Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Deciding to get some fresh air, Tiffanie walked out onto the small front porch and dropped into a rocking chair. She studied the clouds, enjoying the faint breeze that wafted over her. The mature trees and bushes on the estate perfumed the air. Today, honeysuckle was the strongest aroma. She closed her eyes to savor the sweet scent.
Heavy warmth plopped onto her thighs, startling Tiffanie. “What?” Tiffanie would have jumped from her seat, but a large fuzzy creature now trampled across her lap. “Marmalade.”
“Meow!”
“You scared me. What are you doing here?”
Marmalade turned his head and glared at Tiffanie. She relented and scratched his neck. Immediately, the cat responded to his favorite caresses with a loud purr.
Tiffanie petted the furry animal until her arm got tired. When she stopped, Marmalade stomped around in a circle, pressing all his weight into each paw. Grimacing, Tiffanie requested, “Could you get comfortable and stretch out, please?”
The feline stared at her with a highly offended expression.
“Sorry, Marmalade. Your feet are pointy.”
A loud sneeze burst from the cat, followed by a quick shake of his head. Tiffanie opened her mouth to apologize and froze when Marmalade extended his nose to sniff at her belly. Had she dropped food on herself at lunch? The cat brushed his large head against her abdomen and flopped into a comfortable position.
Tiffanie gawked at the cat. Did he sense something? She remembered how he’d acted when she first started working with Essie. Marmalade had started to get on her lap and had stopped and hissed at her abdomen. He’d stopped hanging around her at all…. Until the other day, when he’d settled next to her, stealing one section of the seat cushion in Essie’s office. He’d sniffed her there too.
“What’s up, Tiff? You looked shocked.” Her brother’s voice startled her.
“Hi, Ivan. I’m practicing my expressions for the Christmas play, Essie’s thinking about holding next year,” she invented.
“Tell me you’re lying. I don’t want camels and sheep dropping poo all over the stable area I’d have to figure out how to create.” Ivan held a hand to his forehead as if the thought alone already gave him a headache.
“I’m totally making excuses. I have no idea what I’m doing other than struggling not to move since Marmalade is napping on my lap.”
“Are you prepared for tomorrow?” Ivan guessed.
“Yes.”
“How do you feel?”
“A million times better. But what if the bloodwork comes back with high numbers? I’m going to lose it, and I’ve tried to be so brave in front of Phineas. Maybe I should have you take me instead.”
“You know I’ll go with you in a flash, but Phineas needs to be with you.”
His serious expression prompted Tiffanie to ask, “Why do you say that?”
“Because he’s in a role I could never be. You sleep better with him around. You’re eating more when he makes food. He cares for you deeply.”
“He does. I’ll be glad to have him with me, but you are invested too. You’ve been my rock since this started,” Tiffanie said, hoping her brother heard the mushy stuff infused in her words. She hoped he knew how thankful she was to have him in her life. “I love you, Ivan.”
“I love you too, Tiff. And unless I’m a complete idiot, so does Phineas.”
“Do you really think so?” she whispered, trying not to hope for something that seemed out of the question. Who would let themselves fall in love with a random stranger who had cancer?
“Yes. Hasn’t he shared that he cares about you?””
“He has.”
“Just not that he loves you?” Ivan asked.
“Right. I keep reminding myself that we haven’t actually known each other for long.”
“How do you feel about him?”
“I can’t imagine my world without him in it.”
“Then see where things go. Phineas isn’t flaky. He wouldn’t be with you if he didn’t want to be by your side.”
She nodded. Ivan hadn’t said anything she didn’t already know. He’d simply endorsed her surging connection with the handsome man. “Thanks, big brother.”
“You better call me immediately, whatever you hear,” he said with a glower.
“I promise. I’ll share what’s happening as quickly as I can.”
“Thank you. Now, are you comfortable there as a cat pillow?” Ivan asked, waving a hand at Marmalade, who’d wiggled into a belly-up position.
“I’m great. Go fix something.”
Ivan saluted like a soldier who’d received his marching orders. He headed for his truck and drove toward town. He must have supplies to pick up.
Tiffanie wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. Ivan was the best brother ever. She hoped he’d find someone amazing. She allowed herself to imagine who would match best with her brother. In the back of her mind, she’d wondered if he was a Daddy. Of course, that icky thought about her brother’s sex life got chased away immediately.
“La, la, la,” she sang to herself to erase that question.