Scary Cat

Disclaimers: I hope this story is entertaining and humorous in the right ways. I’m a neurodivergent myself and have people close to me dealing with mental issues as well, so deliberate disrespect is far from my intention with this writing. To those with significant mental struggles, please know you are not alone and that help is available. You were in mind when I wrote the ending. For those who are closely associated with persons dealing with mental struggles, I hope they have your support and patience if they don’t already. It is much needed. 

Also, there is one instance of a possible swear word, “bleeped” out for good measure. 

Ben and Haley had been seeing each other for a month now. They met on a dating app and hit it off. Until today, they rendezvoused out in public spaces. Today, Ben was picking up Haley from her house for dinner and a movie. 

He rang her doorbell and after nearly a good minute, she let him in. 

“Hey! Sorry that took so long! Time got away from me today!” She answered the door donning a spa headband holding back partially dried hair, a skincare mask, her bathrobe, and slippers. “Come on in and get comfortable in my living room! I’ll finish up soon!” 

“No problem!” He responded as she plodded back upstairs. He surveyed the living room. A couch and a few smaller cushion seats all faced around a neat coffee table. A couple of side tables held lamps, some books, tasteful trinkets, and candles. On the floor space between the furniture was a plush rug, freshly vacuumed. Sheer curtains framed the windows. 

“Bright, neat, and cozy,” Ben thought. “Much like Haley,” Taking a seat, he mused on how well his girlfriend seemed to keep house. Exhaling his ease, he took a seat and looked around some more. Nature portraits and personal photos hung on the walls, some framed in gold. Her entertainment center was organized and dust-free...and a cat came plodding his direction!

“Gah!” Ben vocalized, stiffening where he sat. He’d been seeing Haley all this time and they hadn’t yet established their interests in pets and animals! Ever since watching a horror movie he shouldn’t have as a kid, he feared cats. For years, his overriding anxiety envisioned nearly any iteration of a feline--even cartoon cats or hot actresses playing Catwoman-- as a zombie hellspawn bent on murder. As a teenager, he was sent to therapy where he learned some coping skills and started some exposure treatment. While they made a difference, he hadn’t been in such close proximity to the animal in several years either. Was it possible to relapse, Ben worried. Haley’s calico pet stopped at his feet and sat on its haunches, its big round eyes staring at him. Its tail swishing and curling. 

“Alright,” Ben blew out his nerves while starting to sweat. “Relax a bit!” He squared himself in his seat, flexing his hands to try untensing himself. “Deep breath in...deep breath out...just like what you learned in therapy...” 

He shut his eyes and thought back to the sessions, recalling the pictures he was shown and conversations he had with the therapist about cat body language. 

“The tail’s in the air...that’s a good sign if I remember correctly--breathe in, breathe out---its not in a fearful or aggressive stance---breathe in, breathe out--maybe it wants something...breathe in...”

Ben stifled another gasp at that point. His concentration was broken by the cat joining him on the seat. Much closer to him now...reflexively, his muscles tightened again. His fists balled up and shook with nerves. 

“It wants ME!!!” His anxiety screamed. The cat nudged his clenched hand. Anxiety whiplashed to confusion. “To pet it?! Breathe in, breathe out...yeah...petting is another good thing. Means it's friendly. Breathe in...breathe out...”

Warily, he opened a fist and cautiously moved his palm towards the creature who waited patiently for acknowledgment.

“The cat is beautiful,” He tried to convince himself. “Petting the cat will feel soft and silky and relaxing...breathe in, breathe out...”

The act of extending his hand far enough to touch Haley’s pet felt like an eternity. The cat sat next to him, still waiting. His hand was hovering over the cat’s body when it hunched over and started hacking. 

“Oh sh*t!” Ben reeled back. “Did I break it?! I barely touched it!” 

“Ben! Do you hear that?” He heard Haley call from partway up the stairs, oblivious to the full scale of his panic. “If she’s on the furniture, get her off, please!” 

“Who?” His mind went blank.

“Mocha, my cat!” 

“Oh! Its name must be Mocha...” He realized. He inhaled and gave Mocha a stiff-armed shove off the seat. She landed on the floor and trotted off somewhere else in the house, coughing a few more times. Ben then found himself in silence. He wasn’t sure what was going on with Mocha or how she felt about being pushed. 

Morbid curiosity came over him to find the cat again. As he followed Mocha’s trail further into the house, he started noticing the “cat things” that he didn’t see earlier. He followed the sound of a tiny collar bell jingling. Wandering through the house, he passed a yurt and cat tree near the living room entryway. He noticed a perch on the sliding glass door to the backyard and some toys scattered around. Somewhere along the way, he thought he whiffed the putrid smell of a litter box. He arrived at the kitchen where he saw Haley, all dressed and done up, tending to her cat. 

“I’m not sure if it's allergies or hairballs,” She said aloud while ushering a clean water dish and a serving of hairball control purée to a Mocha eager to eat. “I’ve spent all day trying to figure it out.” 

Mocha purred while lapping up the purée. Haley stroked her back once before standing up and facing Ben. 

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” She observed. 

“Uhh..kinda....” He rubbed his neck. His face flushed, but now with embarrassment with his oncoming admission. “I’m pathologically afraid of cats. I’ve gotten help in the past but I also haven’t had a direct encounter in a while either.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Haley’s hands went up to her face in shock. Her eyes widened at the revelation. “I wish we talked about it sooner!”

“Me too,” He sighed. His breathing and heart rate were finding a normal pace again but his head started hurting.

“Can I get you anything?” 

“A Tylenol and might I borrow your handtowel?” 

Haley immediately turned back into the kitchen to get what he needed. She handed him the medicine, a cup of water, and her kitchen towel he used to wipe the sweat from his forehead. She also pulled the curtains and blinds in the kitchen and backdoor to limit the sunlight. 

“Ohh...” Ben exclaimed in relief after he downed the pill and drink. “You’re too kind!”

She took the cup and towel from him back to the kitchen. No sooner did she turn from the counter was Ben close enough to take her by the hands. 

“Listen,” He looked her in the eyes, “This fear made life real difficult growing up, but I don’t want it to spoil our relationship if you’ll still have me after today.” 

“I want you no less,” She declared. “Funny thing about all this, Mocha’s been my barometer with most of my previous relationships. If she wasn’t friendly with someone I brought home, it of course didn’t last. But she warmed right up to you!” 

“You knew what she was doing before you came down?” Ben was stunned at the thought. 

“She’s at your feet right now,” 

They looked down to see Mocha rubbing against both their ankles, purring her approval. More still, the contact with the cat wasn’t triggering him at the moment. They chuckled. 

“I’ll look into getting some more help again,” He looked back up at her. “You--and Mocha--are welcome to be part of things.” 

“We absolutely will!” 

“To us!” He pulled her closer, their lips inching closer.

“To us!” She echoed and they kissed.