Chapter 13
Skye sat on her couch, staring at the fuzzy face in front of her. The fuzzy face stared back. "I can't believe I have a cat," she murmered. The animal seemed to be content with the situation, purring in ecstacy as she scratched its ear. It was all Jax's fault. He suggested to her that she attend the grand opening of the animal shelter yesterday. It would be good PR for ELQ, since the company had made a donation to the building fund. She had arrived early, so the director gave her a tour of the building. They were in a room designated for cats to roam around uncaged, when the director of the shelter had to step away to take an urgent phone call. Skye had been left alone in the room, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot as cats of all colors and sizes circled around her, rubbing against her leg. She finally decided to sit down in a nearby chair. She was starting to get impatient, when a cat jumped into her lap and lay down, purring loudly. Skye was struck by its beautiful markings. It was black and brown with a stripey pattern. She hesitantly reached out her hand to stroke its head. She flinched a little when it lifted up its head and rubbed its chin against her hand. A silly grin started to spread across her face when the cat turned over on its back, apparently demanding a belly rub. The director came back, and smiled at the cozy scene. "He's one of our best charmers." Skye smiled sheepishly. "He's gorgeous. I wonder why he hasn't been adopted." The director sat in another chair. "Because he's an adult. A lot of folks prefer to adopt kittens. And since there's usually a steady supply of those, they ignore the adults." Skye looked down at the little guy who was now playing with one of the buttons on her suit. "Well, I don't think I could ever ignore him."
Because her decision to adopt the cat had not been planned, the director suggested that she take a day to think about it. He gave her a brochure that outlined the responsibilities for ownership of a cat. Skye read it, and considered it very seriously. The next day she knew that her decision had not wavered. She went right out and purchased all the materials needed. Then she picked up the cat from the shelter. Now she was home, and was marvelling over this little life. She had decided to call him Mocha, since his markings reminded her of coffee and chocolate swirled together. Throughout the next week, Skye actually looked forward to coming home. She was disappointed when it became apparent that the little cat was shy around strangers. Mocha adored her, but whenever AJ or Alan or anyone else came around, he fled the room.
One night Skye was catching up on some reading when her doorbell rang. As usual, Mocha slunk into her bedroom to hide under the bed. She went to the door and saw through the glass that Sonny was standing there. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Sonny strode into the foyer and went straight to her living room. "By all means," she muttered, "make yourself at home." Sonny stopped short when he saw the cat tree in the corner. "What the hell is that?" Skye stifled a giggle. It was a huge multi- tiered monstrosity. She had wanted nothing but the biggest and best for Mocha. "It's a cat tree." Sonny stared blankly at her. "A what?" She enunciated, "A….cat….tree." Understanding dawned. "You adopted that cat you were holding in the newspaper." She nodded. The article about the opening of the shelter had featured a picture of her holding Mocha. "So you adopted a cat as a publicity stunt." She put her hands on her hips. "I adopted the cat because I wanted companionship. I've given up on human males."
Sonny snorted and looked around the room. "So where is it?" She shrugged. "He's probably hiding in the bedroom." Sonny's eyes widened mockingly. "From me? Am I that intimidating?" Skye smirked. "No, or else I'd be hiding in the bedroom too." Sonny looked at her speculatively. "What a shame." She raised her eyebrows. "That I don't find you intimidating?" He shook his head. "That I haven't got you cornered in the bedroom." Skye's cheeks turned scarlet. She folded her arms. "I assume you came here with a specific purpose other than to needle me." Sonny's features became deadly serious. "I haven't been able to get a hold of Courtney the past couple of days. My men tell me that AJ has disappeared too. I want you to tell me whats going on." Skye went pale. She'd almost forgotten about AJ's elopement plans. She had been hoping that Courtney would exhibit more prudence than her brother. She looked away. "Unlike you, I don't keep tabs on my siblings."
Sonny glared at her. "I know that you know something. I can see it in your eyes." She glared back. "I can honestly say that I have no idea where either of them are." He cocked his head. "But you know that they're together." She exhaled. "I can also honestly say I don't know that either." She looked down. Sonny's manner softened almost imperceptively. "AJ told you what he was planning and you didn't like it, did you?" Skye looked up at him, then away. "You tried to talk him out of something, didn't you?" She silently cursed AJ for putting her in this position. "I can't stop them from doing what they want to do anymore than you can, Sonny." "Speak for yourself, Skye. Just because you refuse to save your brother from his stupid schemes doesn't mean I won't. Tell me what you know." She looked at Sonny, stealing herself for a knockdown drag out fight, when there was a ringing noise from Sonny's coat. He took out his cell phone and answered it. After a few "uh-huhs" and "yeahs" he hung up. "That was Mike. He told me that Courtney came home just now. Seems that AJ took her to Atlantic City to see her mom, as a birthday gift. She apologized for not telling anyone about it. Said it was spur of the moment." Yeah right, she thought. Skye bit her lip, wondering if they had gone through with the elopement. If so, they apparently hadnt told anyone yet.
