1:23 a.m.
“Simon?”
“Mmm?”
“Are you asleep?”
“Mm-hmm…”
“I just wanted to say, wel , I’m real y glad you came home early.”
“Mm-hmm, me too.”
“And I’m pretty smitten with you.”
“Mm-hmm, me too.”
“Smitten like a kitten.”
“Mm-hmm, me too.”
“Who’s lost her mittens.”
“Mittens, mm-hmm…”
“Simon?”
“Mm-hmm?”
“Are you asleep?”
“Mm-hmm…”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
…
…
…
“Caroline?”
“Mm-hmm…”
“I’m real y glad I came home early too.”
“Mm-hmm…”
“And I’m real y glad you came.”
“Enough.”
“’Night, Caroline.”
“’Night, Simon.”
And as Count Basie and his orchestra played us off into dreamland, we curled around each other and slept.
Text between Simon and Caroline the fol owing Tuesday:
Talked to a buddy of mine. I think I figured out how to do those prawns you went so crazy over in Spain.
Perfect, they’ll fit in with the Spanish feast I am planning for Saturday. Everybody’s coming, even Jillian and Benjamin.
Sure you don’t want to have it at my place?
No, it’ll be easier at mine. I have the island, which is better for prepping, but I’m commandeering your oven.
Can I commandeer you on the island?
That’s not the correct use of the word commandeer.
Please, you know what I meant.
I did, and you may.
Sweet. Have you seen my running shoes?
Yep, they’re in my bathroom where you left them.
I tripped over them this morning.
Is that the thump I heard?
You heard that?
Yep, woke me up.
And yet you didn’t come see if I was okay?
Didn’t want to disturb Clive.
I can’t believe he’s been sleeping on your side. Traitor cat.
We’re friends now…wel , almost friends.
He peed on my sweatshirt again.
HA! I have to get back to work, cat stealer.
We still watching a movie tonight?
If that’s what you want to cal it.
Makes it seem like we actually have plans.
I have plans. Oh man, do I have plans.
As do I…
I’m sitting here eating your apple pie…think about that.
That’s all I can think about now… hating you.
You don’t hate me.
That’s true. Now go eat my pie.
…choking…
Text between Mimi and Caroline on Thursday:
You sure I can’t bring anything Saturday?
Nah, Sophia is bringing drinks,
and we’re taking care of the rest.
So good to hear you in a we again.
Yes, I’m enjoying the we.
And the we-we?
What are we, 7? Yes, the we-we is good.
Good to hear it. So have you slept in the bed of sin yet?
No, we seem to be staying at my place.
I think I’d feel weird in that bed.
Many wal s were banged from that bed…
Exactly. That’s my point, feels strange.
Maybe it would be nice to make your mark on his bed, so to speak. New era, new girlfriend, new banger?
I don’t know, we’ll see… I know at some point
I’ll sleep there, just not yet. Besides,
he’s having too much fun bonding with Clive.
WHAT? Clive hates guys! Except gay guys.
They’ve come to some kind of weird kitty/man understanding. I’m not questioning it.
It’s like a new world order.
I know.
Want me to come over early Saturday and help?
You just want to get into my drawers again.
They need to be reorganized…
Come over early.
WAHOO!
Get some help…
Thursday evening al was quiet. Simon and I sat on my couch, working. I was sketching a holiday concept for someone’s bal room. Yep,
bal room. This was the world I visited. Just visited, not lived in. I was stil in my yoga clothes. Simon cooked, using my kitchen, in which he was
becoming very much at home. He said it would be easier since we’d just end up at my place anyway, but I caught him lifting Clive up onto the
counter so he could “watch.” I put that in quotes because the actual word was spoken by Simon to Clive. The entire sentence, I believe, was “Here
ya go, buddy. This way you can watch! You can’t see too wel from down on the floor, I bet, right? Right?”
And Clive answered. I know it was technical y impossible, but the meow he uttered sounded like, “Thanks.”
My boys were bonding. It was nice.
So here we sat, me sketching and Simon making his travel plans for Peru online. He had something like seventy bil ion frequent flyer miles,
and he loved to flaunt them in my face.
So quiet it was, save the scratching of my colored pencils on the page and his clickety-clack on the keyboard. And the clicking from Clive.