Dream Walker

Chapter 39 | Great Expectations

Two yellow eyes glared at Callie from the top of the bed. Layla's tail had been swishing ever since the suitcase had come out of the closet, and she would swear the cat knew she was leaving. On the other hand, Layla had been quietly grumpy for days. She attributed that to all the time spent with Alex.

"You're not a neglected child. I know Quinn lets you sleep in his bed too."

Was it weird to be talking aloud to her cat? Maybe. But the cat was much more intuitive than most humans, and she had the feeling Layla was able to understand her. Even through the sarcasm.

The golden eyes narrowed as the cat chirruped in response. The long black tail continued to flick back and forth in irritation. Then, abruptly, Layla broke the staring contest, gaze flicking to the bedroom door. She was able to sense the person beyond the door before Callie could.

"Hey," Alex said, pushing the door open gently. His gaze lingered on the sleek black cat perched on the edge of the bed. "You have a cat?"

"Yeah." She continued rolling clothes tightly and stuffing them into her suitcase. "But she rejects the concept of being owned and only belongs to herself."

"No offense, but that doesn't look like any cat I've seen before. Where did you find her?"

Layla's eyes remained fixed on Alex. She might have been offended by his words, or she could have been sporting the same disdainful expression perfected by cats over thousands of years.

Callie paused, turning to look at him. "On the street. Why do you ask?"

He combed his hair back in a mindless gesture. "Just seems a little strange, that's all." He gave the bed, and the cat, a wide berth, collapsing into a seated position next to Callie. "How is the packing going?"

"It's fine. A few more minutes, and then I'll be done." She surveyed the things she had already packed, then walked to her closet. As she rifled through the clothes hanging there, she heard Alex exhale a breath, as if he were hesitating to say something.

"I—I hope you have a good time with your mom." The words came out stilted.

She realized Alex had gone a long time without seeing his own family, and she had never asked him how he felt about that.

"What are you doing over the break? Are you...allowed to go home? Or are you supposed to follow me?" The inquiry came to her suddenly. She hadn't considered it before.

"No, I'll stay here. I can't go home without permission from The Order, and you should have some time alone with your mom."

She couldn't stand it that he was so accommodating to her needs when his own were denied at every turn. His selfless, loyal behavior was directed at both her and the organization he served, even though they were frequently in opposition. It made no sense, but it was one of the best, most frustrating, qualities he possessed.

She had no idea how to express all that in words, so she said simply, "I wish you could visit your family too."

He smiled and brushed off her concerns, saying it was all okay. His tone betrayed no bitter sentiment.

"I'll be gone for a few days, but we can hang out when I get back," she said, a positive lift at the end of her statement. "You shouldn't have to be alone over the holidays."

Alex shrugged. "My family has never been the holiday type. They're all very mission-oriented and not particularly religious. Only a few traditions have held on."

"Well, let's make some sort of holiday celebration that's unique to us. How about cookies and popcorn while we binge some more shows? I'll bring the popcorn, you make the cookies." She smiled, trying to spread the cheer to him. It amused her on another level that she was attempting to be the positive one, considering her lifelong lack of optimism.