Lying on his left side, he somehow managed to cock his right eye open for a peek at the alarm clock. Annoyed that it was “only” 8:19 in the morning (and on a Saturday at that!), Anton rolled onto his back, determined to do better. The sleep gods, however, had other ideas, reminding him that there was a third individual in the apartment. It was then that he realized he was alone in his bedroom, as no cat or cats opted to sleep with him.<br/><br/>This fact didn’t surprise him as far as Tesla was concerned, but it did when Licorice came to mind. She<i>always </i>slept with him, whether it was curled up against him or splayed out in what was once Evangeline’s spot. Well, he thought, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, best check on the two darlings. Entering the living room, he stopped right where he was, as the sight of them had to be recorded. Anton retraced his steps to the bedroom to gather his iPhone, wishing to capture the moment for Stella’s enjoyment.<br/><br/>What he recorded with two to three photos and a short, 20-second video was a massed bundle of fur. If not for Tesla’s distinct markings and Licorice’s solid black, you could barely tell where one cat ended and the other one began. How long did they sleep like that? he wondered, dumbfounded that their combined body heat alone would force separation.<br/><br/>Shuffling into the kitchen for some much-needed coffee, both felines lazily raised their heads, staring at him with sleepy eyes. “Oh no,” Anton teased, “don’t get up.” As if listening to his command, the two heads returned to their original positions. With an eye-roll, he prepped the coffee maker and then slid two slices of sourdough bread into the toaster.<br/><br/>Thoughts turned to Stella while the coffee brewed. How did she manage her night alone? Was she ecstatic at the silence? Or was she deeply missing her lunk of a cat? Anton would bet anything that it was more of the latter, and he would find out one way or the other when she came to claim him. Their dinner was later today, and he would be sure to remind her that Tesla was more than welcome. He wasn’t eager in the slightest to incur the wrath of a certain black Persian. It was, after all, bad enough Tesla would soon be taken away for a few hours.<br/><br/>Feeling the caffeine course through his system, and with four more chapters of<i>Dracula Cha Cha Cha </i>completed, he noticed the clock as it crept past 10:05 a.m. Phone in hand, he began a short text to his upstairs neighbor.<br/><br/><i>Stella,</i><br/><br/><i>Hope you slept well last night, especially since you had the apartment all to yourself. Tesla was no problem at all, as I kinda figured he wouldn’t be. They left me alone the entire night, both snoozing on the cushioned bench by the window instead.</i><br/><br/><i>Just finished coffee as I wasn’t sure what time you woke up. Come on down whenever you’re ready to reclaim your roomie. Assuming, of course, you want him back in the first place. lol I already know of someone who would prefer you leave him be. lol</i><br/><br/><i>Since I’m expecting you, the door’s unlocked, so no need to knock. See you whenever.</i><br/><br/><i>A</i>