Read Online The Art of Keeping Faith by Anna Bloom - Free Book Online Page B

Maybe he is going to give me an engagement ring? Maybe he wants to ask me to marry him before he leaves so everything is more finalised and settled between us during his absence.
    Oh my God he is going to propose.
    Right. Better act surprised.
    4.15 a.m.
    Surprised? I’d say.
    Ring? No.
    Jet black kitten with blue eyes? Yes.
    That’s right, Ben and his Mum have clearly forgotten the simple fact I cannot look after or feed myself and have bought me a kitten. Admittedly it is a very cute kitten. The kitten has been stashed in Tristan’s room since yesterday afternoon and is now going barmy climbing my curtains.
    “I thought we could share ownership, joint parenting almost.” Ben is laughing so I guess I got my surprised expression down.
    “Okay. Um. Quick question. How can it be a shared pet when you are leaving the country in a couple of hours?”
    He flashes me his wicked smile.
    “I will be coming home to the both of you and I like that.” His voice lowers a notch and he leans over and kisses me swiftly on my lips.
    “Am I not enough?”
    He laughs getting up from the bed and detaches the kitten from the curtain.
    “Come on, Lilah, how cute is he? Mum rang me weeks ago to say she had found a kitten with black hair and blue eyes. I didn’t realise then I would be leaving, but look at it. It’s so cute.”
    It kind of is. I can see where Ben’s mum was going with the colouring, with its jet-black fur and bright blue eyes, this cat was born to be owned by Ben—or me apparently.
    “It is cute, Ben, but not as cute as you.”
    He kisses the kitten and covers its ears. “Don’t listen. She doesn’t mean it.”
    “What you going to call him?” I ask.
    “You’ve got to name him,” he says with a smile before putting the ball of fluff in my lap. “I’m jumping in the shower, the taxi will be here soon.”
    “Okay.”
    It does not matter how cute a surprise the kitten is, nothing is going to make this any easier.
    I am lying on the bed playing with the kitten when he walks back in, disappointingly dressed. I can sense a bubble of emotion welling inside of me. I ignore it, determined not to let it overwhelm me, or worse, pop.
    “Got your passport?”
    “Yep.”
    “Got clean pants?”
    “Yep.”
    “Got a book for the plane?”
    “Yep.”
    “Got the Gibson?”
    He motions to his guitar case by our bedroom door.
    “Right, then.” My throat is so tight it is a miracle I can speak.
    In two steps he is across the room. “I’m going to miss you so much, Lilah.”
    He kisses me full on the mouth and I run my hand through his still damp hair before letting my fingertips trace over his face one last time.
    “Set them on fire, Benjamin Chambers,” I smile.
    “I will.”
    “Come on, I’ll walk you out.” I grab the kitten and plant it firmly under my arm before helping Ben with one of his bags in my other hand.
    We walk along the hallway, the silence overwhelmingly heavy.
    Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
    Hand on the front door he turns to me, blues dazzling as he looks right into me. “Love you, Lilah.”
    “Love you, Ben.”
    “I’ll be back in a few weeks. Okay?”
    “Okay, bugger off. That taxi is not going to wait all morning.”
    In the blink of an eye he pecks me on the cheek, grabs his bags, opens the door and starts to walk away. Once he is in the cab I turn back in and look at the kitten still be in my arms.
    “Just us now, Kit,” I say.
    Hm. Kit. It could work.
    I turn back to my room and find Meredith standing in the doorway.
    “Need a drink?” she asks, waving a bottle of Stolichnaya at me.
    “Nah, I am a mum now and I have to behave.” I pull a face at the kitten.
    “Isn’t it just the cutest thing ever?”
    “Sort of.”
    She knows what I mean. “Want company?”
    “Yep.” I can’t manage more than that.
    We go back to my room where we settle on my bed, the kitten in between us, and I slowly let my bubble of emotion pop. “It will get easier won’t it, Mer?” I ask after a few