At the end of visiting hours, Kevin left the hospital, waving Barnaby goodbye for the day. The white cat walked home alone, eyes kept to the pavement while his head arched forward. Tail nearly tucked between his knees, he continued walking mindlessly, eventually returning to his apartment complex.

Their thoughts muddled by the events unraveling in the span of weeks, between the murder of three, and Barnaby's sudden kiss, it left Kevin dazed, mind drifting to any plausible conclusion.

Walking up the steps, he knocked on his apartment door. The familiar sound of Abel's American-esque voice talking to someone on the phone as he answered the door. Abel gestured his eyes to the phone in his paw, signaling to Kevin his inability to discuss.

Kevin didn't mind, it was more time for him to make sense of his day outside of the hospital visit. His first order of business was checking up on Julia in his bedroom, opening the door to the sight of the calico cat wearing an arm cast with a crutch.

Her eye was decently healed, but the hospital advised her to make occurring visits where she'd stay for a few days while they run more tests. Kevin couldn't stomach such fate, giving his sister an unfortunate frown.

She returned the frown with a playful smile, trying to hide the pain as per usual. She 3 sign as effectively with the cast on, rendered to simple gestures when asked a yes or no question. But Kevin knew her for most of his life, so he wouldn't have any problem identifying most of her mannerisms for what she'd want.

Tomorrow, she would go back for another two days, and Kevin couldn't wait to see her heal.

“Ay, Kev!” Abel's voice came from the living room. He waved to Julia, leaving her in his bedroom as the white cat went to check on the tiger calling out to him.

“I got you an appointment with the opthamologist tomorrow, and let me tell ya, it wasn't easy.” He said with quivered eyes, left paw over his forehead. Kevin frowned at the dedication Abel was putting in for him, feeling like a burden.

“Hey, I know that look.” Abel said, folding his arms. “You need it. Don't worry about it.”

Does he think I'm against glasses, or that he's doing so much for me?

Kevin shook his head awkwardly, trying to muster up the proper words for his response at the interjection of his friend. Bubbling in his throat, he couldn't say a word, when a news broadcast suddenly popped on his TV.

The broadcast started with a simple logo of the local station, and then cut to a calico cat reporter in a black suit. Wearing brown elbow pads, black sunglasses, and a knee-high skirt, she was standing outside of a closed white door.

“Good afternoon, Tenyin! I'm Amelia, an unfamiliar host.” The calico cat said, winking while folding up her dark sunglasses. Her camera time was cut short, as her perspective moved to the right, with two orange fox reporters sitting at a broadcast table on the left.

“I'm Samuel Fox Sten, and on today's broadcast, we've received the surprise guest that is…” Samuel began, momentarily sighing into his palm. “...Amelia Calico Nara.”

Amelia smiled brightly at her name drop.

The other red fox side-eyed the groaning Samuel, and began speaking. “That's right, Samuel. I'm Kenzie Fox Sten, and Amelia C. Nara came all the way from Hanski for a special report! Take it away, ma'am.” Her voice was very enthusiastic, as if a fan of the reporter they had with them.

“Thanks, you two! I'm live here in Tenyin's local hospital with one of the two killers for Stacy Collie Kenning, Jake Labrador Alo, and…” Amelia paused, frozen like a deer in headlights to the camera. Whispering came from behind, presumably the cameraman reminding her the name of the third victim.

“...Derevan RAT Ivanov.” She finished with a strange grin, punctuating Derevan's middle name. “Behind this door, we have a potential opportunity to talk one to one with the so-called self defender!”

“What the hell?” Abel commentated, wide eyes glued to the TV.

Amelia kicked the door open while strutting her way into the room, cameraman desperately following after her quick speed. She stood two feet away from Barnaby's bed, the golden retriever staring at her in distraught while eating a pancake.

“Barnaby Retriever Hein, is it?” Amelia asked.

“What the fuck is happening?” Barnaby answered, moving their head around the towering feline, and making eye-contact with the camera behind her. “Oooh shit.”

“I'm Amelia Ca-”

“-I don't care.” Barnaby interrupted.

Amelia gasped highly, Kenzie joining her for a moment, before slapping her mouth shut.

“Honey.” Amelia said condescendingly, paws brought to her knees as she squatted down to eye level with the golden retriever. “You will.”

“Uhuh. Anyway, I don't consent to being recorded.”

“This is a live broadcast!” Amelia said in a sing-song voice, parading her early victory.

“Looks like I've got an audience for pancake eating.” Barnaby said sarcastically, twisting the knife in their left paw to make a small cut, and then chewing it with the fork in their right.

“HEY! VISITING HOURS ARE OVER!” A voice boomed from the end of the hallway, a deer entering the room in a doctor's outfit.

