Cop's Passion by Angela Verdenius

face with kisses.
    Maddy had to
choke back a laugh at the panicked look on Chaz’s face, his blue
eyes wide as he pushed with all his might against Cindy’s arms.
    “Dookums!”
Cindy squeezed him, and Chaz looked like his eyes were going to pop
out of his head. “Did you miss Aunty Cindy? Huh? Did you? I got a
present for you.” Swinging him under one arm, she dove her other
arm into a blue bag and rummaged around, while Chaz frantically
tried to grab onto anything in sight. Pulling out a toy, stuffed
mouse, she waved it in front of his nose.
    Immediately he
stopped struggling, his eyes focussing on it in interest.
    “Here you go.”
Cindy tossed it through the kitchen door, releasing Chaz at the
same time. She laughed as he rushed out of the kitchen after it.
Turning back to Maddy, she explained, “Catnip mouse.”
    “You brought
that from Italy?”
    “No. I picked
it up at the pet shop on the way here.”
    “Trying to buy
his affections, tut-tut.”
    “One day he’ll
appreciate my kisses. Besides, I couldn’t not bring him a present,
could I?” Beaming, she delved into another bag. “Speaking of which,
I got you a few little things.”
    “Cindy, really,
you didn’t have to get me anything.” Maddy protested just as she’d
protested many times before, and just as many times before, Cindy
waved a hand at her.
    “Nothing gives
me greater pleasure than shopping for my friends.” Whipping her
hand out of the bag, Cindy held up a pink bit of, well, nothing but
scraps of lace that Maddy could tell, and tossed it to her. “This
is for you.”
    “Wow, thanks.”
Maddy fumbled and finally held it up. “A short nightie.
See-through. Golly.” She started to laugh, the gift was so
Cindy.
    “It matches
these.” A pair of scanty pink panties flew through the air to land
on Maddy’s head.
    “I think I’d
lose it between the crack of my bum cheeks.” Maddy admired it
dutifully. “But it’s a nice thing to lose between my bum cheeks, I
have to say.”
    “I’ve got one
just like it in blue.” Cindy beamed. “We could have a
sleepover!”
    “Every dirty
man’s wet dream.”
    Disregarding
Maddy’s laughter, Cindy delved through the bags and by the time
she’d finished, there was a lovely assortment of gifts on the
table. Some Maddy laughed at, but there were a couple of truly
thoughtful gifts that she’d treasure.
    Getting up, she
hugged Cindy. “Thank you, chicken. But truly, your being back is
all the gift I need.”
    “Aw.” Cindy
hugged her back. “It’s my pleasure.”
    After several
seconds, Maddy resumed her seat and Cindy dropped down in the chair
opposite her.
    “So tell me all
about Italy,” Maddy demanded. “The city, the history, the people,
everything.”
    Retrieving her
camera from her handbag, Cindy shuffled her chair around so that
she sat beside Maddy, and she proceeded to flick through the
photos, talking the whole time about each photo, where she’d taken
it, and what or who it was about. In between Maddy got up and
replenished their glasses of Diet Coke and the Tim Tams.
    As night drew
in they sent out for pizza, and while they waited for it to arrive,
Maddy took Cindy with her to see the kitten while Maddy fed it.
    To be truthful,
she was glad that Cindy was with her, for she knew that Mike
wouldn’t approach her while she had company. Call her a coward, but
right then she didn’t want to meet him face-to-face. She could
swear she felt him watching her, though a sneak peek towards his
back windows showed nothing.
    The kitten
watched from the doorway of the shed as she refilled the water bowl
and placed a dish of tinned kitten food beside it. It didn’t move
away but it did give several small meows and stand up, which was
promising, and when she and Cindy backed away a little, it warily
approached the plate and ate, keeping a close eye on them but not
as afraid as it had been in the past.
    “So cute,”
Cindy whispered. “Got a home for it yet?”
    “No.”
    “What