Chapter 33: Date

Dell was practically skipping when she went home. Coffee with Raph was fun. They reminisced college days, talked about business and work, then decided they might as well have dinner since it was getting late. When she got off the elevator, she found Sean leaning by her apartment door.

"Sean, what are you doing there?"

"Waiting for you."

"Well, you could have called me."

"I did, actually."

She fished her phone from her bag. It registered several missed calls from Sean. "Oops, sorry, I didn't hear it."

"Working late again?"

"No, actually. I was... catching up with an old friend."

He eyed her suspiciously.

"Anyway, did you want anything?"

"Yeah, about tomorrow's date."

She tilted her head in inquiry. "Oh, do you have something planned for tomorrow?"

"Yes, actually."

"Oh, no problem then. We can cancel tomorrow's date and go next week." She proceeded to unlock her door. If she were honest about it, though, she felt just a tiny bit disappointed.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant I have something planned for our date tomorrow."

Dell stopped and faced Sean. "Really?" She felt strangely excited. "That's great! Where are we going?"

It was Sean's turn to smile. "That's a secret. Just get ready early. And wear something comfortable."

"Alright. Yey! I'm a little excited."

"I'm glad." He pinched her nose playfully. "See you tomorrow then." And with a final wave, he returned to his apartment.

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Apparently, his idea of early wasn't exactly in the same timeline as hers.

Dell was sleeping peacefully when she felt something warm stir bedside her. My cat? She thought. No, it's been a while since she's kept a cat. And this one felt a lot bigger. A lion? When was the last time she kept a lion? But she was too tired to move. The lion was persistent in nudging her, though. It must be hungry, she thought. It nudged her again.

"I'll feed you later," she mumbled.

"But I'm hungry now," it replied.

Huh? Did her pet lion just say something? It nudged her again. "Later, kitty," she managed to say. "If you're a good kitty, I'll let you have Tim for lunch."

"Now." And it nudged her some more.

Dell drowsily opened one eye to look at the disturbing feline. And she saw a grinning Sean lying next to her.

"Meow?"

"AAAAHH!!" Dell jumped awake in surprise, falling backwards off her bed.

Lying on her back on the floor, she realized she's never had a pet lion before. But wait, why was Sean sleeping beside her? Was she still dreaming?

She looked towards the bed and saw Sean watching her, amused.

"Wide awake now, dear?"

"Why are you here?"

"Because you're late. I told you to be ready early."

"Why, what time is it?"

"Almost five already."

"What? It's a Saturday. Why do I need to get up before five?"

He bent down, nearing his grinning face towards hers. "Because you said you would." Then he stood up skipped towards her closet.

"I said no such thing." She got up to a sitting position. "Hey, don't just rummage through my closet like that. How'd you get in here in the first place?"

He poked his head out of the closet, then dangled a key from his fingers. "My girlfriend gave me a key to her apartment."

"Hey, you were supposed to return that me!"

"It's more convenient to keep it." He returned from her closet with a pile of clothes. "Here you go," he said, handing the clothes to her. "You get dressed, I'll make breakfast." And he left for the kitchen.

"I'm still so sleepy." She started lying back down.

"Up!"

She sat back up again. "I'm up! I'm up!"

Sean crawled on to the bed, then towards where she sat on the floor. Then he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Good job." Then off he went again.

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