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[b] CHAPTER THREE: Good Choice [/b]
The car ride was long, silent; the air between them was dense with tension. He hadn't looked in her direction since they had stepped out of the office. He drove, she fidgeted in the seat beside him. She was never an anxious person before, but here she was… in the [i]after[/i]… and she was anxious. He stared out the front window as they sat in the Manhattan traffic, the radio turned off, the only sounds audible were the breaths they were taking, and Addison was pretty sure she could hear her heartbeat. The therapy session started so well… and then she had to go and fucking cry like a fucking baby. 'Way to go, Ad!' she said to herself, her gaze returning to her wedding ring.
He missed the exit. She glanced toward him, but didn't say anything. She sure as hell wasn't about to correct his mistake, not after that disastrous appointment. "I know," he said, as if he'd read her mind. "We have homework," he added, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he took an exit three miles east of their normal exit. He returned to silence as he pulled into the parking lot of the Humane Society of New York. He turned the car off quickly and unbuckled his seatbelt, and offered his wife a tiny, quick smile as she, too, unbuckled her seatbelt.
She didn't look down to confirm her theory, but she told herself that his hand was lingering just centimeters from her back. She wanted to believe he was still guiding her in the right direction- even if she'd gone off course
"Hi! I'm Rachel," a young girl said as they entered the building, the bell on the door ringing loudly as the door clanked shut. She cradled a yellow Labrador puppy in her arms as she offered Addison and Derek a sincere smile. Derek sighed softly as he glanced at the dog; what in the hell was that doctor thinking? But they were already at the shelter; they couldn't turn around now. This was for Addison, for himself, for them. He would do whatever it takes, and if getting some kind of animal was the answer, then damn it, he would become the owner of a goddamned dog. "What brings you in today?"
"We're getting a puppy," Derek said as he returned a smile to the young girl.
"A puppy? Derek… no," Addison countered. "We need a kitten," she said to Rachel, who gave them a confused glance. "We're surgeons, Derek. Puppies need a lot of love and attention… not that kittens don't… but dogs are more dependent. We don't have enough time to get a puppy."
Derek sighed as he nodded toward Rachel, who smiled in return. "We have plenty of cats to choose from. What age and breed were you thinking?"
"We want a baby, right, Derek?" Addison asked, reaching out to pet the puppy in Rachel's arms. He looked bewildered by her question, and she winced at her wording. He didn't want a baby – that was part of the problem. "A kitten… a few weeks old," she added, quickly correcting herself.
"We have five kittens… I can take you to the playroom to meet them, if you'd like. They have all of their shots, but haven't been declawed. You'll have to do that yourself, if you want to. Just sign in here," she said, pointing to a clipboard on the counter. "I'll go put Sunny here back into his crate, and we can head back to the kittens."
Rachel led them down the long, dim hallway a few minutes later. She chattered about the kittens, about their personalities. Addison and Derek watched as four of the five baby cats played in the pen, the fifth one wandering around on her own. She was a tiny black kitten, and she sauntered right up to Addison and Derek as they entered the playroom. "Take your time getting to know them," Rachel said. "This is an important step."
Addison scooped the tiny black kitten into her arms, cooing as the kitten purred at Addison's touch. "Derek! Look how tiny she is… she likes us!" she exclaimed, holding the kitten out to her husband.
"She's very cute," Derek agreed, reaching out to pet the cat on her head.
"I think we should get this one!" Addison said, pulling the little black ball of fur back towards her.
"Addison… it's the first one we've picked up," Derek said with a laugh. Addison had always been like that – she was always quick to make a decision, and stick by them. It was why he loved her… 'one of the many reasons,' he corrected himself. "Let's see if we feel connected to any other ones."
"Alright," she sighed, gently placing the kitten back on the floor. The other four purred and continued to play; Derek stood back up and walked over to them, and picked up a male calico kitten.
"How about this one?" he asked, holding the kitten out to Addison.
"He's not as soft," Addison said, pouting slightly. "I'm sorry," she added.
"What are you sorry for now?" he sighed, setting the kitten back down; the little cat scurried off, back toward the other three kittens. The kitten that his wife had been so drawn to, however, sat down beside him and looked up at Derek, cocking her head slightly, her blue eyes meeting his.
"Being picky," Addison whimpered, wringing her hands in her lap.
"No. Don't be sorry for this. This is important."
"She's so lonely, Derek," Addison whimpered, reaching out to pick the black kitten up again. "The other ones aren't playing with her!"
"Do you think she's the one?" he asked softly, finally meeting her eyes. Addison cuddled the kitten to her chest and nodded, a smile flaring at the corners of her lips.
"Have you decided?" Rachel asked as she rejoined them in the room.
"Yes," Derek said, standing up and offering his hand to Addison. Her grin grew as she handed the tiny kitten to her husband, and he cradled the tiny cat to his chest. She stood slowly, nodding enthusiastically as Derek continued. "We'll take her."
"Oh, good choice!" Rachel cooed. "She's been here the longest… her time was actually almost up. She doesn't play much… that's why she hasn't been adopted. She's my favorite," she said softly, as she petted the kitten's head. "Well. Let's go fill out the forms, and you two can take her home today!"
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