Chapter 9; Mondays

For the first time since he had left his parent's house, Humbert was waiting for a turn in the shower. Rather than just forming a one-man cue though, he went down to his kitchen to think about breakfast. Greg was already there, watching the toaster, though Humbert was under the impression that his friend probably wasn't seeing the small white appliance.

"Have to work?" Humbert asked, pouring kitten kibble and milky tea into Haru's bowl, ready for when she woke up and came downstairs.

"Yeah," Greg answered. "I don't like the idea of leaving her, and Louise has to call in to her work as well. It's going to look real good that, her walking into the class room with a massive bruise on her face." Greg put his face in his hand and rubbed it. Sleep had not come easily to him, and worrying about Louise was only making him worse. If he kept it up, he'd be in no shape to take the day's adventure tourists.

"Greg, she'll be fine, she said so herself. Louise will probably call the school and get a substitute teacher for her class, it's no big deal about work, but I reckon we ought to report her old man," Humbert said, reassuring himself as much as the other man.

Shifting to the kitchen table, Humbert made himself eat his cereal. Remembering the sight of that huge bruise just below Louise's eye made everything tasteless and hard to swallow, but he had to, and he knew it. It was only this knowledge that got the food to go from his bowl to his gut.

"Shower's free, who's next?" Louise called; leaving the bathroom dressed in a blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her white-blond hair was still a bit wet, the damp patches making it all look silver. A perfectly groomed Haru twined about Louise's feet.

"Go on Greg, I really just splash myself to wake up, I need to get clean when I get home," Humbert said, digging his spoon into his cereal again.

Greg nodded and went. He stopped Louise a moment and, wrapping his arms around her waist, gave her a quick kiss before letting go again and heading in the direction she had just come.

"She share your shower?" Humbert asked, pointing at Haru with his spoon.

"Actually, yeah. Seemed to like it too, which is weird. Seems to think I need the most taking care of just now," Louise said, picking up the kitten as she sat down at the kitchen table. "But I'm fine, I promise, I really am. I've got Greg, and I've got good friends, and I've got a substitute teacher already lined up," Louise told the kitten, looking her in her brown eyes.

"Oh good, Greg was worried about that," Humbert said as absently as he could when he was worrying about a good friend. "Will you stay here, or go out and start arranging the wedding?" he asked, his tone suggesting that he would much rather her stay put, where she could watch – and be watched by – the kitten.

"I'm staying put," Louise said, letting Haru go. The kitten had caught a noseful of her breakfast, and was hungry. "The shiner isn't anything serious, it's just really obvious," she added with a sigh.

"You should report him."

"He'll cool down, he'll even give me away if I let him have enough time to get used to the idea. Reporting a history of violent behaviour won't do anyone any good, but thanks for the concern."