Officer Downey

Part 21 - Rain

After a surprisingly nice and productive day at work, you found yourself enjoying an iced coffee at the coziness of your own apartment. TV playing in the background as you go through your sketches, feeling the satisfaction of a day well spent.

Just as you were adding the final touches to a new design, a strange noise caught your attention. It was faint at first, easily overlooked due to the constant noise of city life coming through the open balcony door. But then it came again, a soft sound that was distinctly different from the usual urban sounds.

You paused, listening more intently. There it was again—a meowing sound. Confused, you glanced around your apartment. The noise seemed to be coming from the direction of the balcony. Setting your sketchbook aside, you stood up and walked towards the source of the noise.

As you stepped out onto the balcony, you were met with an unexpected sight. A small, fluffy kitten with wide, curious eyes was looking back at you straight from the railing, with a huge amount of curiosity in its eyes and voice.

"Well, hello there" you murmured, kneeling down to get a closer look. "Where did you come from?"

The kitten meowed again, a tiny, worried sound that warmed your heart. You glanced around the nearby balconies, trying to figure out where the little intruder might have come from. None of your neighbors had cats, as far as you knew.

"How did you get here?" you wondered aloud, reaching out to gently pet the kitten's head.

It first moved away, but as soon as it sensed your good intentions it approached your hand, purring softly. Before you could question the mystery further, there was a knock at your door. Before standing up, you picked the kitten up, making sure it's comfortable in your arms. Then, you walked back inside and opened the door, only to find Robert standing there, looking worried for the first couple of seconds.

"Hey, Lexi" he said, his eyes immediately dropping to the kitten in your arms.

Relief washed over his face and a very sweet smile appeared on his lips.

"I was hoping she ended up here" he continued, his eyes glowing.

"Hi, Robert" you said with a warm smile.

You hadn't seen him in a while, but you had to admit it felt nice having him in front of you. He looked good, wearing his casual clothes and his usual perfume, a scent that brought back memories of other times. His hair was slightly messy and you couldn't possibly find it cuter. You realized how much you missed these small details about him, details that you had started observing more and more.

Of course, you handed him the kitten as soon as he opened his arms. Maybe you were a second or two late because you were lost in your thoughts and inner dialogues, but he didn't seem to suspect or be weirded by anything.

"Is this your cat?" you asked with excitement.

"Yes, I've only had her for a week" he looked at her with a heartwarming smile.

"A whole week? You guys didn't say anything" your voice showed your mix of sadness and shock.

"It didn't come up until now" he nodded at you reassuringly.

"What's her name?" as you asked, her little head turned to look at you.

"It's Rain" Robert answered quickly.

"That's an interesting name, mind if I ask where it came from?" you asked him.

"I found her during the storm last week. She was trapped inside a drain and I had to save her. I wanted a name that was relevant to the situation" he paused, looking at the kitten with fondness. "She was so scared and soaked, but the moment I got her out, she clung to me like she knew she was safe"

"Oh my God, that poor baby" you said, gently scratching the kitten under her chin. "You're a hero" you looked at him with enthusiasm and admiration.

"Thanks, but that's an exaggeration" Robert replied, feeling some embarrassment. "I'm really sorry about this. I should've been more careful"

"It's no problem. She's too cute to be any trouble anyway" you assured him. "She's welcome here anytime" you continued.

"I'll take you up on that offer" he nodded, leaving you behind to wonder if he was being serious or simply polite.

"How are you?" you asked before he turned his back to walk back to his apartment.

You could tell that your question caught him off guard. He was so ready to leave that he had to pause for a brief moment and think about his next moves.

"I'm doing good actually. Finding myself and focusing on work. And Rain of course" he finished his words by placing a soft kiss on her tiny head.

"I'm very happy for you, I really am" you smiled genuinely.

Seeing Robert with Rain stirred a mix of emotions within you. You felt a warmth knowing that he had found something to care for so deeply.

"What about you? How are things going?" he shyly asked.

"Very good. Work has been productive" you answered.

"I saw you on TV. You looked very good on the red carpet, both of you" he complimented.

"Thank you" you smiled. "How are things with Daisy?" you found the courage to ask.

"It's-They're... We're no longer seeing each other" he gulped.

"I'm sorry" you sighed. "Can I ask what happened?" your curiosity got the best out of you.

"Do you really need an answer to that question?" he looked into your eyes, immediately making your heart skip a beat.

"I apologise" you lowered your head. 

"It didn't feel right to keep things moving. I felt like I wasn't being fair to her. She deserves someone who wants to be with her, someone who doesn't think about another woman, someone who's not stuck in the past" he sounded sadder and sadder with every word.

"You will find the right person. When you feel ready, that woman will be the luckiest" you tried to comfort him.

"Anyway, thanks for taking care of her. I'll make sure she doesn't wander off too much" he cleared his throat.

"Again, don't worry about it" you smiled.

"See you, Lexi" he looked into your eyes one more time.

"See you both" you bit your lip to hide a wider smile as you watched both their pretty faces turn their backs at you.

As Robert left, you couldn't help but feel a sense of connection, like your relationship was slowly getting better. Maybe Rain's little adventure was a sign of new beginnings and reformed friendships. You closed the door, a smile written on your lips as you returned to your sketches, the day feeling unexpectedly brighter.