“He pissed all over my clothes!”

“He’s never done that before,” Melody said. “I don’t know what got into him.”

“I’ll have to wear cat-piss clothes to work.”

The noise finally settled down, and Max began to wonder if he was missing out on anything. He inched his way back upstairs, each step silent and smooth. He peeked around the corner.

The guy was dressed, getting ready to leave.

“Here’s my phone number.” Melody handed him a business card. It had a picture of Max on it. A box of them had arrived at the house one day, and Melody had shown them to him. “What do you think of this handsome guy?” she’d asked. “Do you like having your face on my card?”

He’d liked it a lot.

She’d had another cat before Max. Max had seen pictures. He didn’t like to think of that other cat. It made his tummy feel funny.

“You’re a librarian?” The guy sounded disgusted.

“Children’s librarian. At the Hamline Midway Library, to be exact.”

Max wasn’t crazy about kids, but he lifted his nose in a haughty way just to demonstrate support of his mistress.

“Even worse.”

“Would it be better if I were a stripper?”

The guy nodded. “That would be hot.”

She grabbed the card. “Get out.”

“I’m trying.” He stuffed his feet into a pair of sneakers and bent to tie them. The rapidly moving laces were almost impossible for Max to resist, but he managed to control himself. As the man straightened, he spotted Max. “There you are, you idiot cat.”

Max gave him a hard stare even though his heart was pounding. Suddenly Melody scooped him up and pressed him to her chest. “Get out,” she told the man.

He looked from her to Max and back. “Crazy cat lady.” Then he was gone with a slam of the kitchen door.

“I just have one cat,” Melody shouted after him. “Just one! Cat ladies have a lot of cats!”