“...And then she said, ‘I’ll be able to meet her soon enough’.” Ever wiped the remaining pumpkin soup from the bowl with a piece of the breadstick he bought earlier. “She could meet you even sooner if she just–”

  “Hey.”

  “Mm?” He looked up, bread in mouth, only to get a face full of camera flash. He blinked several times, until he was able to see Zoe again, sporting a cheeky grin. The polaroid whirred, printing off its first photo.

  “Just testing that it works,” she said. He sat back, watching her flap the piece of film. The first time he saw a polaroid camera was for Gregory’s daughter. Hours earlier, she had given birth to a baby. Gregory had unfortunately passed away on the flight in to meet his granddaughter. It was the Polaroid photo of the exhausted but smiling, young family that Ever had to reproduce before he was able to reap the soul.

  “Is it working?” Ever asked.

  She stopped and looked at it. “Not yet. Maybe I need to shake it harder.” She got up, went over to Ever and straddled him. She resumed her photo flapping, the fold out chair they were both on squeaking in protest. Just as Ever was starting to enjoy it, she stopped.

  “OK, it’s coming out.”

  “It sure is,” he said, looking up at his girlfriend.

  She wrapped her arms around him, gave him a big, wet smooch on his forehead then stuck the Polaroid on it. She abruptly got up.

  “I’m going to get your present ready,” she said. “Come into your bedroom but only after I tell you to.” She paused for a moment. “Actually, that’s not going to work.” She looked around until she found Nika, who had found a new vantage point on top of the highest kitchen cabinet to glare down judgementally upon them both.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Nika,” Zoe said in a loud whisper, glancing at Mimi’s curled up in her bed, “come with me. When I’m ready, could you go out and tell Ever?” The ghost cat barely moved, then blinked slowly. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  The vet bounced to Ever’s room, with Nika leaping and gliding down until he was trailing her. Ever watched her curiously as he entered her room before closing the door. “Remember,” she said, opening it again and poking her head out. “Don’t come in until Nika tells you to.”

  Ever shrugged, stood up and stacked their used dishes. Might as well get a head start on these. He peeled the deer in the headlights photo of himself off his forehead and left it on the table.

  Nyx’s pumpkin soup was really good. Simple, but good. He put some detergent in the pot and started scrubbing it. She had only been his mother for a week or so but already she was a better cook than he was. The next time she came, he really should–

  ^Human.^ Nika leapt up onto the kitchen sink, wrinkling his nose at the dirty dish water. ^You may now go and open your... gift.^

  “Oh.” Ever wrung out the cloth, washed his hands and dried it. “Did you want to see it too?”

  ^Heavens no, I’d rather eat my weight in hairballs.^ With that, he returned to his vantage point, disgust on his feline face.

  OK then. Ever went to his room. The gift Zoe brought in was in there, next to his bed. Zoe was nowhere to be seen. The gift jiggled slightly; he smirked. Ever put his hands on the lid of the box and lifted it off.

  “Boo!–”

  “Merry Christmas!” She sprung up, completely naked, except for some tinsel wrapped like a belt around her waist. Ever dropped the lid of the box, so that it joined his jaw on the floor. She climbed out awkwardly, kicking the box away.

  “Well?” She said, putting her arms on his shoulders. “Do you like your ‘gift’?”

  Ever stared, mouth still open.

  “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” She bumped the door close with her hip, before shoving him onto the bed. “No matter, let’s put the rest of that mouth to work.”