Miguel was reluctant to look directly at us. I knew he must be tired and overwrought since the accident, but I’d never seen him so depressed. If being home hadn’t cheered him yet, maybe seeing Bow would do the trick. I set the carrier on the table right in front of him.
“We brought your new roomie.”
Bow’s face was still pressed against the carrier grate. Miguel inclined his head until they were nose to nose. He made kissing noises and Bow responded with a quiet meow. Then Miguel unlatched the carrier door.
Rey picked up his glass and leaned back from the table. “Are you sure . . . ?”
Miguel shushed Rey and then began whispering to Bow as he lifted her from the carrier. “Hola, chica, you look very pretty today.”
He held the cat to his chest and she snuggled in. Then just as we were all oohing and aahing at such a cute scene, Bow made her escape. She jumped out of Miguel’s arms and scampered behind a rattan end table.
I started to go after her, but Miguel held up his hands.
“No worries, she is looking for her water dish. Elena, you put it where I told you, sí?”
“Yes. Yes, Mr. Fussy.” Elena looked at us and shrugged. “He has done nothing but give orders since he decided the cat was going to come here to live. We have enough supplies—”
“And we brought more.” I handed her the bag from Doctor Mays. She set it in front of Miguel, who looked at the card.
“Doctor Mays. Wonderful woman. I would have no one else take care of my Bow.”
I was surprised. “You know Doctor Mays?”
“Oh, sí. She and I are on the Hurricane Committee. Our subcommittee is in charge of seeing that all the domestic animals on the island are cared for should there be an evacuation. Pets must be allowed in shelters. You weren’t here for Hurricane Charley . . .”
Miguel continued to chatter away, his usual happy self once again in evidence.
When Bow finished lapping up some water, she took a casual stroll around the patio and then darted into the cluster of sand pines that stood between Miguel’s house and the mangroves edging Estero Bay. She meandered back to the patio and scooted behind a clay planter that was home to an overgrown bush of some type, and she didn’t come out.
“Nap time,” Miguel announced, and everyone jumped to help him inside.
“Not me. Bow. Behind the planter is her favorite spot for a nap.” Bow was falling rapidly back into her old routine, which brought a glow of satisfaction to Miguel’s face.
That was the moment I finally relaxed. Miguel was home surrounded by family and friends, and was all the happier for it. Bow had a loving new home. Bridgy was deep in conversation with Caridad, cooking terms and ingredients flying back and forth. I gave her the high sign. She answered with a thumbs-up. Our little world was returning to normal.
Except . . .
I thought of Miss Delia and my promise to Miss Augusta. That stirred the restlessness inside of me, and I knew we had to get going.
I touched Miguel on the shoulder. “It is so good to have you home and happy. We’ll stop by again soon.”
I was surprised by a spark of irritability that flitted across Miguel’s face, but gentleman that he was, he said, “Gracias.”
Elena walked out to the car with us. “Thank you for being such loyal friends to my brother. It is hard for our family to have him so far away. The rest of us live in either Miami-Dade or near Orlando. We have each other. He lives on this island all alone.”