Gracie Abrams is eking out a solitary existence, fighting day-in, day-out against the drain of working customer service and nursing two newborn kittens in her off time. Out on her own ever since her sister moved in with her boyfriend, the burden of...
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Tired, hungry, and cold, we bundled up the kittens in their carrier and headed out to Dalmstead Park.
The drive was quiet. After the kids had prattled on with minimal input from Kakashi, they'd tired themselves out. Now, the weight of reality settled over us like a blanket.
Nobody knew how to approach any of the topics we needed to talk about.
The apartment grew stifling, so I knew it was time to make a change.
The kittens would not—under any circumstance—be separated from Kakashi, so they were bundled in the dual-kitten backpack I'd splurged on. I hadn't really had a chance to use it because they were so small that I usually just bundled them in their box when taking them to the vet.
As they grew older, I hoped to use the backpack carrier. It was a really neat device. Mesh netting allowed them to see basically everything, and it could both be wheeled and carried as a true backpack.
A very versatile invention that made me feel like I was living in the future. And it had only been $30, which was similar if not slightly cheaper than the traditional carriers.
I pulled into the giant circle drive of the park. The pavilion in the center was lit up with blue and white strobing lights like an old-fashioned school dance. People milled about, collecting food from gloved volunteers at a buffet line. Tables had been added to the picnic ones already in the park, tiki torches lighting the atmosphere to dim but ambient.
The music was slow, and many families already congregated there. Couples swayed to the beat, kids held hands as they danced in a circle.
The mood was...nice.
I didn't know community events would feel so...casual. So calm.
Almost immediately, Carl and Grapes found Kirishima. They pulled him away, but Kirishima didn't leave without a firm nod from Kakashi.
And even then, he hesitated. Eventually, he held out a hand to Sam, who manned the cat carrier.
"Do you wanna come with?" he asked, not looking at her.
Sam stared at the hand as if it was an alien species. My heart got caught in my throat as their dynamic shifted. Usually, it was Sam who demanded Kirishima's attention and friendship. This was the first time Kirishima had openly offered the same.
Panicked, Sam looked at me. I just shrugged and said, "Don't take them out of the carrier."
She nodded robotically, then followed the three boys. Already, Grapes was basically on his knees, his face and curls plastered against the mesh. Hable met the giant head with a pounce while Sintar stared at the boy, eyes bigger than her face.
They trailed down the slope to where a basketball court was set up.
"Don't forget to eat!" I called after them, sighing when I got a chorus of, "Okaaaaay's" even from the two teenagers I hadn't driven here.
