Helenium

5. Luca

On my way back to the store, I watch as some of the other felines in town run around being a nuisance to anyone who happens to be nearby. Apart of me wants to change and join them, but the more logical side of my brain keeps me walking.

I wave as a familiar car drives by, I receive a wave in return from both the driver and the plant Igor who's in the backseat. 'I should stop by to see Iris and pick up some flowers for the house.'

As I get closer to the store, I can see something small and black fly away. 'I guess feather's got tired of starting at gran.' I chuckle at the thought of a crow taking part in a staring contest with a stuffed toy. The fact that the two fo them did it for an hour, deserves a chuckle in itself.

Gran waves her little stuffed paw, as I walk past the window. A light shiver runs down my spine when I open the door, but fainter than it was this morning. 'I'll have to make a new charm. I wonder if we still have everything that I need.'

"I'll be right there." The growl in Max's voice was a clear sign that he was in a less than stellar mood, which wasn't much different than when I had left.

I walk to the back, putting my bag and jacket on my hook. "It's just me." I get a grunt in response from the hot growling wolf, whose digging around in a box. 'Alright then.' I walk back out into the store, walking past the window. "Are you ready to get out of the window?" I keep my voice no louder than a whisper.

"Yes dear, I think that would be a good idea." I pick up gran and carry her to the table. "The sun's very bright today or my eyes just hurt from staring at feathers for so long."

"It's probably the second one." I place her in the center of the table so she isn't in my way and she can watch the store to keep herself amused.

"Your probably right." She rests her paws down on the bear's legs.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" I start unpacking the box of clear glass candle holders, that are just waiting to be painted.

"Nothing of importance." Hearing mister grumpy's voice nearby, makes me stand up straight.

I turn around to find him standing only a few feet away with a box in his hands. "That's good, though I doubt it will get much busier today." I turn back to the box and start to empty out the contents and putting things on the shelves.

"Why's that?" From the tone in his voice, that he didn't really care one way or another, but at the same time, it was obvious that his curiosity was peaked. "Did something happen?"

"Don't keep us in suspense dear and don't skip on any of the details."

For an older woman who likes moving around, when she was alive and even now as a stuffed bear, gran is doing a fantastic job of staying still. For the next few minutes, I explain about the new worker at Jewel's and how the cafe is currently crowded, with everyone obviously wanting to take a look at the new worker. I also may have let it slip that I compared him to the grumpy wolf behind me.

From the look on Max's face, you'd think I was comparing him to a skunk or a hairy rat and those growls of his, are definitely not friendly. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'll leave the rest to you." Without saying anything else, he walks towards the door, though it looks like he's stomping away. Max pulls the door open with so much force that it slams behind him.

I drop down onto the floor at the sudden panic and fear that I had started feeling when the door was opened. The charm on the door may be weakening, but the feedback it gave was still as strong as ever. I lean my head against the edge of the table as I take some deep breaths to help my calm down or wait until I stop myself from shaking.