The Gift Ch. 06-10

"Oh." Luciana seemed to mull it over in her head. Most people had no idea how much it cost an animal hospital to treat each patient. Chris didn't blame them; treating animals was less expensive than treating humans, but it still cost a lot of money.

Luciana suddenly glanced outside, her eyes wide. "Is it raining?" she asked, staring out the window.

"No," he said. "It's just the wind."

"I must go now." She rose to her feet, putting her hands inside the pockets of her sweatshirt. "I have to do the laundry."

Chris nodded, walking her up to the front door. She stepped out when he held the door open for, stopping briefly to look up at his face.

"Thank you," she said. "For bearing with me."

"You're always welcome," he smiled. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

She nodded, stepping out onto the porch and then on the grass, crossing the short distance to her brother's house. Chris watched her until he could see no more. For some inexplicable reason, he was glad she had stayed over.

---

Thirty minutes later, when Chris was on his 112th push-up in the basement gym, the doorbell broke his rhythm. He groaned under his breath, his muscles protesting when he tried to rise from the floor.

Chris was meticulous about his exercise regime. Whenever he was home, he made sure to work out in his home gym for at least an hour every day. If he had to remain at the hospital for extended periods, he sneaked in plenty of pushups when he found the time. His brother had been asking him to come on a mountain biking trip in November. It was a hobby they both enjoyed, besides Muay Thai and surfing. Chris had once spent three months in Australia, simply because the waves were mesmerizing.

He grabbed a towel as he rose from the floor, wiping the sweat off his brow while he climbed up the stairs and answered the front door. When the door opened, he was surprised to see Luciana on his porch.

"I wanted to give you...this," she extended a long, white envelope towards him.

"What is it?" he asked, lifting the flap to peek inside. Putting in two fingers, he pulled out the content of the envelope, his eyes widening when he discovered a $5000 check in favor of the hospital.

"I know that's not enough," she said hesitantly. Chris looked up, his eyes refusing to revert to their normal size.

"Not enough?" he exclaimed. "You're giving away $5000."

He sighed, putting the check back inside the envelope. "You don't have to do it, you know. We have donors, we have a medical board. The cats will be taken care of."

"I want to help," she offered. "I couldn't save Cleo. I want to make some contribution for saving other cats."

Chris simply stared, not having the right words to thank her. He smiled quietly at her, nodding.

"You're very kind," he said. "Cleo was one lucky cat to have you. I hope some other animal gets to experience your kindness in future."

She shrugged, folding her arms around herself. The wind was blowing her hair all over the place, and when she lifted a slender finger to remove a lock of hair from her eye, Chris noticed the fading manicure of her short, oval nails.

"Can I make a request?" she asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Chris nodded.

"Once the cats are moved to shelters," she said, "do you mind taking me to see them?"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "You aren't going to return home?" he asked.

"Even if I do, I can come over during the weekends," she answered calmly. "I'd like to help them find forever homes."

"In that case," he smirked. "We have to make a deal."

She frowned. "Deal?"

"Yes." He stepped out on to the porch, crossing his arms. "Once the cats are better, I will take you to see them. But until then, you are going to take care of yourself and get better. Deal?"

It was a deal she wasn't in the mood to accommodate. She stared at the wooden boards of the porch, shifting on her heels and making the floor creak under her shoes. Chris stepped closer to her, gently holding her by the arms, his heart breaking when he felt her humerus under his hands.

"Cleo is gone, Luciana," he said. "Starving yourself will not bring her back. You do know that, right?"

She didn't shake her head either way. When Chris put a finger under her chin to lift up her face, he found her green eyes moist.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I'm not doing it on purpose."

"I know. But you look miserable. I can't believe the weight you've lost in less than two weeks. Doesn't Elijah tell you anything?"

"He does," she nodded. "But he's not home to watch over me."

"I thought you don't want to be watched over?"

"I don't. I want to be alone."

"So you can starve?"

She simply gazed into his eyes without saying a word. Chris's shoulders drooped as he sighed.

"Animals are hard work," he said. "You can't do it while you're starving and losing weight every day."

"Why do you care?" she asked, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. He was getting to her, but not in the right way.

"Why do you care about these cats?" he retorted.

"Because they're in bad shape and I want to help them."

"That's exactly why I care about you."