“This is a broadcast.” Amelia said sarcastically, as the cameraman turned around to angle the focus on the doctor.

“An unpermitted one.” The deer said, shaking his head at the cameraman, and bringing his hooves to the camera. The feed cut, as well as the audio. With that ending, the half-half design between the two foxes and Amelia turned into a single landscape view on Samuel and Kenzie.

The two looked at each other, dumbfounded and unsure what to say next. Their script planned along with Amelia's actions, so they had to begin making things along.

“Samuel.” Kenzie began.

“Yes?” Samuel answered with a wide-forced grin, eyeing the viewers at home by their soul.

“Among the three victims, it's reported that two of them were friends with a resident here in Tenyin.”

“Really?” Samuel said in a forced tone.

“Kevin Cat Ponda, resident of the apartment in which the three deaths occurred, to be exact.” Kenzie said, as a graphic of Kevin came up on screen.

It wasn't a flattering image, one taken in his childhood, wearing blue suspenders while standing up straight in front of a tall calico cat in an elegant dress, with another shorter calico cat to his left side in a plaid dress.

The screen cut to a sudden broadcast with Amelia, standing outside of the hospital grumbling. The cameraman waved a paw at her to signal they'd began, and she returned to her broadcast persona.

“It seems we can't discuss with the coma patient today.” She said with a snarl. “But, we’re just at the tip of this criminal-activity-iceberg! Check back soon, when we get in contact wi-”

Kevin shut the TV off with his remote.

Abel turned his gaze to the white cat, flabbergasted on where to even begin. Kevin could feel the burning stare, head shot down and adamant on not moving.

“Was that… your mom?” Abel finally let out. A cohesive question, among the coming rain that was yet to flood.

Kevin didn't move in any way that warranted a response.

Abel brought a paw to his forehead again, exhaling sharply like he'd tried whistling. “I… just… wow.” He mumbled between hazy breaths.

Are you okay?

The tiger needed a few minutes, sitting down on the couch while he worked things out in his head. Kevin sat down beside Abel, avoiding eye-contact as he looked the other way. “There's a lot to take in here.” Abel finally spoke up, sounding like he'd pondered a thousand lifetimes.

“Outside of your mom, I mean.” Abel corrected himself, gesturing to Kevin in a defensive way. “Interviewing Barnaby? And probably me… and I just got out of a police interrogation…” He kept mumbling on and on, listing more things that he'd already dealt with before potential humiliation on a public broadcast.

Kevin tuned him out, suffocated with his own thoughts, all aimed at the return of Amelia.

She'd never come here willingly.

Where can I hide?

There's gotta be a bus out of here…

She'd lecture me all day!

Did she see Julia?

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

What am I gonna do?

Can I avoid her?

No, she knows where I live-

“-Kevin!” Abel begged, yelling sharply into his ear and almost deafening the white cat. Kevin jolted up from the couch in surprise, tail puffed and high.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.” Abel said, getting off the couch while glaring at the TV. He looked over to Kevin's bedroom, thinking of Julia. “I'm just worried for us, I guess.”

“It's okay.” Kevin finally answered.

“Well, let me tell you something my cousin taught me.” Abel said, squatting down and putting a paw on Kevin's shoulder. “Answer every question like you're held at gunpoint.”

I… uh… what?

“Wait… you already do that.” Abel remarked with a soft chuckle. Kevin mean-mugged him, met with a solemn apology from the tiger.

“Either way, a woman wanting to interview me is here, and it ain't better if you never felt like talking about her. Just seeing her earlier gave me the ick.” Abel spilled out, formulating all his dislikes and thoughts in one breath to the only other soul in the room.

“Can… you take Julia to your apartment?” Kevin asked out of nowhere, startling Abel while he planned to continue commentating. “I'm just… being cautious if she comes here.”

“Yeah, yeah. I should go to mine anyway. I'll go fetch her and be out of your hair.” Abel said, walking around the couch and reaching for the bedroom door knob. “Knock me twice and pound the door once so I know it's you.” Abel finished, opening the door to the sight of Julia splayed out on Kevin's bed.

That sounded SO wrong. Abel thought.

“Ay, Jules. Wanna come to my place for the night?” Abel asked confidently, masquerading the true intention. While he had no clue why Kevin wanted her to stay with him in the idea of Amelia visiting, he knew not to ask questions and just roll with it. “I can cook up that soup Kevin keeps making you.”

Julia looked over to Abel, smiling weakly like an elderly grandma greeting her grandchildren, slowly getting up from the bed with one paw hugging the nightstand. Abel came over, helping her up and guiding the crutch below her armpit and into her left paw.

