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( THE IDEAS OF CATS )
THERE WAS ALMOST A SCHEDULE THAT CHERRY'S DAYS ABIDED BY. She would wake up, put on the coffee pot, do her morning ritual. Scottie would be around her feet the whole time, meowing and getting the occasional pet whenever Cherry felt like leaning down to give the three legged animal love. But, as soon as the professional clothes came on, Scottie almost knew not to rub against her, just yowl until he got his goodbye kiss before she was rushing out the door to get to Stark Industries. Then, she'd spend her days answering phones, talking to people coming into headquarters. Pepper would end up eating lunch with her, whether they were going out to some of the restaurants close by or just eating at Cherry's or Pepper's desk. At some point, Tony would come down and bug her, bribing her with another cup of coffee that wasn't the sludge in the break room. Renee also would love to talk the whole time, the two of them laughing and ignoring the other girls who were giving Cherry jealous or envious looks.
As a rule, Scottie would be at the door, waiting for Cherry to come home. This was the time that he would follow Cherry into her bedroom, watch her strip out of her clothes and change into something more comfortable. Then he would pounce. Start rubbing against her legs, meowing, begging for attention. Cherry would move the love fest to her couch, letting him curl on her lap and purr as she gave him pets and scratches.
Scottie was not there when she got home this particular Thursday. He wasn't waiting in the archway that separated the living room and kitchen. He wasn't scurrying around her feet as her heels clacked against the hardwood floors of her apartment. Scottie wasn't even asleep on her bed when she walked into her room, dropping her purse on her dresser and shrugging out of her white blazer and draping it beside her purse. Her heels came off next as she moved to where she puts them on the shoe rack in her room.
"Scottie?" She called, peaking her head through the door of the ensuite and wondering if maybe he was laying in the sink. The Ragdoll cat wasn't in there at all. Not even balancing on the edge of the tub, staring at her with those too blue eyes that were wide and betrayed. The only time Cherry found Scottie in the bathroom was when she was late and he had tried to make a mess out of her soaps. The only way to placate him was if she told him Tony was coming back with her. Which, was happening more steadily with every Gala or event she went to as his date. They'd go together, and depending on if Tony got drunk, found a model, or both, she would bring him home and set him up in her guest bed. But generally, they would fall asleep watching some stupid late night movie, Scottie curled up on Tony's chest in the morning.
Continuing her search for her cat, Cherry made her way into each room, checking any place she knew he could get into or on. The fridge was one he always laid on when Cherry was busy doing something and he was pouting about it in his own way. She checked behind the couch, underneath her china cabinet that her mom had given her, and even in the pantry, just in case Scottie had been able to get into it. He wasn't in any of his usual hiding places, the anxiety and worry that had started when Cherry had gotten home now hitting a crescendo as she sunk to the couch, putting her head in her hands as she tried not to sob.
