“It’s open,” Summer called, then had to clear her throat and say it again, louder, so he could hear her through the door. Helios writhed and squirmed to the floor and bounded over to the door to twine around Isaac’s feet, purring. “Hi.” She got up, more slowly, and lifted a hand to touch his shoulder before remembering and tucking it behind her back.
Smiling with relief at the sound of her voice, he turned the handle and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Before he had the chance to utter a greeting, Helios was circling around his feet and he ground to a halt, terrified to move in case he stepped on the cat’s tail. “Hey! I got the right place – I was worried I’d gotten the wrong floor,” he stated with a sheepish smile, before he reached out to brush their fingertips together. “It’s okay if I see you coming towards me.”
She pressed her palm to his lightly. “It’s not that big a place,” she scoffed. “I’m sure you didn’t have any trouble.” Helios rubbed his face along Isaac’s knee as Summer stepped back, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Do you want something to drink? Water, soda? I have lemonade.”