All Chapters of The Cat Was Never There: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1 We're Done

I stared at the note on the fridge for a long, long time. Dummy. That was how she used to call me. She said that title was only reserved for her boyfriend.The bedroom's door swung open, and out came Blake in an oversized black hoodie. I recognized that hoodie. I waited in line for three hours just to get that limited edition hoodie during her last birthday. She later told me that she lost it.I spent a lot of time looking for it, but all she said was, "It's just one hoodie. It's no big deal."The sight of me drained all color from Blake's face, but he swiftly recovered and clapped my shoulder like he used to. "You should've called if you were coming, man. I just got out of the shower, and my place is a mess."I moved away from his hand. "Where's the cat?"He paused for a moment. "Pet hospital. I told you that the cat had a fever."I looked at the absurdly clean living room. There was no cattery, no litter box, and not even a single strand of fur. Instead, there was only a pair o

Chapter 2 No Boundaries

Queenie's face fell. "Don't you threaten me with a breakup, Zacharias McGrace."I didn't turn back as I left the house. I saw her coming after me before the elevator door slid shut, but all it took was Blake calling her name softly to make her stop in her tracks.When I came home, I found my parents still seated around the dining table, waiting for someone who wouldn't come. The food had been reheated three times. My mother didn't look the slightest bit happy, and she was looking at my father with worry in her eyes.My father had just had bypass surgery done, and he hadn't slept too well the night before because he was so excited to see Queenie.They noticed me coming home alone and immediately rose from their seats. "Where's Queenie?"I hid my hand behind my back. "Something came up."My mother was stunned, while my father forced a smile. "It's okay. You young 'uns do tend to be busy. We understand. We can have dinner some other time."My parents were helplessly coming up with

Chapter 3 It's Her Fault

I went home and had a fitful sleep that night. My dreams showed me a lot of trivial stuff that happened before. I dreamed about a team-building event that involved us eating out. Blake was seated beside me, and Queenie frowned the moment his fork touched something spicy."Don't eat anything spicy."He sneered. "Stay in your lane."She grabbed him something mild. "Don't cry to me if your stomach kills you at night."I had laughed back then. "You two always fight when you meet."Then, my dream shifted. It was raining, but Blake and I didn't bring any umbrellas. Queenie only brought one. She shoved the umbrella into his arms and growled in annoyance, "You're a total diva when you get a cold."An angry Blake had yelled at her, "I don't want your umbrella!"I stood under the overhang, watching them argue all the way to the car park. In the end, I ran out into the rain to flag down a taxi. Back then, I told myself that Queenie was my girlfriend and Blake was my buddy. I told myself

Chapter 4 Infidelity

Blake questioned, "Why'd you say that about him, Queenie? You know he's innocent." Queenie answered quietly, "I had to, or you'd hide somewhere and have a meltdown."He sobbed. "But he's your boyfriend.""He'll get over it," she said with certainty. "He's very kind, especially when it comes to you."He fell silent for a long time before asking, "That cat doesn't really exist. Why'd you help me with the lie?"I pushed my hand against the wall, but I could feel my fingers going cold.Queenie didn't answer right away. A few moments later, she answered, "Because I wanted a reason to see you too."Everything fell silent. I could nearly hear my own heart thumping in my chest.Blake's voice was trembling. "So… you know his parents waited three hours for you on his birthday?""Yes." She continued, "But he'll cover for me. He always does."My form fell out of my hand while the staircase went silent. When I looked up, I saw Blake holding Queenie's collar as he kissed her.Queenie onl

Chapter 5 No Turning Back

I turned my computer off after the letter was sent. There was a picture of my parents and me when they came to this city sitting on my desk. Queenie had taken it for us. My father sat up straight in the picture, and my mother's smile was a little reserved. Queenie stood behind me, and her hand was on my shoulder.After my parents went back, my mother told our relatives, "Queenie might be taciturn, but her eyes tell me she loves Zacharias very much."I took the picture out of the frame and cut it out until my parents' part remained.Someone beside me said quietly, "He's quitting?""He's probably trying to make Ms. Hilton give in.""Blake was hospitalized for an allergy, and he still won't give up."I didn't look up. I left the lanyard on the desk once I was done packing up my things. HR's supervisor rushed after me. "Zacharias, wait!"She'd printed out the resignation letter, but she had a conflicted look on her face "Ms. Hilton said you've been unstable, and you should wait un

