Mrs. Putnam throws up her hands. “Oh, look at us two fools just staring at you as you eat.”
“It’s okay.” Vivian smiles. “Most people don’t pay attention to me at all.”
“I find that very hard to believe.” I can’t seem to take my eyes off her.
“Griffin, come into the hall. We need to talk cat logistics and let our guest eat in peace.”
I want to refuse, to stay near Vivian. But bucking Mrs. Putnam’s orders will only lead to suffering, as I’ve learned over years of living with her.
Reluctantly, I follow her into the hall.
She closes the kitchen door and turns to me. “You brought a girl home!”
“I, well … Yes.”
She claps, then grips her hands to try and contain her burst of glee. “Okay, this is wonderful. She is sweet as can be. Pretty, too. I had no idea David and Laverne had such good genes. Anyway, doesn’t matter.”
“About the cats–”
“I can handle all that.” She swipes a hand through the air. “I just got you out here because I want to tell you not to screw this up.”
“What?”
“You heard me. That girl is already a breath of fresh air.”
I bristle. “She’s my ward. Mine.”
Mrs. Putnam laughs. “There it is. That’s what I thought.”
She’s knocked me off balance yet again. “Are you having a stroke? What do you mean ‘there it is’?”
“You’ll see.” She opens the kitchen door, apparently dismissing me, and strides back in. “Come on, Griffin. You can have a sandwich too. Unless Vivian wants another one?”
“I’m stuffed. Thank you.” Vivian is petting the mama cat as the kittens snooze in a little furry heap.
“All right. Just give me a list of your favorites, and I’ll be sure to keep your tummy happy.”
“That is so kind. I appreciate it.” Vivian smiles. “No one’s ever cooked for me before.”
“What?” Mrs. Putnam stills. “Never?”
“At boarding school, I just eat whatever they serve in the cafe. And Mom and Dad–they never cooked. Or at least I never saw them do anything like that.”
Mrs. Putnam nods. “David and Laverne were more about having experiences and traveling, I suppose. A quiet evening at home cooking for their family was never in the cards.”
“Right.” The sadness in Vivian’s voice has me walking to her and putting my hand on her shoulder.
“I know today has been a lot. Are you all right?”
She keeps petting the mama cat but looks up at me with teary eyes. When she smiles, it’s a mix of sadness and hope. “No, but I think I will be.”
6
VIVIAN
“The cats have more boxes than I do.” I laugh. It feels nice to laugh. Today is turning out better than I ever possibly thought it could have. As fast as everything is happening, at least it’s keeping me busy.
Griff keeps my mind busy too. Instead of my thoughts drifting to my parents over and over, they are now drifting to him. He’s the puzzle I’m trying to put together. At moments I see the man I’ve heard people describe, and other times he’s not that man at all.