Unfounded theory: Jess isn't the only person with an animal tail. Evidence: Cannot be collected because pantsing the boss is considered rude in most cultures.

Ears twitching slightly, Jess opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it. There had to be a reason May didn't show her tail - if she even had one. And it wasn't exactly something you asked your boss... but there was something Jess could ask the shortstack scotswoman.

"Not that Ah don't like seeing y'all, May, but weren't y'all on shift this mornin'? What're y'all doing here?"

"Hm?" Stopping in her tracks, May Sinclair twisted her upper body to look back at her Texan employee. "Oh, just checking in on, uh, Gabriel. I mean, it's his first week on his own, so..."

Shrugging, May continued towards the kitchen, leaving Cathy and Jess behind - and now Jess remembered that she'd taken her friend's hand without asking, without realizing even. Ears drooping, face hot, Jess wrapped her tail around her legs again as she grabbed her lower right arm with her left and tried to find somewhere to look that wasn't Cathy.

Why've Ah gone and done that? H-holdin' hands, that's... ain't that jus' for...

The back of Cathy's fingers on her bare upper arm made Jess almost jump, the fur on her tail standing on end and rustling against her legs.

"Hey, you alright?" There was concern and warmth in Cathy's voice, her eyes large and worried and... like deep, dark green pools that invited Jess to sink into them and... "You're spacing out - do you want to go home and rest? May and I can take care of the rest of the day. Or would you rather be around people?"

"No, Ah... Ah'm fine..." It took Jess considerable effort to **** her mind back into gear and formulate anything resembling an answer; she had no idea why. "It's just... no, Ah'm fine, really."

"Are you sure?" Cathy's eyes narrowed as they flicked to the top of her head. "Your ears say something else, all droopy and stuff. How does that even work, electrodes that read your brainwaves?"

"Ah'm alright, really!" Forcing her ears to stick up straight and consciously disentangling her tail from around her legs, Jess tried to shove all of these strange feelings aside - and was only marginally successful. "No idea how it works, Ah didn't ask. And maybe they droop because y'all keep pestering me!"

"No, I--haah..." Interrupting herself with a strained sigh, Cathy deflated slightly, eyes once again large, worried and strangely hypnotic. "Sorry, I'm being pushy, but I.. I worry about you. I'll... I'll give you all the time you need, just... remember we're here for you, alright? Me, and May, and Charlie, and even that big lunk Gabriel."

"Ah... Ah'm sorry, too. Ah don't know why Ah blew mah gasket like that, it ain't like me..." It couldn't be because... yesterday, could it? Ah've had put that behind me! "Thank you. Let's... let's just..."

"Oh, we're not interrupting something, are we? Sorry if... You guys are open, right?" A male voice interrupted them - a couple had entered the café as the friends had their little chat. "We can find somewhere else to eat if you aren't, no problem."

The girl, her blonde hair done in a cute pixie cut, had the most luscious lips Jess had ever seen, soft and full with a slight, glossy sheen, her eyes looking at them slightly nervous from under thick lashes as she crossed her arms under her generous bust. The guy was rather unremarkable; chiseled surfer guys like him were a dime a dozen in Bay Cove. The only thing that made him stand out was the fact that his right leg seemed noticeably bigger and a little lumpy on the inside of his thigh and knee, causing him to walk with a slight limp.

"No, we're open. Just follow me to the counter, then you can place your order," Cathy replied, running her hand over Jess upper arm another time, leaving her friend standing where she was, with her mind whirling and Cathy's warmth still lingering on her skin.

When Jess went to refill the coffee cups of the newcomers, Steve and his 'babe' Chris, her mind was still abuzz with thoughts. Why was she feeling so strange? And it wasn't because of the ears and the tail. Or even because of yesterday. Or maybe it was, but... Jess just couldn't make head or tails of what she felt. This intensity, this need to be closer to Cathy, and then pushing her away for just for worrying... If only Cathy didn't get on Jess' case about...

"H-hey, I really, uhm, like your ears..." Chris' quiet voice interrupted her thoughts. Seeing her smile with those beautiful lips made Jess' heart skip a beat, particularly since the smile was directed at her. Yet more material for the 'incomprehensible feelings' pile. "The tail is pretty... uh, pretty cool, too."

"Thank you," Jess replied, blushing deeply even though she knew Chris was just making conversation. What was going on with Jess? Why did she react so strongly to every compliment, and whenever someone 'pestered' her?