even tinier than expected

"What's that, dearie?"

His new kitteh. He's named her Emily.

"Oh, my, yes, she's quite tiny. About two months old?"

He says she's five months old. He also seems to think she's as big as Chloe was.

"His old lady cat that died a few years ago? She was pretty large!"

That's what I told him. Still, he has it in his head that Emily is that size.

"Doesn't he have paintings of his other cats? He could compare this new one to those."

Actually, part of his housekeeping changes with the divorce was throwing out all of that. I don't really understand why. Perhaps he and The 'Cole spent time together during those painting sessions, with him doing that while she did something else, but both in the same space. Like I said, I don't know why, but I do understand the need for a dramatic change when a relationship ends.

"Yes, but you didn't throw out anything you had created as an artist. You painted every room in the house with bright colors!"

Not quite true. The pantry has yet to be painted. (smile!) Plus, I wouldn't call the colors "bright", just definitely not in the realm of "eggshell white" that they were. "Warm", that's what they are.

"Yes, dearie. So, back to this evening. How did that go?"

He'd cooked dinner, something called "General Tso's Tofu", and it was okay. We'd talked a bit before he served it up, then we watched "Wicked Little Letters" while we ate.

"Oh, that's the Olivia Colman movie he'd wanted to see!"

That's right. And get this: he'd saved it to watch with me.

"How very nice! Knowing he could have watched it any time, how truly wonderful that he'd waited to see it with you. He's a good friend."

Yes, he is. I was quite touched that he'd held back on seeing it.

"So, y'all have future plans? I hope?"

Not anything set in ink, but school is almost out and he wants us to do dinner and a movie at his Osprey Cove nest in the next two weeks. I suggested I bring a pizza. Maybe I'll pick up one of those Margherita pizzas I so like at Publix and bring that! We could even cook it there and chat while it was getting done. Oh, I do like that idea!