SYNCHRONICITY (Dream Walker) 🖋

Home Sweet Home

The entire trip west finished up without incident or the death of a barn cat.

Sebastian sat in the driver's seat and sighed only after her SUV settled to a final stop and turned the key and removed it from the ignition. Turning to Alison as she dozed in her seat, snuggly secured from the seatbelt, he gazed at her momentarily. He reached over and brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers...he hated waking her. His eyes moved to the dogs as they lifted their heads, noses working overtime, checking out their new surroundings through the tinted windows. "We're here, Love," he said.

He watched her eyes flutter open as James pulled in and parked her SUV next to the Jeep, and then the moving truck behind him. Her eyes were open and she turned her head toward the movement outside her window. James had Elf in his arms and he tapped on the window; Sebastian lowered the window and James poured the cat into her arms. Elf meowed his story to her, his green eyes large with excitement and his whiskers flaring.

Topher walked out the back door of his unit and headed for them, his smile shining brightly. "Welcome home, you lot!"

Sebastian exited the driver's side door and embraced his best friend warmly. "Toph," he barely uttered.

"How was the trip?

"Blissfully uneventful, thankfully."

Topher smiled and nodded. "You lot made great time. Papa Bear just rang the house. They made it safely." His eyes watched his best friend's head nod, obviously exhausted. Watching Alison leave the confines of her seat with a cat in her arms, he smiled warmly. "Hello Darling! Who's this?"

"This is Elf," she replied. "He's talking to me as you can probably tell..."

Topher nodded and chuckled. "Yes, I can see that!" He reached out and scratched Elf's chin.

Sebastian had walked over to his man and thanked him for taking the trip with such short notice as the man looked around at his surroundings. He waved Topher over and introduced them to each other and watched them greet each other professionally.

Sebastian was hungry and he held out his arm to receive Alison and Elf, as he too scratched at the cat's chin. He looked toward his friend. "Not a word from you, thanks." Topher grinned.

Alison described to Craven the lovely diner that they wanted to visit upon arrival and insisted that once the dogs and cats were safely inside the apartment, that she'd treat.

Sebastian was eyeing them enviously as the young man accepted her offer of free food when he felt Topher's arm around his shoulder, turning him toward the dogs still in the Jeep. He didn't know about the cats in the SUV until James opened the door and removed two crated cats in vari-kennels, then proceeded to withdraw more and placed them on the asphalt of the small parking lot, chuckling at his godfather's expression of awe.

"Exactly how many..."

"Fourteen adults and two adolescents as well as one kitten," Sebastian replied dryly.

"Who is yours," James teased. "What have you decided to name it?"

"Leave me alone," Sebastian barked.

James grinned and nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting name, Dad!"

Sebastian's brows knotted close together.

"Someone's grumpy," James mused. "HEY MOM, Dad's being mean to me!"

"Knock it off you two," she warned playfully. "Help me get these fur babies situated please?" She looked toward Sebastian and handed him three leashes. "For just in case."

"Won't they follow you?"

"They should." She nodded as she picked up a vari-kennel in one hand, still holding Elf in her other arm. She headed toward Sebastian's unit and he trotted toward her, keys in hand. He unlocked the door and she poured Elf in through the doorway and watched him slink through the living room and she turned toward him and smiled. "Coffee?"

Still stuck on what he thought had  happened, mildly shocked, he came to and smiled as he nodded. "Oh yeah, I'll get it on then..."

She grabbed at his shirt, pulling him him down toward her for a tender kiss. "I've got it," she said quietly. "I think a warm bath and a long nap is in order Mister Matus."

"Only if you join me," he replied.

"Well duh..."

He smiled as he followed her to the kitchen, scooping Elf up along the way as the cat was eyeing up the door. "Where are we going to put all your things?"

She smiled as she scooped fresh coffee into a new filter. "Well obviously, some of it has to get out of the truck. The instruments, the computers, that kind of stuff, you know?"

He nodded.

"You have three residences for lack of a better word, all fully furnished and none of my stuff goes with any of it. I really don't want to put it all in storage or even part with any of it...but maybe we can hold a yard sale or something?"

"Think about it Ali. I mean..."

She nodded. "I know, I just contradicted myself..."

He nodded. "Didn't really think through the particulars did we?"

"I tried to," she replied.

He nodded. "I know you did. And you let me have my way anyway."

She nodded. "I usually do," she mused.

"Sorry," he whispered. He looked down at the snoozing cat cradled in his arms and reached his arms out toward her. He watched the cat wake up and meow and nearly jump into her arms. She brought the animal closer to her face to snuggle then felt a nudge on her leg; her Belgian was sitting next to her and the other dogs followed quickly. He watched her open the cupboard and retrieve three bowls for water and then fill them. He watched her place the bowls on the floor one at a time.

"Get a drink guys," she said warmly. Elf wiggled in her arms and she let him to the floor and watched him head butt his favorite dog. He watched in awe as the dog moved her head slightly so that Elf could drink as well. "They're besties," she said, nodding toward them.

James and Topher busied themselves bringing the cats to the smaller second bedroom. James created litter pans and food bowls and then freed the cats from their confinement.

The indoor cats were placed in the other bedroom and were allowed their freedom as well.

"Where's Craven," Sebastian asked.

"Watching the truck," Topher offered.

Topher watched his best friend breathe in deeply and nod affirmatively.