"I'm trying," she answered in a small voice. "Elijah always pushes me to eat, even when I don't feel like it..."

"I'm not pushing you," he shook his head. "I'm merely asking you to get better so you can go and work with those cats. Is that a motivation?"

"I think so," she replied, chewing on her bottom lip. "Trust me, I'm not like this."

"I know." He let go off her, stepping away. "Do we have a deal or not?" he asked firmly.

Luciana searched his face, the words running through her head. When she finally nodded, Chris thought he saw a faint smile at the corner of her lips.

"Alright," she said, inhaling a sharp breath of air. "It's a deal."

---

Chapter 9

Sweets were never Luciana's favorite. She had no qualms about eating pizzas, but when it came to sweet, sugary items, she maintained a safe distance. Matt always joked that her diet was identical to his boyfriend Kyle's diet, both of them eschewing sugar and lapping up salads.

However, at that moment, the cinnamon rolls in her hands seemed like the most appetizing thing in the world. She stepped on to Elijah's front porch with the box, taking a seat on the wicker chair. Opening the box, she picked up the first roll, big enough to fill her entire hand.

She had been training her mind for the last few days to not miss Cleo all the time. Her cat had been food-loving, always appearing from somewhere whenever she attempted to make a meal or eat. Cooking would take her hours, simply because she had to keep distracting Cleo to get her out of the kitchen. She had tried using screen doors but Cleo had been successful at clawing and breaking them down. For an otherwise calm cat, she was too hyperactive about food.

Her foster parents had also been animal lovers. Luciana still remembered the two German Shepherds they had at home, sweet and loyal but aggressive and dangerous when it came to protecting the kids of the house. Luciana had once got stuck in the apple tree as a child, and the dogs had fetched help for her. She believed her love for nature was ingrained in her by her foster parents.

She loved all animals. She had fostered cats and dogs, nursed a frostbitten hedgehog back to health, and helped squirrels make nests before winter. But Cleo had been her life. Bringing another pet home wouldn't make things any easier for her.

The sugar melted in her mouth, leaving a cinnamon aftertaste as she licked the corner of her lips. Luciana didn't remember the last time she'd had those. She also wondered what Matt would say if he knew she planned to eat all eight of those rolls that morning. After a little thought, she realized he wouldn't mind, considering she hadn't eaten a full meal in the past few weeks.

She was in the process of devouring those sinful, decadent pieces of calories, when her attention was drawn to the house next doors. She looked to her left to find Chris leaving the house, putting the keys in his pocket after locking the front door. He was in wool-lined plaid shirt and a pair of dark grey jeans. His hair was half up half down, and for the first time, Luciana noticed that he braided the top half of his hair at the back.

He was too blonde, she thought to herself, as she absently licked her fingers. His eyebrows were somewhat bushy, but often barely noticeable because they were too light. But his eyes... They were blue like the sky on a clear summer day, so deep that they made everything he said more intense.

He turned unexpectedly, meeting her gaze. They silently eyed each other for an awkward minute, before Luciana broke into a small smile.

Chris's best response would be to simply smile back, but he found himself staring at her, speechless. Did he just see her smile at him? It was fleeting and shy but sweet enough to resemble a spring flower opening its petals. A hand involuntarily went to his chest as he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

When he got his breath back, he walked across the grass to step on to Elijah's driveway. Luciana was still gazing at him.

"Good morning," he smiled. "Is that the secret to your smile? A big Cinnabon hamper?"

Luciana looked at the box on her lap and then back at him. "Would you like one?" she asked.

"Me?" he snorted. "I don't eat sweets."

"I don't either," she said hesitantly. "But..."

She trailed off, reaching for a tissue to wipe her fingers. Chris came up to the porch and sat in the chair next to her.

"As long as you are eating," he told her. "I don't care what you eat."

She stared into his eyes, her throat going dry. Elijah had been after her, pushing her to eat. Matt, on the other hand, was busy re-decorating her apartment, trying to help her move on from Cleo. He had told her that they were moving most of Cleo's things to the basement, and she could choose what to keep and what to throw out.

But Chris had just been kind, listening to her, giving her time, gently reminding her she needed to take care of herself without being pushy. She now realized why he was adored at the hospital. He was humble, wise and kind not only as a veterinarian but also a human being.

