I yanked my phone off the soundboard and swiped it open.
Seventeen messages.
Chaser: On our way! MC is a good kitty.
Chaser: MC doesn’t seem to like dogs that are not Pollux.
Chaser: We’re in the room!
Chaser: I hope your meeting is going well.
Chaser: Ooh, MC doesn’t like the vet!
Chaser: Marcus, can you call me?
Chaser: Please call me as soon as you can.
Chaser: Marcus, I don’t want to make these decisions on my own.
Chaser: MC has cancer. Please call me.
Chaser: The vet thinks we can treat it.
Chaser: Oh, my god the cost.
Chaser: He wants to run more tests on her. I need you to call me, Marc. Please.
Chaser: He wants to know if we’re going to leave the kittens with her or take them home. I need help with kittens!
Chaser: Marcus?
Chaser: I’m taking the kittens home. We have the KMR. MC is going to stay for more tests.
Chaser: I can’t make the decision to put her down.
Chaser: Marcus, please…
Oh, God, I’d fucked that up big time. I always fucked up when it came to Ed Roberts.
Marcus302: I’m so sorry, Chase. I got stuck in a meeting. Don’t put MC down. I’ll help with the kittens. We’ll figure out what to do.
I rubbed a hand over my eyes, and Jerry was still staring at me.
“Okay?”
“We rescued cats out of the wall last night, and the mother cat apparently has cancer. I was supposed to be returning the live updates. I hope Chase doesn’t hate me for that.”
“You clearly had a rough day” he nodded. “So, you’re still on my team, and I don’t give a rats ass what Ed Roberts thinks. You missed the fun part where he tried to get his people to walk, and his boss just shot his ass out of the sky with a close-range missile.‘You liked his work a week ago, Ed. Now you find out he’s someone you don’t like personally and you want to walk? We’re signing you up for professional courtesy classes. Sit your ass down.’ It really was glorious, because I’d gotten the ‘shithead’ vibe from him as soon as he opened his mouth.”
“Well, I appreciate that—”
“And,” he said, slicing into my words, “now that I know you’ve got legal issues with Ed Roberts, we are going to put a rider on the contract that requires him to inform us if he is coming on premises so we can arrange to have you elsewhere, even if I have to send you down to Katz’s for a fucking sandwich.”
He stood. “I hope you like corned beef.”
“You don’t have to do that—”
“I do, because you are one of the best investments I’ve made in years. Shut up, take the compliment and check on your boyfriend and the cats.”
