Chapter 1

I'd arrived home only minutes before, the traffic on the 91 Fwy being about as bad as any in the Southern California area. I was very hot, the air conditioning in my old car was on the fritz again and the electric window motors were all permenently broken as well. All in all, a lovely 45 minute drive home. I had my central air running at full blast from the second I walked into my little condo, and the cool breezes were just beginning to waft through the air ducts. I had polished off that first bottle of ice cold beer and was heading toward the fridge for another when I heard a soft knocking at my door.

I'd lived in this condo for the past three years, since graduating college, and during that time I could count the number of times people had knocked on my door on the fingers of one hand. I was curious enough about who it might be that I diverted myself from the quest for a fresh cold one and went to answer the door. When I opened up the door I was looking into the smiling face of a woman, totally unknown to me, who was holding an amazingly large long haired black and grey cat in her arms. The animal had to have weighed at least 25 pounds. The woman appeared to be in her early thirties, she had light brown hair, cut short and arranged somewhat angularly around her head in a way that covered her ears totally as well as most of her cheekbones. My first impression of her was that she was attempting to hide behind her hair.

"Here", she said, handing me the giant furry animal. I held out my hands and felt the cat settle contentedly into them. I was too stunned and surprised to make even minimal protest.

"I'll be back to get her in half an hour, I can't begin to thank you enough." This was said as she turned away from my door and walked quickly away. I watched her disappear before I could hazard even the minimal acknowledgement or demur.

After closing my door, I put the cat down gently to my floor and walked to the fridge to get myself a fresh beer. After popping the top off, I went into the living room and sat on my sofa and clicked on my TV. I was vaguely aware that the cat was actively walking around, smelling everything and looking for whatever it is animals search for when placed in a strange new environment. I had very little recent experience with animals, as a matter of preference, and because the charter to the condos specifically prohibited residents from having any pets. They didn't even allow aquariums. Had there been any blind owners, I'm not sure that seeing eye dogs would have been allowed.

An hour had passed since the cat had been thrust upon me and still no knocking at my door. I'd managed to cool off and get comfortable by the time I'd finished my third beer. I was just getting going with my fourth and starting to consider my options for dinner when I heard the welcome knocking at my door. By now, the cat was lying on my sofa, three feet away from me all curled up and seemingly asleep. When I jumped up to get the door, the cat stirred not at all. It was very wierd.

I opened my door expecting to see the lady who'd dropped the cat off, but was greeted by the sight of two lovely teenaged girls. It was easy to see that they were sisters, but it looked like they weren't twins. I'd have guessed they were maybe 14 to 16 years old. Both had shoulder length blondish hair and were slender and not too tall. The older looking girl was perhaps five two and her sister was an inch or so shorter. They both had very pretty faces and trim little figures. California svelte I'd call it. Not much in the breast area but definite curves to them. "Hi mister, can we come in?" the oldest said to me. She breezed right past me when I took a step backward and her sister was only half a step behind her.

After looking around to make sure they were alone, I closed my door and turned to find out where they'd gotten off to. I found them both sitting on my sofa with the youngest one petting the cat and the oldest one sitting in the space I'd recently vacated. The older girl had my fourth beer tilted up at a deep angle and was polishing off the lasts dregs the bottle contained. When I had heard the door knock I'd just finished taking my first sip on that fresh fourth brew and had set it down on my coffee table. It was almost full. Damn, the little delinquent had polished off a whole beer in about five to ten seconds. I was impressed, but decided not to mention anything to her and just pretend like it had never happened.

"Mom sent us to fetch Angel. She wants to thank you for your help by inviting you over for dinner. She's making her famous spaghetti tonight and it will be ready in half an hour. She told us to not take no for an answer so you have to come." The youngest girl rattled all this off as if it came from memorized material. In the time it took for her to say it all, she had swooped the cat up into her arms and was heading out the door. Her other sister set the empty bottle down, bounced up out of the sofa patted my stomach and smilingly walked around me. As she walked away she turned back and said " We're in 3-B, thanks for the beer".

I ran into my bedroom and stripped for a quick shower and to change into some clean duds. In half an hour I was knocking on the door of 3-B with a bottle of chianti in one hand and a fresh cold six pack of my favorite beer in the other. I don't get out much but I know how to be a good guest whenever I do.

The youngest daughter answered the door and invited me in. She had changed outfits herself and was in a nice yellow sundress that looked tight in the hips but loose at the scooped neckline. I perved a little glance down the front of her dress but wasn't able to see anything at all.