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"Oh, c'mon Phil," Cal wheedled, holding the cat out to him. "Take the cat!"
Phil held up his one hand and waved it vaguely in dissent. "I don't... I don't think that's such a great idea," he demurred.
Cal shrugged as he put the black kitten back in its cage. "I've lost count of the number of adoption Saturdays you've come to, but you never leave with a pet." Turning back around he leveled a stare at the other man. "You keep this up, I'm going to think you're here for more than the animals," he winked and then chuckled.
Phil half-grinned in response. "Pretty sure you're out of my league there, Dr. Winslow," he said dryly. "I guess I just like your clinic."
"It is a magical place," Cal smiled, expanding his hands to take in the whole space.
Coulson's smile froze for just a second before he nodded. Twitching his sling to a more comfortable position, he looked around the room. "That's new," he said, nodding towards a poster on the wall.
Cal moved over to look at it too, taking in the Chinese architecture and the misty mountains behind it. "Yeah," he said. "Something about it just... spoke to me," he said wistfully. "Feels like home." He stared for a moment before suddenly turning back to Coulson and smiling broadly.
"And speaking of home," he continued, rubbing his hands together in glee. "No home is complete without a pet!"
Coulson's chuckled and shook his head. "I've got the Discovery Channel," he said. "I'll just watch Animal Planet, thanks."
"Look," Cal goaded him, lifting up the black kitten again. "Look at how cute this little guy is." He held the cat up in front of his face and put on childish voice. "I'm super cute, Phil," he singsonged, waving the kitten back and forth with each word. "And don't let the black fur fool you... I'm not bad luck!"
Coulson lifted his bad arm with a wry expression. "Yeah, I've got bad luck covered on my own, thanks," he said.
"So what's the problem?" Cal asked. "I know you're not allergic."
Coulson hesitated, trying to decide what to say. "It's a long story," he said with a certain finality.
Cal, never one to pick up on a hint, moved over to the door and flipped the Back in 10 Minutes sign. "I've got time," he said expansively.
"Of course you do," Coulson said with resignation. He looked at Cal appraisingly and then nodded to himself. "Short version?" he asked.
"Whatever you like," Cal answer. He sat down on the sofa in the waiting room and patted the seat next to him.
"I'd rather stand, thanks," Coulson said somewhat formally.
Cal patted the seat again, a bit more insistently.
Coulson's shoulders slumped slightly and he gave up. Sitting down next to Cal, he turned to him a bit stiffly. "There was a chemical spill," he started.
"Where?" Cal interrupted, jumping in immediately.
Coulson hesitated for a moment, trying to remember his story. "My hometown," he said vaguely.
"Manitowoc, Wisconsin," Cal said confidently.
Coulson froze again for a moment. "Good memory you've got there, Dr. Winslow," he said.
Cal looked confused for a moment. "Did you tell me that before?" he asked quietly. "I don't..."
"So there was a chemical spill in Manitowoc," Coulson reiterated, raising his voice slightly to grab Cal's attention. "And we were supposed to evacuate the area."
"Of course," Cal agreed. "You need to keep your family safe."
"And my family got out," Phil continued. "My mom, my dad, and me..." he left the sentence hanging and paused.
"But?" Cal asked, feeling the suspense.
"But we couldn't find my sister," Coulson finished, his voice breaking slightly.
"Oh no!" Cal gasped. "Was she...?"
"She'd gone back into town to find out pet cat," Coulson said, sniffling and wiping his nose with the sleeve of his good arm.
Cal slapped a hand over his mouth in horror.
"By the time we got there..." Coulson left the sentence hanging again.
Cal placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice full of emotion. Tears had sprung from his eyes and were trailing down his cheeks. "That's just terrible."
Coulson nodded, keeping a brave face. "Anyway," he continued with a sigh. "Ever since then, I just haven't had it in me to keep a pet."
Cal nodded in understanding. "But you love animals?" he asked.
"Have you seen Animal Planet?" Coulson asked with a smile. "Animals are so much better than people."
"I couldn't agree with you more!" Cal laughed, slapping him on the back a bit too hard and moving to turn back the Open sign.
They chit-chatted lightly for another twenty minutes or so as customers came and went and then Coulson said his goodbyes.
"See you next Saturday?" Cal asked. "You might change your mind!"
Coulson waved and shook his head. "I'm going to be out of town for a while," he explained. "But I'll see you around."
As the door bell jingled behind him on his way out, Coulson put on his sunglasses and swore under his breath. Someone else was going to have to take over surveillance.