Luciana looked down at herself, suddenly wishing she was in something more decent than pajamas with penguins on them. It seemed like every time Chris saw her, she was in frumpy clothes.

"Are you going to work?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"I was going to the shelter to see some of the cats that were moved there from the hospital," he said. "It's been a little over a week, and we've moved most of the cats, although some of the kittens and newborns are still at the hospital."

She nodded, embarrassed about eating any more of the cinnamon rolls in front of him. Wiping her mouth with a tissue, she put the box down on the porch, glancing at him briefly.

"You can keep eating," he said with a smile. "I was going, anyway."

"You know what, Chris?" Elijah's voice boomed from inside the house, almost making them jump. "I've seen you more in the last few weeks than I've seen any other neighbor in all the years I've lived here."

"I... didn't know you were home," he said, looking behind him at the door. Elijah was now on the porch, in a short sleeve body-hugging t-shirt and a pair of jeans with boots.

"Yeah, I put the car in the garage," he said, pointing at the driveway. "Would you guys like to lend me a hand back there? I'm chopping up the logs for the wood burner."

Chris looked slightly baffled as he shifted his gaze from Elijah to Luciana and then back to Elijah. "Your sister can chop logs?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, she can," he replied. "She does it back home. Don't be fooled by her size. On a good day, she can eat an entire large pizza all by herself."

"And...on a bad day?" Chris asked.

"She doesn't eat. You've seen it."

Luciana had picked up the box again, digging into another sweet treat. Elijah rolled his eyes.

"My words are mere noises to her," he sighed. "Come on, doc. Let's have some guy time back there while she eats her cinnamon rolls here."

"I thought you wanted both of us back there," she spoke with a full mouth.

"Yes, but you are too busy licking your fingers," he said, disappearing back inside the house. Chris chuckled, looking at her.

"Shall we go and see what he's doing there?" he asked her. Luciana shrugged, wiping her fingers as she put the box down. They stepped down from the porch and walked around the house until they reached the backyard. Elijah had already chopped up most of the logs, and there were only a few left.

Luciana didn't know whether to feel good or bad for her brother. He was successful, well-settled, enjoyed a good job, reputation and social status. But Luciana recognized a lonely person when she saw one. Elijah didn't have many friends. After the fire, most of his friends in school had drifted away. Later in life, he'd been too busy to make friends. Aside from the few people at work he went out drinking with some nights, he didn't have other friends.

She wanted him to have a girlfriend. No, she corrected herself. She wanted him to have a wife. More importantly, she wished he hadn't left Michelle. She didn't remember the fire or even her parents vividly anymore, but she did remember Michelle. She remembered her blonde hair, blue eyes, and quiet voice, and the way she looked at Elijah when they were alone. Luciana might have been small then, but as a grown-up now she knew she had seen love in her eyes for him.

Chris picked up the axe, flattening the log into three pieces with one blow. The noise jolted Luciana back to the present.

"Wow," Elijah deadpanned. "You're strong, aren't you?"

"I try," Chris laughed, striking a blow to another log and splitting it into pieces. Luciana stared at his swift handiwork, taken with the way his big, muscular body moved gracefully as he wielded the axe. She couldn't help thinking he looked like an actual Norse god.

"Isn't it a beautiful morning? Elijah asked to no one in particular. "The sun makes working outdoors such a pleasure in fall."

"Yes, it does." Chris handed the axe back to Elijah, who started to chop up the rest of the logs. He was fond of having a fire when it got cold outside. Every room in that house had a fireplace, including the bathrooms.

When Chris looked at Luciana, she was still rooted to the ground, hands folded around her body in a manner that meant she was cold. He walked up to her, a smile tugging at his lips.

"What are you doing this morning?" he asked her.

"Right now? Nothing." She scratched her hair when he gave her a look. "Aside from eating the cinnamon rolls, of course."

"Would you like to go somewhere with me?" he said. "It is indeed a beautiful day."

"Where? To see the cats?"

Luciana looked excited. He had never seen that look in her eyes before, one of childlike glee and enthusiasm. Chris didn't want to disappoint her, so he nodded.

"Yes, and also somewhere else." He gazed up at the trees, the breeze blowing the leaves off the branches. "But you must dress warm."

