“Is he coming back?” Junior asked for the third time from where he was sitting alert in front of the door.
Kit resisted the urge to hiss in frustration from the top of the cat tree, but she was supposed to be nice to the kid, so she settled for highly annoyed instead. “Yes, he’ll be back tonight.”
Junior looked over his shoulder with mournfully large, puppy eyes that had been suckering Kent into giving extra treats the past week. “Really? It’s just that–” He glanced back the closed door. “They don’t always come back.”
Kit really wanted to hate the kid, but she couldn’t when he was such a pathetic puddle of fur right now. “Come sit with me,” she ordered.
After a last glance a the door, Junior awkwardly climbed up the branches and settled in beside Kit. She started grooming the one side of his head and he let her without complaining. “Kent will be back,” she reassured him between mouthfuls of fur. “He always comes back.”
The kid had anxiety bad. It had been obvious from the first day Kent had come home with a new puppy that he hadn’t even asked her about. She had been mad at him, but it wasn’t long before it was clear that something was off with Junior.
From the disjointed phone conversations, Kit pieced together part of Junior’s past. Junior had been taken away from his mother far too young, and then later, neglected by his new family when they had moved away without him. Apparently, animal services had found Junior living in the front garden, waiting for his family to come back.
It was hardly surprising that Junior had since developed abandonment issues. Every time Kent so much as stepped foot through the front door, Junior was awash with anxiety that he was never coming back.
Kit felt bad for the kid– she really did– but her patience could only stretch so far. Luckily, Junior was distracted by several of the new toys that Kent had set out for him, and when he’d tired himself out, fell asleep in a sunny patch until Kent got home.
The jingle of keys on the other side alerted Kit and she was up on her feet and headed towards the door. Kent had had several grocery bags in both hands, but he put them down to give Kit a quick, perfunctory rub on the head. “Hey, Princess,” he said before picking heading to the kitchen.
They could both hear Junior long before they could see him. His enthusiastic barks carried down the hall as he dashed out to greet Kent. He weaved figure-eights between Kent’s legs while continuing his raucous woofs.
“Let him put away the food first,” she chided.
“He’s back,” Junior said, completely ignoring her. “Kent came back.” If Kit could roll her eyes in disgust and embarrassment, she would have. Honestly, dogs.
Kent completely forgot about the bags on the counter as he sat down to cuddle Junior back with equal energy. “Aw, I missed you too, Junior.” Then, he quickly added, “And you too, Kit.” She preened for a moment that Kent hadn’t forgotten her.
Later, after Kent had taken Junior for a walk and they’d all eaten, Junior wandered over to where Kit was perched beside a sleeping Kent on the couch. He jumped up and dropped a half-eaten bone-shaped treat beside Kit and nosed it over to her.
“Eugh, don’t leave food on the couch,” Kit said, cringing at the slobber.
“It’s for you,” Junior offered shyly.
“Why?” she asked baffled. The treats were Junior’s favorite and he gobbled them up every chance he got.
“I like you. You’re nice.”
Kit stared at the kid for a moment before answering. “I hissed at you this morning.”
Junior shook his head, his ears swaying with the motion. “I’m always scared, but you make me feel not so scared.”
Kit was taken aback, but then quietly sighed, “Come here, kid.”
Junior curled around her and she began to groom him. Behind her, Kent snored lightly while the low noise of the television was a quiet hum that eventually lulled them all to sleep.
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