Fill the Empty Spaces

Austin and Del were the love of each other's life for two decades...until a drunk driver ended Austin's. Now Del struggles to get through each day without his partner.

In an effort to get Del back into the realm of the living, Austin's honorary sister Remy books an afternoon at a local cat cafe. A visit which changes Del's existence. He bonds with Charlie, a senior cat with health issues who wears sweaters to cover his lost fur, and with Lochlan, a human who volunteers at the cafe. On impulse, Del signs up to volunteer there too. And with the friendship of Lochlan, Charlie, and the rest of the resident cats, Del begins to live again.

As Del and Lochlan's friendship deepens, Lochlan admits one of his deepest secrets: He is a psychopomp, a human who guides spirits to the "crossing point" at the time of their death. In his need to understand Austin's death, Del interrogates Lochlan, and Lochlan turns away from him. During the weeks of no contact, Del emerges more into life, and realizes, in Lochlan's absence, that he is falling for Lochlan. When they finally reconnect, the sparks are there, but only a few months after Austin's death, can Del let himself love again?

This book has a main character who has lost his life partner and depicts his grieving process. It includes discussions of child abuse and child death, suicide, and homophobia and transphobia. But it also includes an adorable cat who wears sweaters.