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Kent Parson is five years sober and one year retired when he meets Topher. It’s at the 5:00 o’clock meeting and one look at him and Kent knows he’s in trouble. Topher's tall at least 6’3 maybe 6’4, he has black hair and a vaguely french Canadian accent and fuck Kent's always had a type.
The meeting ends but it’s Kent's turn to stick around and clean up a bit. “ Hey um Darcy was supposed to help fix up the room but her kids sick so I told her i’d stick around and help” the voice shocks Kent enough that he drops the ½ full coffee container. “ Shit sorry let me get that” and then Topher's hands are on Kent’s hands and both their hands are covered in lukewarm coffee. Kent’s hands feel tingly and he doesn’t think it's from the lukewarm coffee.
Clean up usually takes 20 minutes alone and 10 with 2 people but tonight it takes a whopping 34 minutes. Part of it is due to the coffee spill but the other part is because of the constant stream of conversation between them. That night Kent learns that Topher is 34, he has dual citizenship, he went to college on a full football scholarship and he’s in Vegas because his ex moved here with their kid. Topher already knew the basics about Kent. That he was born in New York, Went first in the 2009 draft, retired last year way before anyone thought he would. But he learns that Kent’s favorite colors purple, he retired early resting on a Stanley cup win because of a recurring knee injury, and that he stuck around Vegas because it’s home now.
They leave with each others numbers in their phones and promises to text each other to make plans. Kent knows in his heart that it probably means nothing; Topher's probably straight considering he moved here to follow his ex- wife and child. But that's okay Kent’s always up to make a new friend but he’ll wait for Topher to contact him first anyway. No need to look desperate.
The next day Kent wakes up at 8:00 feeds the cats, feeds himself and goes for a quick run before he leaves for his shift at the shelter. He’s been volunteering at the shelter for about ten months now taking all the long day shifts the High School kids can’t. They offered to pay him two months in but he doesn’t need the money and the only thing keeping him sane in retirement is going in everyday and taking care of the animals.
“Hon welcome to the jungle. We have 5 new kittens in, Simone found em in a cardboard Box this morning when she came in for her shift. It’s going to be a crazy day and I didn’t even have time to pick up coffee today” Mia says all this without even a glance Kent’s way. “Well than it’s a good thing I stopped for coffee on the way in. Large Black for you, small decaf with milk and cream for Simone.” That finally gets Mia’s attention off the files and onto Kent. “ Bless I knew we kept you around for something. Good luck giving Simone the decaf I’ve been trying for months and every time she threatens to divorce me and raise the baby with her parents on the hippy commune” a smirk on her face as she goes back to her files. “ Yeah yeah but I don’t want my godchild coming out with two heads or anything. Alright I’ll leave it here for you to deal with and clean cages 1-12 and then exercise them OK.” and with that he’s off.
The cat’s perk up instantly when they see Kent. They seem to be able to sense that he really wants to be there unlike ½ the high school students who volunteer only to fulfill required hours for school.He spends a good four hours cleaning the cages and playing with the cats before he goes back to the front desk to check in. “How dare you? I let you come in and play with cats all day and you betray me with decaf? I ought to let you go right now” Simone ends her mini rant with a swat at Kent’s head. “ Yeah good luck finding someone to cover my 10- 7 shifts with no pay Monday- Friday. How are the kitten’s doing I haven’t seen em yet.” A mixture of happiness and exhaustion crosses her face at that. “ Surprisingly good. Although Mia already tried to name two of them and I cannot handle that right now. We already have two cats at home and with the baby coming we can’t take in two more.” “ Let her name the cats I’ll take them home and she can visit them whenever” He wasn’t planning on anymore cats but what the hell the more the merrier. “ Kent you don’t need anymore cats. Five is too many what man is going to want to get with you when he finds out you have five cats? No Mia can be a grownup and make some calls and find foster families for them. Shit was that a blush when i said man? Kent Parson do you have a man? Mia come here Kent found a boy!” So what if he was blushing, he’s white. That's what white people do they blush.
“Kenny has a boy? Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve been here all damn day and not a word” Mia ends it with another hit too Kent's head making it the second hit of the day. “ I don’t have a man. If I did I would tell you guys. Simone don’t you look at me like that. Alright so there's a guy I like but you know I think he’s straight and anyways he hasn’t texted me yet” His sentence drifts off just as his phone vibrates with a text. Topher: Hey sorry for waiting so long to text I was working all day! Dinner tomorrow? I’ll pick you up?? Let me know.“ Shit that sounds like a date to me Kent. Say yes you need to get laid, then feed the cats and get out of here” Simone walks off without waiting for a response. So Kent does as she says and thinks about it all through the night into the next day.