Lily hurried over to them. Tomcat took one look at the carrier and started squirming.
“Fuck, what’s he doing?” Nick said, trying to keep a hold on the cat.
“He hates his carrier.” Lily tenderly stroked Tomcat’s head and he stilled. She looked up at Nick. “Do you think you could hold him instead? He seems so comfortable with you. That might be better.”
Nick gulped. “I’ll hold him.”
They hurried to the animal hospital on 16th Street. During the harried walk, Tomcat was completely calm as Nick held him, but once they reached the hospital, he became skittish again, wriggling and groaning. Nick held on to Tomcat tighter. He had no experience with soothing a cat, but he could reassure him with his embrace.
“Shh, it’s okay, buddy,” Lily said, trying to placate him.
They took Tomcat inside and Lily told the front-desk receptionist that she was worried Tomcat might be having a bad reaction to his food. The receptionist, a short white woman with purple hair braided into pigtails, suggested an X-ray, and a veterinary nurse appeared and gently took Tomcat out of Nick’s arms. His meow became low and guttural, but he didn’t try to attack the nurse.
“It’s okay, buddy, don’t be upset,” Lily murmured. “I’m going to be right here. They just want to make sure you’re healthy.”
“We’ll call you back after his X-ray, okay?” the nurse said, glancing between Nick and Lily. Nick realized the nurse probably thought that Tomcat belonged to both of them. “Why don’t you take a seat? It won’t be long.”
Nick and Lily found seats in the nearly empty waiting room. Beside him, Lily stared down at the clipboard with intake paperwork. She bounced her knees, hastily wiping tears from her eyes.
“He’s gonna be okay,” Nick said softly. “They’re gonna take care of him.”
“But what if he isn’t all right?” she said, emitting a sob. “Tomcat is my responsibility. I’m supposed to take care of him. And I failed. Just like I fail at everything else. I’m a big fucking failure. If something bad happens to him I will never forgive myself.”
“Hey.” Nick put his arms around Lily and pulled her close. He hated seeing her like this. She cried into his shirt as he rubbed her back. “You’re not a failure. How can you even say that? You’re the most capable person I know, and Tomcat is lucky to have you.”
She fell quiet, resting her face in the crook of Nick’s neck while he continued to rub her back. Slowly, her sniffling and tears stopped. He thought she might pull away, but she remained there in his embrace. This feeling of being needed was unfamiliar to him, but it felt good. She’d called him when she could have called anyone. That meant something, right?
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for crying all over your shirt.”
He shook his head. His chin brushed against her hair. “You don’t need to apologize.”
“Thank you for coming with me.”
“Of course.”
After what felt like an eternity, but was really only about twenty minutes, the nurse returned with Tomcat. This time he sat contentedly inside his carrier and meowed as Lily and Nick approached the front desk.
“Our little friend here was so nervous that he pooped as soon as we put him on the exam table and started the X-ray,” the nurse explained. “We found a little gold hoop earring in his feces, and we think that’s what was bothering him. It passed out of his system, so he should be okay now.”
Before walking away, the nurse handed Lily a tiny clear bag that contained the small earring.
“No wonder I couldn’t find this!” Lily said, laughing in relief. She turned her bright smile onto Nick and hugged him. He was surprised for a second, but he hugged her back on instinct. He was relieved that she was relieved. Happy that she was happy.
That is, until the receptionist gave her the bill.
“Five hundred dollars?” Lily said, gaping. “Just for the X-ray?”
“Emergency visits can be costly,” the receptionist said apologetically.
Tomcat, for his part, was still meowing inside of his carrier, obviously pissed and ready to get the hell home.
“I don’t have that kind of money.” Lily searched through her bag for her wallet. “I just put my flights for Violet’s bachelorette party on my credit card and I need to pay my part of the rent.”
“I’ve got it,” Nick said, placing down his credit card.
It was interesting, really. He’d had to force himself to buy furniture for his own apartment and new sneakers without holes in the soles. But when it came to Lily, he offered up his credit card without hesitation.