Free Obsidian by Teagan Oliver Page B

Use the key,” was the muffled reply. Shelby pulled out a key on the chain she had around her neck and slid it over her head. She fit the key into the lock and swung open the door.
    Jamie followed her into a bright, sunny kitchen with high white cabinets and big windows that faced out over the lawn. The walls were painted a brilliant turquoise color and the room was simply furnished with a table and chairs. But what surprised him most was that everywhere he looked there was something with a cat on it.
    Jamie set the box on the counter next to a collection of mugs, plates and placemats with cats on them. Even the curtains at the window had pictures of felines on them.
    An orange tabby cat came in and wound herself around his legs, rubbing her face against his jeans. Jamie reached down and scratched the cat under the chin until it sat back on its haunches, a loud purr growling from it in pure pleasure.
    “Meribelle, you old reprobate,” Shelby laughed. “You love a good scratch, don’t you? You just know that I brought your food for you.”
    The cat abandoned Jamie to wind around Shelby's feet, before rolling onto her back for a belly rub.
    “It looks like you’ve got a friend.”
    Shelby reached down to give the cat one last scratch. “Believe me, she isn’t too partial. She’ll willingly go to anyone who gives her a scratch. Besides, she's only loyal to me because she knows I bring her food.”
    “Shelby?” The voice was coming from somewhere near the front of the house.
    “I brought over those groceries you wanted,” Shelby called out. “I was just about to put them away for you, but Meribelle decided I’d make a better resting spot instead.”
    There was a jingle of bracelets and the scuffle of footsteps coming down the hall. Marianne appeared in the doorway. Her gray-white hair was tinted with a purple rinse and made her look like a cross between a punk rocker and an Easter egg.
    Her face lit up as she walked over to Shelby. The bracelets on her wrists jangled as she put her hand on Shelby’s arm. “Sorry I didn’t come let you in. I’m working.”
    She wore an orange paint-speckled shirt with a pair of loose fitting blue-green chef style pants. Purple canvas high-top sneakers completed her outfit.
    “Oh good. I see you brought a friend.” She held her hand out to him. Her long fingers were adorned with many rings and her wrists with rows of silver. Her cold fingers rested against his hand for a moment before she looked back at Shelby and winked. “It’s about time you brought someone with you.”
    Not waiting for a response, Marianne angled herself past him and scuffed her way over to the stove to put the teakettle on to heat. Her movements were stilted with the effects of arthritis, but even with the restrictions, she carried herself with an air of elegant grace.
    “You’ll stay to tea. I can’t let you go without it, especially since you were nice enough to bring all that out here.” She motioned toward the counter. “Goodness gracious, Shelby. You should have made more than one trip. You shouldn’t be hauling all that in one load.”
    “It’s not really that heavy. Besides, I brought help to carry it.” Shelby walked over to the counter next to him and began pulling cat food from the bags and placing the cans in the cupboard next to the sink.
    The cat let out a disgruntled yowl at Jamie as he pulled his foot out from under the lounging body. Marianne looked at him over half-glasses perched on her nose. “Do you have a name or are you someone she picked up on the side of the road?”
    “My name is Jamie Rivard.” He was surprised when she took his hand in hers again and looked into his eyes. He had the strangest feeling that he was somehow being analyzed.
    Marianne turned back to Shelby who was now putting the cold items into the refrigerator. “He’s okay. You can bring him back again.” Shelby didn’t look up from her task, but Jamie could see her face was turning