Welcome Home

She was waiting for me on the stairs again. Pretended she wasn't, didn't blink when I walked in, but I knew. I punched the button and turned to wait, and she just sat and stared at me and didn't blink until I thought 'maybe, maybe she won't come up - maybe she's waiting for someone else'. But when the lift doors opened and I stepped inside, she gave a languid stretch and passed on in, brushing against me as she did so. And when the lift doors closed, she was suddenly upon me, clawing at my clothes and reaching for my face, and I caressed her cheek until the lift doors opened again, and we sprang apart. The landing was empty, but we stepped out like strangers, and she stood waiting silently behind me while I unlocked the door, and I wondered whether it would be tonight, and the door swung open and I stood aside, inviting her in. She stared for a moment, yawned, then stalked over to the doorway across the landing, where she curled up, licked her chops once, and went to sleep.