Enduring Mr McGregor

chapter 43

NIA WOKE UP with a start. Her head was pounding but that was the last thing on her mind. She'd had a really weird dream where her egoistical boss had been in her apartment caring for her.

Caring for me indeed, she thought with a shake of her head. To that I say ha!
What a bizarre dream.

She stumbled into the bathroom to set herself a bath. Filling the tub with steaming-hot water, she added her Epsom sea salt and jasmine bath bombs. She was feeling better than she had in days, more importantly, her monthly flow was over, she could finally have peace.

Missy strolled into the room, tail high and slightly bristled. She leaped onto the closed lid of the toilet and regarded Nia with a critical eye, once she had confirmed that the human wasn't a threat, she began giving herself a bath with her tongue. Peeling off her clothes, Nia tentatively stepped into the tub and slowly sank down.

A contented sigh left her lips and she closed her eyes. "Ah, this feels nice," she murmured.

Relaxing in a tub filled with hot water was sensational, she just wished she had the jets and all.

The hot water coupled with the salt did wonders to her body. She opened her eyes when Missy meowed and watched as she cat walked along the edge of the tub. The cat stopped and looked at the water, then she sauntered closer to Nia and bopped her head. Nia chuckled when Missy licked her cheeks.

"I still don't like you," she said and submerged herself even further so the water stopped just below her nose. She closed her eyes for a few minutes.

Missy purred and bopped her face. "Meow."

"I know," Nia said lifting a hand to gently pet Missy's white fur. "I miss Ana too, as ungrateful as she is... And I miss mama." She swallowed thickly suddenly feeling the overwhelming sensation of sadness. "I just pray they're safe wherever they are."

Missy suddenly hissed and ran out of the bathroom with her tail high. Nia stared wondering what had gotten into the animal when the door opened and Robert stood in the doorway with the purring cat in his arms.

Her first instinct was to scream a litany of curses at him in Mexican, but she held her tongue and glared at him instead. She raised herself so her face and shoulders were out of the water.

"I'd appreciate it if you knocked," she said quietly.

"I didn't think you were in here," he replied equally quietly.

Nia rolled her eyes and stared at the surface of the water pondering if he could see her nakedness.

"I take it it wasn't a dream, you really were here yesterday?"

"In the flesh."

"Can I help you?" She asked after a minute of awkward silence.

He shook his head.

The water had turned tepid and now irritated her instead. Nia sighed and looked at her bathrobe; it was hanging on the wall, right beside him. She didn't take it with her because she hadn't been expecting anyone, not him in particular, to barge in on her while she took a bath.

"I'd like to get out now," she said flatly hoping he would take the hint and turn around, but he didn't.

Instead he asked, "You want me to help you out?"

She scowled at him but he looked on while petting the damn cat.

Turn away please, she thought frantically. When he showed no indication of leaving the bathroom, she sighed.