Chapter 6 It Doesn't Matter

My father went for his follow-up the day after I returned to my hometown with my parents. He said he was fine, but his hand never left his chest even before the report came out. It also didn't help that my mother was pacing back and forth in the corridor."It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made him wait so long yesterday," she muttered under her breath.I held her hand. "It's not your fault."She looked at me, her eyes teary. "Of course, it is. We'd never have asked Queenie over for dinner if we knew this was the kind of life you were having."I said nothing. When the report was out, the doctor told us he wanted my father to be hospitalized for further observation."His recovery is going well, but it seems that he's been experiencing a lot of emotional turbulence lately. He should stay in the hospital for a bit."I was about to go to the counter to pay the fees, but I bumped into Queenie, who was standing at the end of the corridor, holding a thermos and a bag of supplements. S

Chapter 7 Wrong Choice

Queenie wanted to say something, but she had nothing going for her. The doctor tapped his desk, bringing our attention back to him."The patient needs his rest. Keep that drama out of his room, and make sure he doesn't see anyone that'll agitate him again."I nodded. "Understood."We left the consultation room with the doctor's warnings echoing in our minds. My father was leaning against the headboard. He mustered what strength he had in his frail body and asked, "What'd the doctor say?"I tucked him in. "That you need your rest."My father looked at Queenie and slowly turned his head away. It was clear that he didn't want anything to do with her.Queenie stood in front of the bed and whispered quietly, "I'm sorry, Mr. McGrace."My father closed his eyes, but he replied, "Don't apologize to me. I'm too old to bear the weight of your apology."Her eyes turned red rimmed, but her phone rang before she could say anything. Blake's voice slid out, and it was cracking."I'm outside

Chapter 8 Offer Letter

It was an ex-colleague who told me about that statement she sent. Queenie sent me a screenshot and asked carefully, "Are you alright, Zacharias?""I'm fine," I answered.I wasn't. After all, my father was hospitalized, and my mother was keeping vigil by his bedside. She said she wasn't tired, but she was so exhausted that she couldn't even plug the keys into the hole.I tended to my father during the day and sent out resumes at night.Finally, the branch company in my hometown sent me an interview invitation. The last line of the email read, "Referee: Queenie Hilton."I stared at that line for a while.I went to the interview the next day. The person in charge asked, "Do you know Ms. Hilton?""Yes," I said."Then, you must know she's told us about leaving this position open for you."I slid my resume over. "I accepted this interview because I fulfill the requirements your company has listed. You don't have to hire me just because she told you to."The person in charge was stu

Chapter 9 The Biggest Favor

Blake came to see me a day before I started my new job. He didn't groom himself, so he looked a lot worse than he was in the photo on his socials. He was also holding a bag.He was standing at the neighborhood's entrance when I came down. He wanted to put on a smile, but he could only work up a weak twitch of his lips. "Zacharias."I didn't invite him into my home, and he didn't take a step further. "I want to give this back to you."I looked at the stuff he was holding. The black hoodie, Queenie's perfume, and the note taken from the fridge with the words, "I'm making dinner, you dummy.""They're not mine," I drawled.Blake's hand shook. "I know, but I have no one else to give them to."I looked at him with an arched brow. "The bin's always an option."His eyes glistened with tears as he murmured, "I'm sorry, Zacharias."I said nothing. He hung his head low as he continued, "There was a cat in the beginning. We found it outside the apartment complex. It rubbed against Queenie

Chapter 10 Never Look Back

I was swamped with work for a long time after starting my new job. The branch company wasn't working at a crazy pace, but it wasn't exactly slow. I worked during the day and helped my dad with his follow-up at night.My mother would save dinner for me, while Nellie would occasionally drop off some work stuff at my place.Three months later, Queenie came to see me for the last time. I had just clocked out for the day only to find her waiting outside the company, holding an orange cat. It was thin and curled up in her arms. The cat mewed when it saw me.Queenie patted the cat. "I found this at our old place's complex. It's real this time."I said nothing. She continued anyway, "It only lets me hold it. I took it to the hospital, bought a cattery, litter box, and cat food. The vet said it's been a stray for a long time."She looked at me, the edges of her eyes red. "I made up a cat and lied to you about it. I got a real one now, but I know you won't believe me anymore."I looked at

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