Chapter VI: The family man

The front door was unlocked, and Thirza padded in with the tred of someone who had lived there for quite a while, but also with quiet determination. She immediately set course to the large cupboard in a corner of the living room, and before Xenva could react she opened it and started taking things out.
Xenva used the next few seconds to scan the room. It was a very ordinary one as far as she knew, with two couches, a TV, some closets, a painting and some other knick-knacks scattered around.
She was just looking at the painting (a vase lying on its side, with two blue flowers hanging out of its opening and a third lying in the front) a male tiger stepped into the room.
"Thirza! Where the hell have you been?" A look of genuine concern on his face. He noticed Xenva "And who is this? You should have told me you were bringing a guest so I could have cooked for one more."
"Stuff it Odun. Be glad you only cooked for two cause you're gonna be having dinner on your own."
Odun somehow managed to look even more concerned and utterly surprised at the same time "Wa... what do you mean?"
"Its over, I'm leaving you. You've been a pain in the tail all the time and I've had enough of your bossy attitude, your `caring' side and your stinking dick!"
Xenva blinked a little, almost as taken by surprise as the tiger.
"My..." he began, but Thirza pushes him aside and walked up the stairs, her ears completely flat against her head and her tail raised high in deviance. Then he looked at Xenva "What the hell is going on? Who are you?"
Xenva crossed her arms "I'm a friend of hers, and like she said, she's leaving you." Despite her outward appearance Xenva was growing a little uncertain. Odun didn't look like that bad a guy, from all Thirza had told her about him she didn't expect him to be here at home and cook dinner or something. He sounded far too kind to leave behind.
Off course, Xenva never had any experience with `nice' people, so she wasn't really an expert on the subject, but still...
Odun growled a little at Xenva, more out of despair than out of anger. "You! You talked her into leaving me didn't you? How could you? She's the only thing I live for!"
She took a small step back, taken by surprise by the sudden outburst "I'm sorry, but I didn't. She told me she wanted to for a long time, but was afraid to do it until today?"
It appeared he wasn't listening to her, as he kept on talking "I've done everything for her haven't I? I care for her, I give her all she wants. If something was wrong she would have told me, and I would have made it all better."
Not knowing what to say, Xenva just stood there, watching the man's life crumble apart. He looked at her again "Why? What did I do? What did I not do?"
"I... I don't know..."
"You have to talk it out of her!"
"I don't think I can. I think her mind is set. I don't know what you did exactly, but it seems to have been going on for quite a while now."
"I would have noticed it!"
"Maybe that is the problem, you didn't notice it."
"But she would have said if anything were wrong!" By now he was in tears, his body shaking in despair.
Suddenly Thirza returned downstairs, carrying a pile of clothing and some other random items. Without giving her ex-boyfriend so much as a nod she looked at Xenva and said "I got what I wanted, lets go."
"Thirza please! No! I love you!"
Odun tried to block the door, but Thirza gave him such a stare that he almost melted out of the way. With another nod at Xenva she stepped outside, walking on until she reached the street.
He was breathing heavily now, tears still streaming from his face. He just stood there, looking at the love of his life, while Xenva walked past him without a word. For the briefest of moments it seemed as if he tried to stop her, but all Xenva could feel was a slight brush over the tip of her tail.
When Xenva had reached the vixen, Odun was standing in the doorstep, looking at them both, his mouth moving in a silent beg, his eyes pouring his grief out at them.
Thirza started walking down the street, passing several items to Xenva. As Xenva looked back, the tiger was still standing there, and he remained standing there until she couldn't see him anymore. For some reason, Xenva believed he would remain standing there for the rest of eternity.

Thirza did not speak until they had reached the bus-stop. "Well, that went pretty easy. I didn't expect him to give so little resistance. But thank you for going along anyway. Who knows what he could have done to me if you hadn't been there."

Xenva did not speak at all.

Chapter 7: Contemplations and Revelations

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