Chapter 3 · My House Turned On Me

Chapter 3

By the seventh day of having this mind-reading power, I'd pretty much mastered keeping a poker face while freaking out inside.

Like this morning, when Muffin jumped up on the dining table and swiped a piece of the ham I'd just sliced. I shot her a glare. She just looked back at me with those big, innocent eyes. But in her mind, she said, "She cuts better ham anyway."

Sunny chimed in, "I want some too—"

Muffin snapped, "Shut up, she can hear you."

I pretended not to hear and turned to fry some eggs. But secretly, I cooked an extra little piece—no salt—and put it in Sunny's bowl.

Sunny's tail twirled like a little propeller with joy. "She loves me, she loves me, she loves me!"

Muffin muttered, "Goofball."

With my back to them, I was smiling to myself.

*****

Wednesday night, I worked late until eleven. I was so wiped out, I had to try three times just to get my key in the lock.

When I opened the door, the apartment was pitch black. Normally, Sunny would be bounding toward the door, and Muffin would be perched on the shoe cabinet, looking down at me like royalty.

But tonight, there was nothing.

My heart sank as I flipped on the light. Sunny was lying on the entryway mat, ears drooping. Muffin crouched beside him, looking serious.

"What's wrong?" I crouched to stroke Sunny's head. "Are you not feeling well?"

Sunny nuzzled my hand. His thoughts sounded low and heavy. "She seems really upset today."

I froze.

Muffin said, "She smells like smoke. Someone at her office smokes."

"Her eyes are all red," Sunny said.

"She cried, silly human," Muffin added.

My nose tingled. They knew.

Today had been brutal—my proposal got sent back by the client three times, my manager called me out for being brainless right in front of everyone, and on my way home a downpour hit. I waited half an hour for a cab and got soaked from head to toe.

I had thought I'd hidden it well.

"I'm fine," I said, rubbing Sunny's ears and scratching Muffin under the chin. "Just tired from work. Did you guys eat?"

Sunny said, "Yeah, we ate. But she hasn't had anything yet."

Muffin added, "The fridge only has eggs and some bread that's almost expired."

I smiled wryly and stood up. Right, I had forgotten to buy groceries. I guess I'd just have some pasta.

While boiling water, I heard soft rustling behind me. I turned to see Muffin pawing something out from the gap in the sofa and carrying it over.

It was my hair tie. It had come out with a clump of hair—I'd thought it was lost forever.

Muffin dropped it at my feet and looked up at me. "I hid the hair you lost."

For a moment, I didn't get it.

Sunny whispered, "She keeps saying she's going bald. So we've been stashing all the hair she sheds so she won't notice."

The water boiled, and steam blurred my eyes.

I squatted down and pulled both furballs into my arms. Sunny licked my face. Muffin stiffly let me hold her, but her tail curled lightly around my wrist.

Sunny said, "She's crying."

Muffin replied, "Got it. Don't talk."

Sunny said, "I want to make her happy."

Muffin said, "Maybe tomorrow we could pull a stunt with the neighbor's bird to get her some money so she can buy something delicious."

"Great idea," Sunny said.

I snorted and laughed, but my tears flowed even harder. I held them for a long while, until the pasta overcooked. But that plate of soggy pasta was the warmest meal I had ever eaten.

*****

On Friday, payday, I decided to splurge a little. I bought two boxes of premium canned food—tuna for Muffin and beef for Sunny.

At the checkout, I winced at the 96 dollars. That could have fed me three days of takeout. But thinking about how happy they'd be, it felt worth it.

Back home, I opened the cans. Muffin and Sunny immediately crowded around, eyes sparkling.

Sunny said, "Canned food! Canned food!"

Muffin asked, "What's the occasion?"

I poured it into their bowls and watched them dive in, feeling a bubble of happiness inside me. Halfway through, I heard their thoughts.

Sunny said, "This is so good, but she checked the price three times today."

Muffin said, "Her paycheck was small this month."

Sunny blinked. "Then why'd she still buy it?"

"Because she loves us, you silly mutt," Muffin replied.

