Would you Swallow all your Pride?

Chapter Forty-Five: Blush.

"She's not used to sharing you," Billie Dean teased.

Wilhemina smiled to herself as she reached to pet the cat. "You need to get used to it, darling."

With her inner cheek trapped between her teeth, Billie smiled to herself. I want to have her to myself.

Purpura purred loudly as she received the pets, eyes, however, glued on Billie Dean. Venable chuckled to herself. "Are you mesmerized by her beauty?" She teased in an impulse, for Purpura never judged and so she always placed a safety net around her judgments. But Billie was there, too, and it confused her discernment— in a good way.

Not being able to contain herself, Billie Dean let out a loud and honest laugh. "You're a sweet talker," she murmured shyly, sweetly. Her hand squeezed Wilhemina's waist where it rested.

Was she? Venable usually considered herself to be quite the opposite. The comment opened a box inside her head and sucked her thoughts into it. She frowned a little as she thought. "I think I'm just honest."

Murky waters. Billie wasn't sure how to read the words. "That is true." Agreeing to it seemed like she was agreeing with the implication of her mesmerizing beauty; hopefully, Wilhemina would understand what she meant.

With a nod, Venable took a deep breath. Billie Dean stared at her with those sweet honey eyes, almost anesthetizing her from everything and anything. Purpura meowed up at Wilhemina again. "What is it, sweetheart?" The cat jumped out of Venable's lap and looked back at her, letting out yet another meow. Wilhemina reached for her cane and got up. Billie Dean looked up at her with a small frown. "Show me what you want." With another tiny meow, Purpura began slowly walking towards a corner in the living room. Billie kept on watching them. "Oh, it's your fountain, isn't it? Is it broken?" Purpura jumped on the corner table there and stared at the motionless object. Venable hummed. "What is wrong with it...?" She looked closer, searching for what could be the problem. Purpura meowed as she watched Wilhemina. Billie Dean had gotten up and walked closer to them, quietly watching everything; it was nearly a holy experience to be able to watch Venable in her natural, most comfortable element. "Oh! It's not plugged in." Holding her cane tightly, Wilhemina leaned down to plug it back on; her back ached sharply, but she bit her lower lip and ignored it. Water began to flow once again. Purpura meowed and instantly leaned closer to smell and, eventually, take a lick.

Billie Dean was in awe. She didn't have any pets while growing up, and after she became an adult, it was just not a choice with her busy schedule. It's not that she didn't think animals could be that smart—she was sure they could—but to watch it happening was a different story. "I can't believe she just... did that."

Venable chuckled softly. She reached to pet the cat's head, caressing it. After a second, she said, as softly as she could. "You don't have many experiences with animals... do you?"

Taken slightly aback by the question, Billie Dean felt her cheeks tinting. She shifted on her feet. "No... not really."

Oh no, she's blushing. "It's just that—that you don't seem very used to it."

Oh God. "I'm not..."

Venable bit her inner cheek. She petted the cat one last time before slowly walking to Billie Dean. Shyly, she reached to caress her waist with her free hand. Billie blinked softly, eyes landing on brown ones as she wrapped her arms around Wilhemina's shoulders. "It's sweet." The embrace left Venable feeling tingly all over, in a way that was so charming it nearly melted her insides.

Billie Dean's eyes clinked at the corners. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. She played with her own fingers around Venable's head, careful not to slip her hands lower. "I thought you found it to be stupid..."