if it would attack if it needed to.
"Stay away from that," he had said immediately.
"Why? It's just a baby," I replied. I got on my knees, and tried a few hello meows.
"Because you don't know where it has been," he said testily. "And also I hate animals. They stink. I better not smell that stank on you." He stood a few paces behind me, arms crossed, annoyed.
"You won't," I retorted. I extended my hand, and watched as the kitten padded closer. It looked at me, at my hand, then it looked at him, and meowed loudly.
"Piece of shit," he muttered.
"What is with you?" I said, as I started scratching behind its ears.
The kitten arched its neck, eyes closed, clearly enjoying the feeling. It had clumps of dirt in its fur, and getting rid of them must have felt good.
I scooped up the kitten, and held it close to my breast. It curled up against the warmth of my skin.
He stood there, with murder in his eyes.
"I want it," I said. "Please, I'll clean it, I'll keep it away from you... But you go away at times and I like having something for myself nearby... I want a pet..."
His eyes softened for a second, but that was it. "Fine. You're such a child." He stepped up to me, and slid a hand into my jeans to grab my butt. I hissed as his fingers sank into my flesh. I felt his finger inch towards my butthole, and I wriggled free- I wasn't ready for that...
"You'll have hell to pay later anyways," he murmured, as he kissed me roughly.
He couldn't keep long, since the kitten yelped at the sudden invasion of its personal space, and jumped up. I caught it before it did any more damage.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I said quickly. He scoffed, then went off to his car.
Louise caught me as I went back into the house. She seemed to have an almost magical ability to be wherever she wanted to be, locks and walls be damned. She noticed the little ball of fur I was cradling in my arms.
"Oh, such a sweet thing..." she cooed, as she came closer to scratch its head. "Don't let him see this," she advised.
"He already did. I even asked him. But why is he afraid of cats?" I asked.
"Oh honey, he isn't afraid of cats," she said, looking at me sadly.
"Then?"
"He hates them. All animals actually."
"But why?"
"Nobody knows why we do the things we do, sweet child," she said, as she pinched my cheek. I yeowled at the pain, as she laughed. "Go get it cleaned. Wear gloves before you wash it. I'll get some milk for it.. It's still a baby so the milk will need diluting.."
I went into the washroom, and ran the water into the sink. The kitten, upon hearing the noise of the running water, climbed up onto my shoulder, sinking its claws into my skin as it went.
"Ow! Kitty! I'm trying to help you here!"
I wrenched the thing off my clothes and literally threw it into the water. It cried, and tried to escape, but I caught it and managed to start working on its fur. I really should have listened to Lousie, as it started scratching and biting my hand as I washed it.
After I was done, I wrapped it up in a towel and held it near my chest again, and it stopped fidgeting. I thought about using a hair dryer, but it would probably spook it even more, so I just tried drying it with the towel.
Louise called me to the table, where she had put a bowl of milk. I placed the kitten on the table, and it ran to the bowl and started lapping up the milk.
"You're a sweet girl," said Louise after a while, looking at me. "Liam's lucky to find you."
"...thank you." I said, a bit uneasily.
"I can see what he sees in you though, you're the most docile and shy person I've seen! Do you have any backbone at all, girl?" she laughed.
I felt myself swell up in anger, like my kitten had done in the bushes. She noticed that. "Oh sweet pea, I mean that in a good sense. There aren't many people like that around. They just don't teach that as a good quality anymore," she explained. "It matches nicely with Liam's personality...he needs to be with someone like you, otherwise he might just explode."
"He doesn't seem like that, actually. I mean with others he's very popular and gets along with people..." I said, trying to change the topic.
"Oh that's recent. That's just a show. That's what he's expected to be like and blah blah," she replied, waving her hand dismissively.
"You've know him for a while," I said.
"Since he was a toddler. His family used to come here every week when he was younger. Very quiet boy, very secretive. I had to pry the thoughts out of his mind, even if it was just to know what he wanted to eat."
"He talks like you, you know?"
"Hah! He should! He used to hang onto my skirts like a little leech. I was the only one who could handle him. Not that he was a handful in the regular sense, but you know... No, you wouldn't..."
"I'm getting to know, don't worry." I replied. She smiled at my words.
"Just... forgive him, sometimes, alright? Everyone has a heart. Some just feel too much."
"Humph. I wonder if he feels at all..."
She sighed at my statement. "If you're saying that... I hope he hasn't treated you too badly.." she said in a low voice.
"Did he have more girlfriends over?" It came out of my mouth before I could stop myself. "I mean, did he...do you know any of his old... friends..." I trailed off stupidly.
"Oh he calls many people over," she said, easily, "Girls mostly, boys sometimes. Mostly for fun." She watched me closely.
I wanted to ask, what kind of fun? But I thought against it. I looked down instead.
"Lately not so much, with things going a bit badly for his family and all," she finished.
The kitten meowed loudly, and I scooped it into my arms again. It shivered, as I wasn't dry it, so I opened my shirt to warm it against my bare skin.
"Do you have children?" I asked offhandedly.
"Oh no. I'm infertile," she said, a tad too happily. "So is my husband."