In less than a few minutes of assisted guidance with walking a crutched person, Abel and Julia were out of Kevin's apartment. He paced back and forth in his living room, swirling endlessly for any reason to keep up with the coming threat.

That's when a thought snapped in his mind.

The place isn't clean!

Right he was. The apartment wasn't in its spiffy appearance, still holding bundles of dirty dishes in the sink, dirty spots in the carpet, and piles of clothes yet to be washed in a laundry basket sitting atop his kitchen counter. Mixed with Julia and his own, Kevin didn't have the time to be catching up with his own personal things between visits to the hospital for Julia and Barnaby.

Sweeping, dusting, washing, and all the more, Kevin activated a never before seen cleaning mode. The kitchen looked as new as it could between desperate scrubbing, and the washing machine rumbled in quakes with all the clothes shoved in.

Kevin sighed longingly, shooting daggers around his apartment for a single mistake to be pointed out. Nothing warranted such discretion, which left him to finally sitting down and taking in a nice breath of air.

And that's when a knock came at the door.

I am never catching a break.

Holding in a look of contempt, and a sigh, he stood up from the couch, and looked to the doorway. The knock was a single hit, not rough or cold, but as determined as a landlord wanting entry. There was a good gamble the person behind was Amelia, but it could've been a police officer or the origin to such a familiar sound as well.

Turning the knob around and unlocking the door, Kevin slowly pulled it in, preserving as much time as he could before whatever unwelcome presence was about to appear.

As unsurprising as it was, Amelia stood at the doorway, left paw held on her hip while holding a bored grimace. Her tail perked up in surprise to the answer of the door.

“Kevin!” She said joyfully, raising her arms to the air and wrapping them around the white feline. He grumbled inaudibly, unmoving and unresponsive of the hug he was forced to have. “Come on, hug your mama.” She demanded, squeezing him a little tighter.

His tail puffed at the tighter hug, nowhere as near as a playful one, but not on the same bar as a loved one squeezing the time they'd lost with the person they'd finally seen again. He tried to loosen from her grasp by pulling away, only to fail spectacularly and drop the two onto the flooring of the doorway.

“And I thought you weren't interested in the WWE.” Amelia joked, poking Kevin's cheek in like a puffball. She looked about the apartment for a moment, analyzing for an error, like any mother would.

“Sweetie, if I'd known better, you cleaned up while I was on the way.” She said mischievously, holding a grin with her canine teeth on display, as if threatening to her own blood.

“I-”

“-And what are you wearing?” She added, cutting off the white cat, a standard black tracksuit being the source for such a remark. “Oh… tell me no one saw you in that.” She said judgingly, holding in a look of disgust as genuine as her tone and shock.

I like it! Kevin rebelled in his mind.

“Alright, alright. Surely you're curious as to why I'm here…” Amelia began, walking over to Kevin's couch and sitting down. Her tail stuck between the cushions as she raised a leg to cross over the other. “...and it's because of Derevan. And you.”

Oh God.

“When I heard that… RAT…” She yelled again. “...was DEAD… I was so excited that I grabbed a plane ticket and flew right over to cover it!” She continued joyously.

“And imagine my reaction when I saw the scene of the crime being your own apartment! You never call, or mail, or any of those old doohickeys you use to get in touch with me, so seeing your name and image in that listing gave me a fright!”

Wait, so you only showed up because of Derevan?

Amelia looked forward, scanning the TV faced with the couch. “When on Earth did you get out of the box? That's not older than me!”

It was standard. Not too modern, but not vintage. A recent purchase, most definitely, as Kevin's previous TV was never connected to any network outside of VHS tapes and DVDs.

She stood up, paws placed on Kevin's shoulders. “My little boy's ALLLL grown up!”

“I-”

“-Don't say anything, you'll ruin the moment.” Amelia commanded, tightening her grasp on the white cat as she brought him in for another bear hug. Despite her lanky appearance, her strength could match Abel's.

“Amelia.” Kevin finally blurted out between faint cracks he could only hope weren't bones. It was an automatic statement, no thoughts in his mind as to what could be wrong, only realizing the error of his choice as Amelia's eyes shifted to confusion and fury.

“You call me mother.” She demanded, holding Kevin by the back of his shoulders while he leaned back, face and nose a few inches away from hers. His ears shot back in terror, eyes shrunken while he stared deep into her dark dilated pupils.

“Aaand your eye contact's gotten better!” She remarked, letting go off Kevin and cupping her paws to her cheek. “If only I'd seen how you were without me…”

“I-”

“-Did you make any friends?” She interrupted, a sudden retort to throw off his thoughts and plans. “Can't think of one since… er…” She paused, realizing her coming error. “...I'm sorry about Jake, sweetie.”