Luciana's eyes darted at her brother, who pretended to not hear anything. Chris followed her gaze, turning around to look at Elijah.

"I don't think he will mind," he said calmly. "Besides, you must get out more."

"That's what I keep telling her," Elijah finally spoke up, putting the axe down and balancing one foot on a pile of chopped wood. "And no, I don't mind, as long as you can put some sense into her head."

Luciana looked away, appearing slightly wounded. "I'll go and change quickly," she said, turning on her heels to go back inside the house. Chris looked at Elijah, smiling.

"Go easy on her," he said. "She needs time."

"I understand," Elijah nodded. "But starving herself to death shouldn't be the plan, right? Her blood pressure just kept dropping."

"Did you try asking her to get help?"

"Like seeing a psychiatrist? Yes, I did. She said she didn't need it."

"Well," Chris sighed. "At least she's beginning to eat again. Those sweets will keep her blood pressure and blood glucose levels regulated."

"Hopefully." Elijah started to arrange the pile of chopped logs. "She's 30, but she's still so sensitive."

Chris arched his eyebrows. "She's...30?" he asked. Elijah looked at him.

"Yeah. She looks younger, I know."

She did. Chris hadn't expected her to be any older than 25. "I don't remember ever seeing her here," he said carefully. "Doesn't she visit often?"

"Not really. She travels to different places with architects for her design work." He started typing up the piles with ropes, Chris lending him a hand as he did so. "It's the first time I ever saw her like that...depressed, moping around, not eating, crying all the time." He sighed, his hands stopping abruptly. "It freaked me out."

"She will be alright," Chris placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just give her some time."

"I'm ready."

They looked around to find Luciana standing on the back porch in a simple tunic and a long cardigan with a pair of wool leggings. Her hair shone under the sun, shifting between a lustrous brown and a dazzling auburn.

Chris's gazed rolled across her, not failing to notice she looked different from all the past days he had seen her. He wouldn't call it happiness, but there was something in her eyes that signaled she was ready for change.

Luciana wanted to look away but could not, even when his gaze was unsettling her stomach. His eyes were deep and piercing, almost stripping her off her sorrows and anguish and discovering the real person inside.

Elijah smirked knowingly when he saw the look on his face. He thumped his back, nodding.

"Go ahead," he said. "While the sun shines."

Chris smiled gratefully at him and walked up to Luciana. She stepped down from the porch, sliding her hands inside the pockets of her cardigan. When she looked into his eyes, there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Shall we?" she asked. Chris nodded, leading her to his car.

---

The forest preserve was a riot of colors. As they drove in, Luciana looked out the window, eyes wide.

"Wow," she exclaimed. "I had forgotten how much I missed fall."

"Did Cleo like playing with the leaves?" Chris asked, turning off the combustion. She nodded wistfully.

"Raking leaves was hard," she said. "As was gardening or mowing."

"I would like to know more about her if you're willing to share," he smiled as they got out of the car. "I never got to know her."

"You'd have loved her. Everyone did."

"How did you find her?"

"By the road on a rainy morning. She was barely a few weeks old, possibly abandoned at a busy intersection." Luciana shuddered inwardly as the memories ran through her mind. "She could've been killed if I hadn't picked her up."

"Did she like you from the beginning or did you have to earn her trust?"

"Cleo was always a sweetheart," she said. Chris listened to her while they walked towards one of the trails. "I fed and cleaned her and took her to the vet. She spent the rest of the day playing with me."

"So she chose you," he laughed.

"Yes," she sighed, looking up at a maple tree turning bright red. "I was lucky."

"When are you going back home?" he asked.

"I'm staying for a few more weeks," she replied. "I got a new client here."

"Oh," he quirked an eyebrow. "So you've resumed work?"

Luciana nodded. "I needed to," she said. "I thought I would go crazy if I didn't."

She stopped to pick up a leaf, brown and yellow with little spots. Unmindfully twirling it in her hand, she seemed to zone out for a second. A gentle touch from Chris brought her back.

"Is it unusual to mourn the death of a pet death?" she asked quietly, staring at the leaf. "Is it not socially accepted?"

"To the bereaved person, it doesn't matter whether it's accepted socially or not," he replied. "They grieve all the same. How can they not after losing someone who had been part of their lives for several years?"