everybody's pickin' up on that feline beat. WHO: Evelina DiGirolamo & Marnie Duchaine WHAT: Backstory Drabble Challenge [Prompt: Winter] WHEN: January 1954 WHERE: Riverside Apartments WARNINGS: N/A STATUS: Complete
Sneaking the tiny bundle of kitten into her coat and under the layers of her sweaters had seemed like a good idea at the time. The sweet little mass had been shivering against her chest, so cold through the thin layer of her blouse, that nothing could've stopped her from reaching her apartment— except, maybe, a patch of black ice and an unceremonious tumble onto asphalt as she'd hurried like the hounds of hell were on her metaphorical tail.
Reaching her home in one piece, Marnie set to the task of warming the little thing. She tried to ignore the worry settling in her heart as she curled up in a chair with a steamed rag, tracing it gingerly along that small head and those smaller paws in hopes it would do some good.
The effort paid off, but it left her with a problem: the overly curious black and white Clove lurking around corners, intent on satiating her curiosity. Only one thing was left to do: lock the baby in the bathroom with warm blankets and a bowl of milk, scoop Clove up into her arms, and make her way to Eva's apartment. A warning was far more polite than showing up unannounced with a cat, but they were just down the hall from each other. What was the harm?
She knocked fervently — possibly a little too fervently — on the younger woman's door at half past nine.
Last night had been a night spent out, so when someone was knocking at (what she thought at the moment was) an ungodly hour, she could only throw her head back in protest. Wrapping herself up in a robe, she made her way through her apartment to the door looking through the peephole before confirming she could open the door. Cracking it open, she looked out brows raised at Marnie.
"Yes?"
The torrent of words at the sight of Evelina came without warning. "Oh, Eva, I'm so happy you're in! How are you? Were you asleep? Did I wake you up? You look awfully tired. I hope I didn't wake you— you must be exhausted at your job, and you deserve all the sleep you can get! Speaking of — yes, I was going to — well, you see—" The cat was shifted in Marnie's arms. "I was coming home from work myself — I realized I'd forgotten something the night before, isn't that such a pickle? — and I thought gosh is it ever cold, when was the last time it was so cold? I was surprised I could feel my fingers! It was so much warmer last week, which is to say, only a few degrees, but that makes a difference!"
Eva had opened her mouth several times to reply, but Marnie's words kept spilling out she hardly had a second to interject. Blinking tightly, she reached her hand to her temple. Her mind had stopped listening to her and instead began regretting all of yesterday's alcoholic consumption as the onslaught of a hangover became obvious.
Where was she going with this? "And so I tried to take a shorter route home — you know how it is, don't you? — and as I was passing through, I heard this mewl and I thought, it must be a cat because drifters don't mewl. So I found this little sweetheart all small and cold, and I knew I had to take her home, so I took her home and now she's locked in my bathroom, mostly because this rascal was so curious and kept trying to come inside, and I was wondering if you could be a doll and take her for a day or so while I sort it all out? Just for a spell!"
Clove was thrust toward Eva, the duo-coloured cat's expression a shade too close to pissed off.
With the creature now in her arms, Eva could only blink again. There was a baby in her arms. No, it was furry. A furry baby? A distressed meow came from her as she looked up, beginning to wiggle out of her grasp. The slight prick of of nails was enough to let her go as she watched Clove drop down and make her way inside her apartment as though she owned the place.
"—doing me such a huge favour," the blonde's voice came in, as she'd barely stopped talking since relinquishing her own hold on the cat. "I'll come by later with the necessities, and oh, you're really such a peach, thank you so much!"
It was merely a second, just one. By the time she returned her attention to Marnie, the woman was already gone. Closing the door behind her, she stared at the cat already burrowing itself on her throw on the couch.