Sonny opened his mouth to say something, when he was interrupted by a meow. Startled, they both looked down at the coffee table to see Mocha sitting there staring at Sonny. The cat meowed at him again. Sonny looked to Skye for interpretation. "Um…when he does that to me, it usually means he wants me to sit down so he can jump in my lap." Sonny raised one eyebrow, then obliged the cat by sitting on the couch. Mocha immediately jumped into his lap, did one turn, and flopped down with his belly exposed. Sonny's lips quirked into a smile, and he started stroking the cat's soft fur. Mocha began purring contentedly. Skye shook her head and sat down. "I don't believe it. He likes you." Sonny gave her an annoyed look. "Is that such a surprise?" She nodded. "Yes it is. He hasn't liked anyone who has stepped through that door in the past week." Sonny grinned. "I guess its my animal magnetism." He laughed when she rolled her eyes.
Skye was thoughtful for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "Sonny, I wonder if you could do me a favor." He looked at her in surprise. She blushed. "I'm going to Pine Valley for Labor Day weekend, and I've been trying to figure out what to do about the cat. I hate to put him in a kennel since he just finally got out of that shelter. The vet said he would be fine in the house as long as someone comes in to feed him. But like I told you, he hasn't liked anyone who has come into the house…" she trailed off. Sonny cocked his head. "Are you asking me to watch your cat while you're gone?" Her blush deepened. "I know we're not exactly friendly enough that we can ask each other favors. But I'm running out of time and…he really likes you." Sonny smiled again. "Okay, Skye. I'll watch your cat for you. But now you owe me one." Skye nodded, relieved. Yet she couldn't help but wonder how he would call in the favor.
Skye sat on her couch, staring at the fuzzy face in front of her. The fuzzy face stared back. "I can't believe I have a cat," she murmered. The animal seemed to be content with the situation, purring in ecstacy as she scratched its ear. It was all Jax's fault. He suggested to her that she attend the grand opening of the animal shelter yesterday. It would be good PR for ELQ, since the company had made a donation to the building fund. She had arrived early, so the director gave her a tour of the building. They were in a room designated for cats to roam around uncaged, when the director of the shelter had to step away to take an urgent phone call. Skye had been left alone in the room, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot as cats of all colors and sizes circled around her, rubbing against her leg. She finally decided to sit down in a nearby chair. She was starting to get impatient, when a cat jumped into her lap and lay down, purring loudly. Skye was struck by its beautiful markings. It was black and brown with a stripey pattern. She hesitantly reached out her hand to stroke its head. She flinched a little when it lifted up its head and rubbed its chin against her hand. A silly grin started to spread across her face when the cat turned over on its back, apparently demanding a belly rub. The director came back, and smiled at the cozy scene. "He's one of our best charmers." Skye smiled sheepishly. "He's gorgeous. I wonder why he hasn't been adopted." The director sat in another chair. "Because he's an adult. A lot of folks prefer to adopt kittens. And since there's usually a steady supply of those, they ignore the adults." Skye looked down at the little guy who was now playing with one of the buttons on her suit. "Well, I don't think I could ever ignore him."
Because her decision to adopt the cat had not been planned, the director suggested that she take a day to think about it. He gave her a brochure that outlined the responsibilities for ownership of a cat. Skye read it, and considered it very seriously. The next day she knew that her decision had not wavered. She went right out and purchased all the materials needed. Then she picked up the cat from the shelter. Now she was home, and was marvelling over this little life. She had decided to call him Mocha, since his markings reminded her of coffee and chocolate swirled together. Throughout the next week, Skye actually looked forward to coming home. She was disappointed when it became apparent that the little cat was shy around strangers. Mocha adored her, but whenever AJ or Alan or anyone else came around, he fled the room.
