Chapter 27 - Strangers in the Night

BELLA

I was busy. That was an understatement. I was insanely busy, I should say. I had started my senior classes over the summer. My dad had approached me with the idea, and I jumped on it. I wanted to be with my mother, and this would help keep her from getting sick. By the time school started, I only had senior English to finish up to graduate. Stupid literature, who needed that crap, anyway? I was sure the animals I treated wouldn't care that I had read The Scarlet Letter. Yeah, that class was totally bogus and didn't go with my profession.

Mom broached the idea of me taking some online college courses, when she saw how well I was doing with my other online work. The reality of it all was that it was easy to concentrate and get my work done, when no one was around judging me or waiting to harass me. Basically, no distractions made for quick work of my senior courses.

I used the last of my shake job money to pay for the college classes and had been doing awesome in them. It felt really good to be moving closer to my goal. I was going to become a vet a lot faster than I thought. I just hoped Sue and Harry replaced the shake costume soon. Tyler's parents had paid to buy a new one, since he had ruined the last one. Harry said he would call me if they got one in. He just had to get Sue onboard with the idea again.

In the meantime, I needed a little part-time job, so I could pay for next semester's classes as well. Since I was not a graduate yet, I couldn't get financial aid, at least that was what I thought. I just had better get that damn English class over with, so I could really apply for grants and loans.

In the meantime, I got a job cleaning cages at the local vet. When I explained my expertise in disinfecting due to my mother's illness, I got the job. When I chatted with Dr. Gartner and told her of my interest in becoming a vet, she would call me over to watch procedures and taught me some of the basics, when I confessed to helping out strays. Luckily for me, she also passed me some free sample stuff to give my patients. Dr. Gartner was really cool. I hoped she would let me practice under her, when I finally finished my degree. She also taught me the importance of keeping records, even if my patients were strays, so I took her advice and did just that.

I was treating Max, the sweetest little black kitten with white paws, when Edward came to visit. I was a little shocked to see him, having not really heard from him all summer. He seemed genuinely interested in what I was doing, though, so I let him help me with Max. When I saw how he reacted to Max's story, I knew he would make a good kitten daddy. It was obvious Edward was taken with my little boy. Maybe now he would have a legitimate excuse to talk to me.

As for the show I gave him when I went inside, I figured it was only fair, since he had done the same for me, unbeknownst to him, of course.

EDWARD

I took my little Max and tucked him in my front shirt pocket. I realized I was going to need a few supplies and decided to go to Port Angeles and get what he needed. I figured since he was tucked down in my shirt pocket, no one would know I had him in the store.

When I got there, I was a little surprised to see other people walking around with animals. I guess it was alright to bring your pet to the pet store. I grabbed a cart and found the aisles lined with cat stuff. I grabbed Max a bed, and then a cat box and litter. I found where the baby bottles were and the formula and decided to stock up, since I didn't like coming all the way to PA that often. I grabbed some cans of cat food and some dry food, not sure which was best, so I just got the most expensive grain-free stuff in both cases, hoping that would give Max the quality food he needed. I would have to ask Bella about what food was best for him.

As I started for the door, I saw an aisle full of cat toys and just had to get some for my baby. When I was checking out, the jerk cashier was looking at me funny. "Cat, huh?" he asked smirking.

"Yeah," I said a little defensively, guys could have cats.

He snickered, and I wanted to punch him in the face. Max poked his head out of my pocket for the first time. "Dude, seriously? You could've totally lied and said it was your girlfriend's, but that's just pussy right there," he said pointing to Max laughing.

I snatched his finger and broke it. "You leave Max out of this," I growled at him, and Max must have gotten nervous, because he tucked back down in my pocket again. Luckily for me, the asshole had already rung the last of my stuff up, so I only had to slide my card and get the hell out of there. I ignored his whining and his calling for security, which was just a fat guy with a dog loop on the end of a pole. The security guy looked confused at me, as I walked out, totally pissed. "That asshole needs to be fired!" I shouted at him, and security dude grimaced, but he nodded in agreement. I guess he didn't like him, either.

I settled down when I got in my car and headed home. Little Max climbed up on my shoulder for the ride and was looking out the window. He was such a cute little puff ball. When I got home, I took him off my shoulder and tucked him back in my pocket, so I would have free hands to grab his stuff from the back seat. There was quite a bit of it.

When I came in the front door, I was attacked by Esme. "Where were you? I was worried sick!" She stopped and looked at my bags. "Petco?"

I shrugged. "I needed a few things," I said.

"From Petco? Edward, what are you up to?" she asked, as she followed me to my room. I set the stuff down and started unpacking the litter box first, because that was very important.

"Edward, why do you have a litter box?"

I realized as I dumped the litter in that she had yet to see little Max in my pocket. I took out my mini muffin ball and sat him in the cat box. When I did, Esme gasped.

"Edward! Where did you get that?" she said in a less-than-welcoming tone, but it didn't seem to bother Max, because he was still able to do his business. I knew he was due for another bottle and quickly made one for him using my bathroom sink. When I came back into my room, Esme was smirking, and Max was on his back in front of his cat box.

"What?" I asked.

"I think the box is a bit big for him, he fell out."

"Oh. Little boy, do we need to get you a stepstool for your cat box?" I laughed as I picked him up. His eyes focused on the bottle, and he seemed to get excited, causing me to laugh. I teased him for a moment and then gave him his bottle. "Who's daddy's big boy? You eat up so you can get big and strong," I cooed, as I kissed his little head.

"Edward, honey, what happened to his leg?"

"He had a bad cut from something attacking him. He's just a stray that lost his mommy and siblings when a car hit them. He was the runt and was lagging behind. I'm all he has left," I said rubbing my nose on his little head.

I heard a sigh of defeat come from Esme. "Okay, you can keep him. What's his name?"

"Max, Max Cullen," I said proudly. He was my little boy.

Esme got more and more progressively excited about Max, even feeding him his bottle a couple of times. In fact, that was just what she was doing when Carlisle came home.

"We have a kitten!" she announced excitedly, like she was announcing she'd just had a baby.

Carlisle looked confused, but he kissed Esme's head. I should have known he would give her anything that made her happy. He scratched Max's head and said, "That's nice, dear," kissing her cheek. When he really looked down at tiny Max, he smiled. "He's a cute little guy. Where did you find him?" he asked.

"Edward brought him home. Apparently, Bella Swan tends to stray animals but can't keep them, and when he saw little Max, he just had to have him."

Carlisle looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. I just shrugged, and he snickered. "Well then, welcome to the family, Max."

That night, I set Max in his little bed only to wake up to the little furball snuggled into my ear. I still didn't know how he had gotten up on my bed, but I figured I had better just put him on the bed from now on, so he didn't hurt his leg trying to get up there. Silly little monkey.

BELLA

I was curious to see how Max was doing with Edward, but I didn't know how to ask him about it. Thankfully, my dad had me get my license over the summer, so I drove the booger mobile over to the Cullen's. Okay, not all the way there. I parked a ways away and walked the rest, so I could peek in the window. What I saw was adorable. Edward's room looked like Petco had thrown up in it. There were kitty toys and bottles everywhere. I noticed the cat box had a couple of makeshift steps, which were just too cute, but the cutest thing of all was Edward and Max fast asleep on the bed. Max was curled up in the crook of Edward's neck, and Edward was tilting his head in Max's direction as if snuggling back. I knew then that Max had a good home. I should have never doubted Edward. He really was the sweetest guy I had ever met. Seeing him cuddled up to my favorite kitten just made my tummy do little backflips.

I was pretty sure I was falling in love with Edward Cullen.