You cut me off three times!

“In all this time, I'd expected you to be a better talker, Kevin!” Amelia said judgmentally, eyeing him up while folding her arms. “Some things with you just don't change.”

You. Haven't-

“-Given. Me. Time.” He continued aloud angrily, having just enough of the older calico cat's twisted perception and remarks.

“What was that?” Amelia asked with a faint grin. Similar to a person catching on someone's trail, and waiting for them to follow through on it. “I couldn't hear you.” She egged him on, paw to her left ear as she attempted to better listen to the white cat's response.

“I-” He began, cutting himself off as he twitched an eye waiting for the calico cat to interrupt a fourth time.

But she didn't.

Surprised, Kevin continued. “-I… didn't get a chance with you talking all over me.” He said, more confidently. Or about as prideful as a child owning up to their mistakes.

Amelia made a loud humming sound, comedically like a microwave, but likely copying the sound of a person trying to think aloud in a movie. “That is true.” She finally let out, shutting herself up at the end.

Kevin was stuck for a moment, standing his ground against Amelia, while being decently respected were not things he'd ever expect, let alone at once. He couldn't test a limit, nor could he let the opportunity slip away.

Trying something, he decided to remark on the Derevan journey. “So… you… came… because of Derevan?” He asked slowly at first, emphasizing the oddity he wanted answered.

“It's not every day you get to cover the death of someone you hate, sweetie. Haven't had a day as good as this since your father’s passing.” She answered nonchalantly with a hand sway and stifled laughter at the end.

Kevin had no comment.

“Between you and me, learning he died made my month.” She added with a paw slanted to her mouth, as if whispering such crucial information in a courtroom.

“I… uh… okay?” Kevin answered with a wonky smile, holding in a similar appreciation for the circumstance, but still feeling wrong for it. “But… what do you think… er…” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his head with an uneasy look while debating if the coming question would cause any conflict.

“I think about a lot of things, Kevin. Like how I kept your name unchanged when I could've had it end with an ‘ia’ like me and-”

“-Julia.” Kevin interrupted, Amelia chimed with.

Amelia rubbed her chin for a moment, realizing what Kevin wanted to imply.

“Know I always love you, sweetie.” She began, looking up to the apartment ceiling. “But Julia and I… never quite got along.”

“W-What… do you-”

“-mean?” She asked, cutting him off. “She ran off with that rat. Look where that got her! Contactless with a man that valued her for nothing more than what she is.”

“Don't…” Kevin tried to protest, but held no further statement, unsure on what he could add or intervene with that Amelia couldn't shut down in a sentence.

“Oh, how the past reminds me…” Amelia said in a reminiscent tone, smiling to her absent gaze with the sky. “Do you remember when I first adopted you?”

“Well I was-”

“-very happy, I'm certain!” She interrupted for the sixth time. “Julia was quite troublesome after the miscarriage. She wanted to be an older sibling, after all.”

Kevin frowned at her explanation, as if his sole purpose to the adoption was to appease her and Amelia in a role for quieting.

“So, I went about the week, and that's when I ran right into you!” She said joyously, raising a paw and clasping it over his ears. “Oh, you were so small. Couldn't even reach my knees. Who'd have thought your seven-year-old self could compare to how you are at twenty?”

Kevin raised an eyebrow at that.

“Living alone, and in quite a reasonable place at that.” Amelia said in a proud tone, a little jealous by the end. “Tenyin wouldn't be my choice, but it's certainly up there for someone like you. Always quiet and avoidant. Just the perfect place for you in this sleepy town.”

Kevin narrowed his eyes, thinking of such a disappointing past. Times he'd be forced to dress or act a certain way to look better for whoever he was with. Amelia kept one thing straight in everyday life, and that's the power dynamic in her role and status.

It caused him to begin turning more aloof, but still people-pleasing. Going from totally silent and emotionally absent in private, to a practical court jester just as Barnaby in public. People spoke high in praise about him and Amelia, the same couldn't be said about Julia.

“Kevin, are you still there?” Amelia said, waving her paw in front of his face, waking him up from a trip to the past. He jolted up in his seat, signaling to her his mindful presence.

Amelia chuckled a bit, paw over her mouth as she stood up from the couch, giving Kevin one last smile before turning to the front door. Open just a bit, they must’ve forgotten to shut it.

“For as much as I'd love to stick around and chat more, I need to head down and prepare for an actually scheduled interview with that retriever.” She said, walking to the door, and keeping her head out. “Next time you see me, sweetie, it's on the news.” She finished off, shutting the door behind and leaving the apartment.