Sunny said, "Oh... then I love her too. Super love her."

"Got it. Now eat," Muffin said.

I sat on the little stool beside them, resting my chin on my hands, watching them. Suddenly, those 96 dollars felt like the best money I had ever spent.

Chapter 3

By the seventh day of having this mind-reading power, I'd pretty much mastered keeping a poker face while freaking out inside.

Sunny chimed in, "I want some too—"

Muffin snapped, "Shut up, she can hear you."

I pretended not to hear and turned to fry some eggs. But secretly, I cooked an extra little piece—no salt—and put it in Sunny's bowl.

Sunny's tail twirled like a little propeller with joy. "She loves me, she loves me, she loves me!"

Muffin muttered, "Goofball."

With my back to them, I was smiling to myself.

*****

Wednesday night, I worked late until eleven. I was so wiped out, I had to try three times just to get my key in the lock.

When I opened the door, the apartment was pitch black. Normally, Sunny would be bounding toward the door, and Muffin would be perched on the shoe cabinet, looking down at me like royalty.

But tonight, there was nothing.

My heart sank as I flipped on the light. Sunny was lying on the entryway mat, ears drooping. Muffin crouched beside him, looking serious.

"What's wrong?" I crouched to stroke Sunny's head. "Are you not feeling well?"

Sunny nuzzled my hand. His thoughts sounded low and heavy. "She seems really upset today."

I froze.

Muffin said, "She smells like smoke. Someone at her office smokes."

"Her eyes are all red," Sunny said.

"She cried, silly human," Muffin added.

My nose tingled. They knew.

I had thought I'd hidden it well.

"I'm fine," I said, rubbing Sunny's ears and scratching Muffin under the chin. "Just tired from work. Did you guys eat?"

Sunny said, "Yeah, we ate. But she hasn't had anything yet."

Muffin added, "The fridge only has eggs and some bread that's almost expired."

I smiled wryly and stood up. Right, I had forgotten to buy groceries. I guess I'd just have some pasta.

While boiling water, I heard soft rustling behind me. I turned to see Muffin pawing something out from the gap in the sofa and carrying it over.

It was my hair tie. It had come out with a clump of hair—I'd thought it was lost forever.

Muffin dropped it at my feet and looked up at me. "I hid the hair you lost."

For a moment, I didn't get it.

Sunny whispered, "She keeps saying she's going bald. So we've been stashing all the hair she sheds so she won't notice."

The water boiled, and steam blurred my eyes.

I squatted down and pulled both furballs into my arms. Sunny licked my face. Muffin stiffly let me hold her, but her tail curled lightly around my wrist.

Sunny said, "She's crying."

Muffin replied, "Got it. Don't talk."

Sunny said, "I want to make her happy."

Muffin said, "Maybe tomorrow we could pull a stunt with the neighbor's bird to get her some money so she can buy something delicious."

"Great idea," Sunny said.

I snorted and laughed, but my tears flowed even harder. I held them for a long while, until the pasta overcooked. But that plate of soggy pasta was the warmest meal I had ever eaten.

*****

On Friday, payday, I decided to splurge a little. I bought two boxes of premium canned food—tuna for Muffin and beef for Sunny.

At the checkout, I winced at the 96 dollars. That could have fed me three days of takeout. But thinking about how happy they'd be, it felt worth it.

Back home, I opened the cans. Muffin and Sunny immediately crowded around, eyes sparkling.

Sunny said, "Canned food! Canned food!"

Muffin asked, "What's the occasion?"

I poured it into their bowls and watched them dive in, feeling a bubble of happiness inside me. Halfway through, I heard their thoughts.

Sunny said, "This is so good, but she checked the price three times today."

Muffin said, "Her paycheck was small this month."

Sunny blinked. "Then why'd she still buy it?"

"Because she loves us, you silly mutt," Muffin replied.

Sunny said, "Oh... then I love her too. Super love her."

"Got it. Now eat," Muffin said.

I sat on the little stool beside them, resting my chin on my hands, watching them. Suddenly, those 96 dollars felt like the best money I had ever spent.