Free Life in Shadows by Elliott Kay Page A

short-term,
dysfunctional relationships must have been nuts. Then again, the fact that he’d
had to take restraining orders out on more than a few of them seemed to make
that obvious.
    “You
don’ hafta do this,” Kevin slurred. “You c’n leave me on the doorstep. I’ll
jus’ take a nap there.”
    “It’s
totally not a problem,” Molly grunted. Despite the physical strength that she
was usually happy to show off, Molly found the task of hauling Kevin inside
tougher than she expected. It was less an issue of dead weight than it was of
balance and direction. He was trying hard to help. Too hard.
    “Nnnnnno,
really,” he went on, “I’ve slept outside lots’a timesh. I was a soljer, y’know.
Didjou know that? When you were still jus’ a kid.”
    “I
know,” Molly said. “I remember. You sent me letters from Afghanistan.”
    “Ssssuch
bullshit,” he grumbled. “But yeah. An’ I remember you bein’ jus’ a little girl
when I was in high school. You used to play with—”
    “You’re
done!” Molly commanded him loudly. “You’re done. Finished. No more of that.”
    “Okay,
okay, sorry,” he smiled at her, then turned to Onyx. “Sssshhhhh.”
    Onyx
turned her head and blinked away the fumes. She knew Molly wanted to get her
uncle good and smashed for some specific reason, but as yet that reason hadn’t
been made clear to her. She staggered on, glad she had opted for her Doc Marten
boots rather than anything with fancy heels tonight.
    Molly
dug around in Kevin’s pocket for his keys. She and Onyx kept him upright as
they tried the door, needing only three tries before she found the right one to
open the lock.
    The
simple, two-story townhome was dark. A staircase rose only a few feet beyond
the front door, with the kitchen opening up immediately to the right. Onyx
heard a thunk at the kitchen countertop. “Aw, kitty,” she announced.
    “Awww,
kitty,” Kevin slurred. He straightened himself enough to pull away from the
ladies, slipping behind them to put his arms out on the countertop around the
cat. Molly found the light switch, illuminating the room to reveal a healthy,
almost muscular grey and white cat. The pattern of his fur made Onyx
immediately think of snow tigers.
    He
was also, from his demeanor, quite skeptical. Kevin petted him with one hand,
both elbows propped up on the countertop. The cat reached out to press one paw
against his cheek.
    “This
is a nice place,” Onyx observed. “Comfy.”
    “Prol’y
gonna haveta move soon,” Kevin complained. “Lan’lady’s gonna have a realtor
come over an’ assess ‘r something.” He let out a sigh. “This sucks. Lost my
girlfriend. Gonna lose my place. Might even lose my job.” Attila then stood up,
flicked his tail and walked out of reach. “Lost my cat,” Kevin added.
    “He’s
just being a cat,” assured Molly. “Hey, Attila. We’re putting Kevin here to
bed.”
    “He’s
gorgeous!” declared Onyx.
    “Yeah,
he is,” Molly agreed with a huff. “Me and that cat are pretty tight.”
    “He’s
my buddy,” Kevin nodded.
    “He’s
keeping his distance from you tonight, you drunk,” Molly said. She slipped
around him, looking through his cabinets until she found a glass and filled it
with water from the tap. “Drink,” she ordered, holding it out to Kevin.
    He
let out a sigh. “Okay,” taking it and downing it as instructed. “’m not gonna
have a hangover,” he said. “Drank a lotta water at the bar. Took some aspirin.
‘m sure I’ll be fine.”
    Molly
leaned in to Attila and shared an affectionate headbutt. “You and me gotta talk
later, ‘kay?” she asked. The cat let out a neutral meow. Molly scratched his
head, then turned her attention back to the matter of her uncle. “Up the
stairs. I know you can make it on your own. Go. Wait, no, gimme the glass.
Okay, now go.”
    Onyx
followed a staggering Kevin and an uncharacteristically bossy Molly up the
stairs, waiting patiently for her explanation. Attila