RESTLESS WE WAIT
CHAPTER IV
Dixie hurried from the building, hoping to get to her car before the weather broke. She glanced upwards at the ominous rumble of thunder. One large drop hit the ground in front of her.
Once at her car she opened the door and stopped in surprise. A gray striped tabby cat was laying in the driver's seat. It was curled into a tight ball, tail wrapped snuggly around it.
"Now, how did you get in here?" she asked it.
The cat looked up at her and yawned. It blinked its luminous green eyes at her then stretched to its full length.
"I don't know how you got in here, but you can't stay. I'm not allowed pets at my apartment." She felt silly standing in the parking lot talking to a cat. She reached down and ruffled the cats hair. "Come on, out now."
The cat blink again and turned its back on her. The cat caught its tail and gave it a good lick before turning in the seat three times before settling back down, flatly refusing to budge.
"Now look, cat, this is my car and I said you can't stay, now shoo!" Dixie reached down to pick the cat up and place it on the ground, but the cat immediately fluffed up and spit and hissed at her.
Startled, Dixie took a step back. She tried to remove the cat again and this time got a swipe of paw, claws sheathed, and a warning growl.
"Problem, Dixie?" a familiar voice asked.
"This cat won't let me get her out of my car!" Dixie sputtered.
Mike Morton laughed and reached in to gently pick the cat up and rub its head. A loud rumbling purr came from the animal. She stretched upward and rubbed her head against his chin. With a quick lick she turned and jumped back in to Dixie's car.
"See! What's wrong with her? She let me pet her, but when I tried to get her out she hissed at me and tried to claw me." Dixie looked in exasperation at the animal now placidly sitting in the car.
Another low rumble filled the air. A bolt of lightening flashed, causing the area to temporarily brighten. Dixie caught the sight of a dark shadow that was quickly swallowed by the darkness left behind after the flash. She stepped back in shock and fear. She had seen that shape earlier, and possibly even before when she had almost been late for her shift.
"Dixie?" Morton said, dancing on one foot. The head nurse had tromped his foot in her haste to back away from the cat.
"What? Oh, Mike, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to step on you!"
"Morton shook his head, " Better you than a truck. You don't weigh as much."
"What?" she asked.
"Never mind, I'll tell you later." Mike grinned at her.
"In the meantime, what'll I do about the cat?" Dixie looked at the now sleeping animal.
"Take her home with you?" Mike asked, scratching the tip of his nose.
"I'm not allowed pets."
"Hmm, I'm not much of a cat person, either."
"Dixie, Mike, is there a problem? You two are getting ready to get wet." Kelly Brackett, head of the emergency section of Rampart, strode up to join the two beside the car.
"Where'd you get the cat?"
"I didn't." Dixie scowled.
"What's the problem, then?"
"I can't get her out. She hisses and spits when we try to get her out."
"Hum, tell you what, how about I take you to dinner and when we get back, maybe she'll be gone." Brackett smiled down at Dixie.
"Well, if you two have it covered, I'm outta here!" Morton told the couple. "Try and stay dry!"
"Thanks, Mike!" Dixie called to his departing back.
"Well?" Brackett asked.
"Fine, where're you taking me?" Dixie closed and locked the door. The cat yawned and stretched and made itself more comfortable.
"You better not die in there!" Dixie told it.
Brackett laughed and took Dixie's elbow, "Come on, Cat Woman, before you get your fur wet."
The two made it to Brackett's car and inside just as the deluge hit.
The cat sat up and looked out the window at the departing vehicle. With a rumbling purr of approval she lay back down and waited for the darkness to come.