NINE
Dmitri woke to the sensation that he was being watched. He opened his eyes and found that indeed he was. Thyra was on her side, propped up on an elbow, watching him with eyes that were as pure as the clearest amber, while the cat Valentino sat on his belly, his orange front feet tucked under his chest. The look he gave Dmitri was one of intense speculation.
“Either someone let you in, or you’ve learned how to open doors, and if the latter is the case, I’ll be getting new cat-proof locks,” he told the animal.
“I let him in when I got up to use the bathroom. He was sticking his paw under the door, which I assumed meant he was lonely, and since I know he’s probably still upset about being rehomed, I figured he could cuddle up with us.”
“I am not opposed to cats in a general sense, an
