Enchantment (144 page)

Cha
p
ter
For
t
y
-
One

Meeka
awoke
and
ran
for
the
bathro
o
m
.

W
h
y am
I
still sick?
W
hat is
w
rong
with me? I
never
get sick.

They
had
been
back
in
her
apar
t
m
ent for
two
da
y
s, and
she
had
been
sick
ever
since.

Catz
walked
her
w
a
y
to
the
bathro
o
m
door
and
sat
staring
up
at
her.
Catz
looked
m
u
ch better.
Meeka,
on
the
other
hand,
didn’t
look
s
o
good.
“
Y
ou
were
sick
again
?
”
It
was
m
ore
of
a statement
than
a
question.

Meeka
sat
on
the
edge
of
the
tub
and
s
m
i
l
ed.
“Catz,
it’s
great
to
be
able
to
talk
to
y
ou
like this.
A
nd,
y
e
s,
I
w
a
s
sick
again.
I
don’t
get
it.
I
never
get
sick.
I
guess
I
m
ust
have
picked
up
a bug.”

Catz
m
ade
a
s
m
a
l
l
leap
from
the
floor
to
M
eeka’s
lap,
pushed
up against
her,
and
closed
her e
y
es.

Meeka
laughed
and
hugged
her
tight
l
y
.

Catz,
on
the
other
hand,
w
asn’t
laughing
at
all.
The
fur
ball
looked
alarmed
and
struggled out
of
Meeka’s
hold.

“Catz,
what
is
up
with
y
o
u?
I
thought
y
ou
just
wanted
a
hug,”
Meeka
fu
s
sed,
her
bro
w
s drawn
together
in
confusion.

“Meeka,
we
are
not
alone,”
Catz
said.

Meeka
ju
m
ped
from
the
bathroom
in
a
protective
stance,
ready
to
fight
and
defend
herself and
Catz.

“No,
that’s
not
w
hat I
m
ea
n
t,
Meeka.
You
are
sick
for
a
reason.”

“Catz, I
don’t
understand
y
o
u.
Y
ou’re
taking in
riddles.”
Meeka
glared good
natured
l
y
at
the furry
creature.

“You’re going to
have a ba
b
y
.
”
Catz
purred, a pleased
look on her
face.
“
Y
es, it’s
there,
and I
think
y
o
u
’re going
to
be
an
a
m
a
z
ing
m
o
m
.
”

Meeka
froze,
and
the
room
spun.

O
h my
God!

Reaching
out
for
the
wall,
she
m
a
d
e
her
w
a
y
to
the
couch.

But
I
can’t b
e
…I
just
can’t.
Meeka
placed
a
hand
over
her
flat bel
l
y
and
closed
her
e
y
es. She felt
it;
the
ti
n
y
life
force
was
there.
H
ow
foolish
she
had
been
to
not
even
consider
protection! “Oh,
Catz,
w
hat
have
I
don
e
?
”
Tears
began
to
fall
down
her
cheeks
“
I
can’t
have
a
baby alone!”

Catz
nudged
her.
“
Y
ou’re
not
alone.
I’m
here
with
y
o
u.”

A
s
Meeka
continued
to
c
r
y
tears
of
happiness
and
sadness,
Catz
nudged
a
box
of
tissue
into her
lap.

Stop
it. No
m
ore
tears.

A
gain
s
he
placed
her
hand
over
her
sto
m
ach.
U
n
willing
l
y
,
a
ti
n
y
s
m
i
l
e
pulled
at
the
corners of
her
lips.

“Well,
I’m
not
sorr
y
,
Catz.
I
will
love
this
baby
and
tell
him
his
father
was
strong
and
brave and…and…”
S
he
choked
on
her
own
e
m
o
t
ion.

Catz
licked
her
hand.
“
We’ll
get
through
this.
Besides,
n
o
w
I’ll
have
a
reason
to
st
a
y
with
y
o
u
.
”

She
was
ala
r
m
ed
once
m
ore.
“
Catz,
don’t
even
tease
m
e
about
leaving.
After
ever
y
t
h
ing, I’m
afraid
to
s
a
y
I
want
so
m
e boring
old
peace
and
quiet.”

“I
will
sta
y
, don’t
fret,”
Catz
reassured
her.

“Oh,
no—”
Meeka
uncer
e
m
onious
l
y
du
m
ped
Catz
off
her
lap,
running
for
the
bathroo
m
.

There
w
a
s
nothing
left
in
her
sto
m
a
ch
to
bring
up.
“Catz,
I’m
going
to
have
a
s
hower,
find
s
omething
to
eat,
and
then
we
need
to
make
a
quick
visit
to
my
parents’
place,”
She
y
e
l
l
e
d
from the
bathro
o
m
.

Within
a
half
-
hour,
Meeka was showered, dre
s
sed,
and eating a bagel.
“I’m ready if
y
ou
are, Catz.
I
need
closure
on
this.
I’m
not
scared of
my
parents an
y
mo
r
e,
and
I’m
not
going
to
let them treat
m
e like
th
e
y
have
in
the
past.
I
don’t
deserve
it.”