Page 70 of The Path To Us

When we pull in, though, I’m the one who’s surprised.

“Why are we at Pop’s house?”

“Pop?”

“Uh huh! Pop,” she says, pointing to Richard who’s walking our way holding a kitten in his arms. “Kittens!”

Macaroni wags his tail as if he, too, knows exactly where we are.

Zoey unlatches her seat belt and scrambles out of her seat.

I get out and open her door and she runs over to Richard, tackling him around his legs.

What the heck?

“Hi, baby girl!”

“Pop! I missed you! Did you miss me?”

Miss him? Miss her?

What am I missing?

Richard lowers himself to the ground slowly so Zoey can see the orange kitten he’s holding while talking to Macaroni as if they’re long lost buddies. Thankfully, Macaroni only sniffs at the tiny ball of fluff and barks once then scampers off. Richard’s dog greets Macaroni with butt sniffs and tail wags before they run off to play.

“It’s so cute. Is it a boy or a girl?”

“I think it’s a girl,” he tells her and smiles. His eyes dart up to mine, full of mischief this one.

“Did you name it yet?”

“Sounds like a good job for you. Look how well you named your dog.”

I grunt.

“Cheese! Because she’s orange!”

“See? I knew you’d come up with the perfect name.”

“Can I hold her?”

“Of course you can.”

Carefully she takes it from his hands and cradles it to her chest, cooing and rubbing her face against it.

Richard groans when he stands up.

“I’m getting old, baby girl.”

She’s too busy playing with the kitty to listen to him, though.

“Suppose you got questions. Let’s get a glass of lemonade and sit on the porch.”

“Did you make it your special way?” Zoey asks, not tearing her attention away from Cheese.

Cheese.

What a freaking name.

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