My lost military man

Chapter 11

It's been three weeks since Michael came home, and every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday he mysteriously leaves, Anthony always says he's just going for a drive or a run hanging with an old friend, getting breakfast. I don't know if I should believe him, part of me wants too but the other part keeps nagging me that he is lying. But I push the nag to the side, the semi-good thing about Michael "disappearing" is that every Thursday and Saturday morning Anthony and I take the drive down to the tree and stay there for hours, a lot of the times we eat and enjoy the silence just taking in the beauty of nature. But when we aren't listening to the chirping of birds or watching the wind wisp threw the tall grass, we talk. At first it was awkward small talk, it felt forced and not at all sincere, but on our last trip we had an actual conversation, it started with him asking me what I eat Nutella with, I thought I said a normal answer and said I eat it with cookies, just put a spoonful of it on there. He began to laugh he said that was the most ridiculous way he's heard to eat Nutella, I was slightly offended and very embarrassed my face felt hot and my palms were getting sweaty from nerves, but my stomach and chest filled with hyper butterflies from his laugh, he had one of those full booming laughs that made you want to laugh along. After that we completely forgot about the food and just talked about anything that came to our heads, we found that we both had things in common surprisingly we both prefer cats over dogs, he said dogs are just too in your face and always need attention when cats can be more mellow and they are more comfortable and is more relaxing to have in your lap, I couldn't agree more. I asked him what his favorite Disney princess movie was, I was thinking he would say Tangled or Frozen, one that has humor and sarcastic comments but he actually said Beauty and the beast, which was my favorite to say I was shocked would be understatement, I wanted to know why and his answer surprised me even more. He said "I like it because of the message, it's not about the handsome prince saving the princess by kissing her awake or running an old ship into the villain because the villain was the beast, Bell was different from everyone else she didn't look for beauty on the outside she knew that didn't matter or else she would have married Gaston, she was able to look at what really mattered and look past the ugly exterior and flaws of the beast and see the good and the sweet caring man that still lived within him. She saw what was truly in the beasts heart which is the greatest most beautiful thing of all." It felt like my heart almost burst, I honestly felt like crying from what he just said. He waited for my reaction, he looked into my eyes as I starred with my mouth slightly opened in astonishment. I eventually found my voice again even if it was whisper.
"I have no words, that was beautifully said." He seemed to have been embarrassed but also happy with my answer, after that we had continued our conversation and went on talking about other things.
It was Monday, Michael had left already and I was leaving for work.
"Do you have to go to work today?" Anthony whined at me, I couldn't help the smile on my face, it was nice for a change to actually have someone that wants to talk and hang out with me like how Anthony does.
"Yes I do, I can't skip work I have stuff I have to do." He gave me a pouty look that didn't work at all.
"Maybe while I'm gone you can work on that pouty face." I said making one at him, with a last wave goodbye I shut the door. On the way to work I couldn't help but let my thoughts wonder to Anthony, he was nice, he is sweet and had a lot more to him than I thought, but the logical side of my mind pushed the horrible memories in the front. I got angry and hit the steering wheel frustrated and mad that I couldn't let him go, angry that I was too scared to trust another man. I was so angry and I didn't know how to let it out I wanted to cry, scream and throw stuff all at the same time. But I kept it in, I pulled up to the store ready to work and forget about Anthony and him.
It was actually a busy day today, I had to keep the store open for an extra hour to assist the families that were shopping and picking out new friends. By the time I was able to leave it was almost 8:00 p.m. and the sun had set I was tired and ready to go home, when I walk to my car I have to walk past an alley way that gives me the creeps no matter what time of day, as I walked passed there was a loud clanking sound, like a trash can hitting the hard floor. My mind immediately went to the worst case scenario, someone is getting mugged, or raped or even killed I wanted to run away I wanted to get in the car and drive away like nothing is happening but I didn't my feet were frozen and the only direction they can move in is forward, I slowly inched closer until I was pressed up to the wall looking into it.
"He-hello?" My voiced shacked, I had my pepper spray in my hand just in case. "Is someone in there?" There was still no answer I was ready to breathe a sigh of relief it must have been my subconscious but then I heard what sounded like a strangled cry, my breathing stopped I was about to run away my fear getting the best of me when I suddenly felt something on my leg I screamed. And backed up hitting a light pole that gave off hardly any light, I was holding onto the pole ready to make a run for it when I see it, I almost laughed to myself. Out of the dark came a dirty white kitten with one blue eye and one green eye, it was small and skinny it meowed at me with the same strangled cry I heard in the alley my heart melted on the spot, I cautiously kneeled on the sidewalk and stretched my hand out to the kitten, it was hesitant it sniffed my hand from afar not wanting to get too close. It began to slowly creep towards me taking small steps, when the little thing was close enough it lightly rubbed it's face on the tip of my fingers, with it closer I could clearly see its ribs making waves against its skin, patches of fur were missing and it had blood spot scatter over the snow colored fur. My heart wanted to shatter at the sight of the poor thing, I own my own store filled with animals but I have never owned my own pet, the kitten had gotten a little braver and was practically laying in my lap, I knew I couldn't leave it out here to fend for itself, I picked it up and it made the sad cry again, I was worried it was hurt but I would have to take it in to the vet tomorrow morning. I luckily had a little carrier in my trunk and set it in. On the way there it didn't move, I could here it's breathing and the slight purring noise made me happy.
"Michael is just going to love you I bet."