The soft afternoon sun filters in through the spaces between the drawn venetian blinds at the front door of the shop. A black cat yawns wide, fangs and tongue exposed to air, lying down atop the counter. It stretches itself lazily, pushing its front legs as far as it can reach in front, with its hind raised high up in the air before pulling itself up to lower its hips down to the countertop, stretching its back legs this time. Satisfied with the good stretch, it lies back down on the counter and closes its eyes.

Jennie is thankful for the peace and quiet. No noisy customers, no emergency situations, no patients, no dumb humans stumbling into the shop asking for a love charm - none of that. It’s just her and her catnip and her scratching post behind the counter.

The shapeshifter purrs in satisfaction.

Wonder what should I do tonight after Rosie and I put up the barriers and protective charms?

The black cat thinks, tail swishing back and forth like a little window wiper against the glass display underneath the counter.

Hmm, Netflix? I can re-watch Stranger Things, again, I guess.

All of a sudden, Rosie comes bursting in from the back door and Jennie is so shocked, she jumps and screeches.

“MRRROOOWWW!!!”

Rosie is laughing along with Cotton, and seeing Jennie get so shocked, she tries to apologize between giggles. The healer is laughing so hard that she is bracing her arm against the counter.

“My wifey! I’m so… sorry!” Rosie laughs again and Cotton is flying in loop-de-loops, giggling, too.

“Sorry, Miss Jennie!” Cotton apologizes, too. Both the healer and familiar resume their giggle fest after.

Jennie stands on all fours and saunters over the edge. She sits there, perching herself on the edge closest to Rosie. If she was in human form, she would be raising an eyebrow at the two.

“What’s so funny?” Jennie asks.

“It’s Cotton! He told me a joke!” Rosie doubles over, hand on stomach, laughing out loud again.

“I just heard it from the TV!” Cotton shares excitedly.

“What joke? Care to tell me so I can join in on the fun?” Jennie feels herself getting impatient, not liking that she’s being left out.

“Okay, okay, Cotton, go tell her!”

The familiar bursts out laughing and almost falls from the air, forgetting to flap his wings.

“No, Miss Rosie, I don’t think I can!” Cotton laughs and laughs. “You do it!”

“Okay, okay.” Rosie’s laughter dies down. The healer clears . “Here goes: why is the air so clean and healthy on Halloween?”

Jennie tilts her head to the side.

“Why?”

“Pffft,” Rosie covers her face with her hand, keeping herself from laughing lest she ruins the punchline. She motions “ta-daa!” with her before saying, “because there are so many witches sweeping the sky!”

Jennie face-paws and groans. The familiar and the healer burst out in a fresh wave of laughter.

“You disturbed my afternoon nap for this?”

Rosie and Cotton are giggling still. Jennie glares at them.

“Okay, it was funny the way Cotton delivered it, okay?” Rosie snickers. “Sorry.” She reaches out and gives Jennie a rub under her chin.

Jennie feels herself immediately turn into jelly at Rosie's touch and her chest vibrates with satisfied purrs. Rosie smiles.

“Okay come on, let me close the shop and you can nap in the greenhouse while I work where it’s a lot cooler, okay?”

Jennie purrs affirmative. Rosie scoops up the shapeshifter in her arms and starts showering Jennie’s forehead with kisses, by instinct. The healer showers any living thing with affection, really, shapeshifters in cat-form included. Jennie is happy to wallow in the affection and snuggles against Rosie’s chest.

“Hey, let’s watch netflix later?”

“Sure, wifey.”

Maybe Jennie doesn't really mind the dumb joke. Maybe Jennie's perfect afternoon was ruined so she can spend a perfect night with her favorite dumb witch and her equally dumb familiar.