[ WP ] Since birth , you have always had a bad sense of direction that would defy the laws of logic and space . Instead of arriving at your destination , you would end up in places or areas impossible for normal people to get to .

Robert stood in the driveway, fidgeting with his keys as he studied the woman in the doorway. Their eyes met, and lingered. 
 
 `` I guess I'm going, then,'' said Robert. His truck door was open beside him, and his overnight bag sat in the passenger seat, but he made no move to get in. 
 
 Vanessa did n't say anything. She turned her head to the side and wiped her cheeks with the back of one hand. She nodded silently. 
 
 Robert dropped his head, pretended to examine his boots. The keys jangled in his hand. 
 
 `` Oh damn it,'' said Vanessa, `` get back here!'' 
 
 Robert perked up, his eyes welling with tears as his chest soared with relief. He opened his mouth to speak but the words caught in his throat as he realized that Vanessa had not been speaking to him. Their cat, Rupert, sat at the bottom of the porch steps, grooming his silky black fur and purring. 
 
 `` I'll never get him in,'' said Vanessa. `` He never goes where I want him to.'' She gave Robert a weak smile. `` I found him inside the washing machine yesterday. Inside!'' 
 
 Robert grinned. `` He's lucky you do n't do laundry very often.'' His grin faded as he remembered old battles over household chores. `` Sorry,'' he muttered. 
 
 Rupert walked across the lawn to scratch at the maple tree growing near the corner of the house. Bunching his hind legs together, the cat sprang up the tree. Leaves rustled and he soon appeared on the roof. Vanessa craned her neck to see him. 
 
 `` The roof! Of course he's on the roof.'' She stepped down off the porch, letting the screen door slam behind her. `` He does n't even know where's going, stupid cat.'' She rubbed her bare shoulders against the cold night air. 
 
 Robert closed the door to his truck and stepped beside his wife. `` I can get him, he'll come down for me.'' He picked up a thin twig and began swishing it on the grass. 
 
 `` He's not dumb,'' said Vanessa, `` he knows all your old tricks.'' 
 
 `` Maybe,'' admitted Robert. `` Just like you, I guess.'' He flashed her a small smile. Vanessa rolled her eyes. 
 
 On the roof, Rupert crouched on the edge of the gutter, near a downspout. His front paws dangled off the edge as he watched Robert twitch the twig on the ground. 
 
 `` Remember when he was a kitten?'' said Robert. `` And we would flick that string around the yard and—'' 
 
 `` —and he'd flip into the air as he tried to catch it,'' finished Vanessa. `` Yeah, I remember. I also remember he jumped into that crystal vase your grandmother gave us for our wedding.'' 
 
 Robert shrugged. `` It was just a vase, Nessa.'' 
 
 Rupert stood on the roof and began rubbing his head on the chimney, marking it with his scent. Vanessa shook her head. `` I swear,'' she said, `` I find him in the dumbest places. He's been trapped inside that chimney half a dozen times since you moved out.'' 
 
 Robert snorted. `` I can believe that. He's always gone on his little adventurers, even when he was a kitten. He'd head for the back door and end up trapped in a closet somewhere. `` He paused. `` Wow, how long ago was that? Did n't we get him from the pet store over in Keystone when we were living there for the summer?'' 
 
 Vanessa nodded. `` Yep. Eleven years ago. During your'oil rig' summer.'' She grinned. `` You were pretty buff back then.'' 
 
 Robert whistled to the cat as he stood up, the twig dangling from his hand. `` That was a long time ago... but I'm still spry!'' He hopped back and forth across the front walk, dragging the stick across the concrete, making a skittering sound. Rupert perked up and edged back to the downspout. 
 
 `` Come on, you rascal,'' called Robert, swishing the stick back and forth over the concrete. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Vanessa's face. She was smiling. A few more hops and Robert's calves were beginning to burn. He switched tactics and crouched down, slowly pulling the twig in and out behind his shoe, just outside of Rupert's sight-line. Rupert crouched motionless on the roof, transfixed. 
 
 With a sudden leap, the cat dashed down the downspout and charged Robert, veering away at the last second. Just as Rupert passed, Robert reached out and scooped up the animal. Rupert protested with a quiet meow but began purring. 
 
 Robert walked back to Vanessa, cradling the cat. Her eyes were wet as he approached, but her lips twisted into a half-smile. He offered her the cat but she shook her head. Striding past him, she stalked back to the front door, her arms crossed. 
 
 `` Come on,'' she called over her shoulder. `` Just bring him inside.'' 
 
 Robert followed her up the stairs to the front door. She turned and faced him. 
 
 `` I'd probably just drop him again,'' she said, reaching out and stroking the cat's ears. They stood there for a moment, listening to Rupert's purr. Vanessa took a big breath and slowly exhaled. She studied Robert's eyes. 
 
 `` Why do n't you stay for a little bit,'' she said, so quiet that Robert almost did n't hear her. `` No promises.'' 
 
 `` I'd—I'd like that.'' 
 
 She opened the screen door and the three of them went into the house. As they crossed the threshold, Robert whispered—'' thanks, little buddy'' —into Rupert's furry ear. 
 
 The screen door swung shut with a bang, forgotten. 
 
 ***** 
 If you liked this story, you might like my other stories at /r/hpcisco7965 or /r/TMODAL. 
 
 