One night Skye was catching up on some reading when her doorbell rang. As usual, Mocha slunk into her bedroom to hide under the bed. She went to the door and saw through the glass that Sonny was standing there. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Sonny strode into the foyer and went straight to her living room. "By all means," she muttered, "make yourself at home." Sonny stopped short when he saw the cat tree in the corner. "What the hell is that?" Skye stifled a giggle. It was a huge multi- tiered monstrosity. She had wanted nothing but the biggest and best for Mocha. "It's a cat tree." Sonny stared blankly at her. "A what?" She enunciated, "A….cat….tree." Understanding dawned. "You adopted that cat you were holding in the newspaper." She nodded. The article about the opening of the shelter had featured a picture of her holding Mocha. "So you adopted a cat as a publicity stunt." She put her hands on her hips. "I adopted the cat because I wanted companionship. I've given up on human males."
Sonny snorted and looked around the room. "So where is it?" She shrugged. "He's probably hiding in the bedroom." Sonny's eyes widened mockingly. "From me? Am I that intimidating?" Skye smirked. "No, or else I'd be hiding in the bedroom too." Sonny looked at her speculatively. "What a shame." She raised her eyebrows. "That I don't find you intimidating?" He shook his head. "That I haven't got you cornered in the bedroom." Skye's cheeks turned scarlet. She folded her arms. "I assume you came here with a specific purpose other than to needle me." Sonny's features became deadly serious. "I haven't been able to get a hold of Courtney the past couple of days. My men tell me that AJ has disappeared too. I want you to tell me whats going on." Skye went pale. She'd almost forgotten about AJ's elopement plans. She had been hoping that Courtney would exhibit more prudence than her brother. She looked away. "Unlike you, I don't keep tabs on my siblings."
Sonny glared at her. "I know that you know something. I can see it in your eyes." She glared back. "I can honestly say that I have no idea where either of them are." He cocked his head. "But you know that they're together." She exhaled. "I can also honestly say I don't know that either." She looked down. Sonny's manner softened almost imperceptively. "AJ told you what he was planning and you didn't like it, did you?" Skye looked up at him, then away. "You tried to talk him out of something, didn't you?" She silently cursed AJ for putting her in this position. "I can't stop them from doing what they want to do anymore than you can, Sonny." "Speak for yourself, Skye. Just because you refuse to save your brother from his stupid schemes doesn't mean I won't. Tell me what you know." She looked at Sonny, stealing herself for a knockdown drag out fight, when there was a ringing noise from Sonny's coat. He took out his cell phone and answered it. After a few "uh-huhs" and "yeahs" he hung up. "That was Mike. He told me that Courtney came home just now. Seems that AJ took her to Atlantic City to see her mom, as a birthday gift. She apologized for not telling anyone about it. Said it was spur of the moment." Yeah right, she thought. Skye bit her lip, wondering if they had gone through with the elopement. If so, they apparently hadnt told anyone yet.
Sonny opened his mouth to say something, when he was interrupted by a meow. Startled, they both looked down at the coffee table to see Mocha sitting there staring at Sonny. The cat meowed at him again. Sonny looked to Skye for interpretation. "Um…when he does that to me, it usually means he wants me to sit down so he can jump in my lap." Sonny raised one eyebrow, then obliged the cat by sitting on the couch. Mocha immediately jumped into his lap, did one turn, and flopped down with his belly exposed. Sonny's lips quirked into a smile, and he started stroking the cat's soft fur. Mocha began purring contentedly. Skye shook her head and sat down. "I don't believe it. He likes you." Sonny gave her an annoyed look. "Is that such a surprise?" She nodded. "Yes it is. He hasn't liked anyone who has stepped through that door in the past week." Sonny grinned. "I guess its my animal magnetism." He laughed when she rolled her eyes.
Skye was thoughtful for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "Sonny, I wonder if you could do me a favor." He looked at her in surprise. She blushed. "I'm going to Pine Valley for Labor Day weekend, and I've been trying to figure out what to do about the cat. I hate to put him in a kennel since he just finally got out of that shelter. The vet said he would be fine in the house as long as someone comes in to feed him. But like I told you, he hasn't liked anyone who has come into the house…" she trailed off. Sonny cocked his head. "Are you asking me to watch your cat while you're gone?" Her blush deepened. "I know we're not exactly friendly enough that we can ask each other favors. But I'm running out of time and…he really likes you." Sonny smiled again. "Okay, Skye. I'll watch your cat for you. But now you owe me one." Skye nodded, relieved. Yet she couldn't help but wonder how he would call in the favor.
