Chapter 82

Behind her, the screen door slid open on its track and, a moment later, a flash of black streaked past. “You let the cat out!” she hollered without looking up from her magazine.

“He’ll be back,” her boyfriend Nick said. “He knows who feeds him.”

“Yeah, me.” She didn’t hear the screen door shut, no surprise there. “Shut the door, will you? I don’t want any flies in the house.”

“It’s too early for flies,” Nick countered, but he did as she asked.

She knew she could be a little nagging sometimes, and it was easier for him to just obey instead of argue. Nick wasn’t very confrontational. Whenever she was angry, he always hid out with his best friend Ray until the storm passed. Then he’d come home bearing flowers or jewelry, and apologize even if it wasn’t his fault. Half the time he did that, Lisa wondered if he even knew what he was apologizing for.

Now he came around the side of her lounge chair, a tall glass of tea in one hand like a peace offering. “For you, baby doll.”