"Their names are Copper and Penny," Jackie informed her sister, holding up the two kittens.
"I like that," Allie agreed, pressing a hand wistfully to the computer screen. "I wish I could see them. It was nice of Mr. Copper to give them to us."
"He buried Merlin in his garden, too, so we'd always know where he was."
"Like Barney!" Allie said.
"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Rose asked.
"Uncle Alistair came to see me when Merlin died. He brought me a book called The Tenth Good Thing About Barney."
"What's it about?" John wanted to know.
"It's about a boy whose cat dies, and he has to think of ten good things about him. One of the things was that since they buried Barney in the garden, he'd help the flowers grow."
"Can I read it?" Jackie asked.
Allie nodded. "I'll bring it with me next weekend."
"Ace is coming to get you after class on Friday," John reminded his daughter.
"Be sure you're packed and ready to go. You don't want to miss your train," Rose added.
"I will, Mummy," Allie promised.
"Love you," Rose said, kissing her fingertips and pressing them to the screen before signing off.
Muffled giggles sounded from the other end of the trailer. Rose sighed and moved to get up.
"They're fine," John told her, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her in place.
"But -"
"They don't have to get up in the morning," he pointed out, planting a kiss to the back of her neck. "And neither do we." Another kiss. "And they're getting along. Leave them be."
Rose chuckled softly and relaxed back into John's arms. "I think the kittens were very confused by Allie."
"I think that's what all the giggling is about. They're in their bunks, playing with kittens. I can live with that just fine."
"Just you wait a couple of years, old man," Rose teased.
"In a couple of years, Allie will be so wrapped up in getting into the upper school that she won't even notice the existence of boys."
"Except the ones she's dancing with."
"And they'll be so focused on their own careers that I won't even have to give them the shotgun speech," John said smugly.
"Uh-huh. And Jackie?"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll find a good convent school."
Rose pelted him with a pillow.
