Thanksgiving?
The next day as I sat in front of my computer, attempting to write, I found myself playing around with letters. I used to really enjoy making up names for the characters in my writings, and I still found myself doing it at times.
It was Tuesday morning, Andrea and David were still sleeping. Andreas had gone home to shower and change. Since I didn't know how much time I would have to myself while Andrea was visiting, I figured it would be a good idea to try and write whenever I did find the time. But, nothing story-related would come. No ideas for unbelievable plot twists could be found in the blacklight of my computer screen, so instead I played with names. There were a couple good ones, but I didn't have any characters to introduce in the book. I filed most of them away for possible later use, but a handful I wrote down to suggest as cat names.
M'sälia, Katra Dee, Rimourion, De'lei, Quurix, Byoyo, Siliri, and Vatralla were scratched out on a scrap of paper beneath Kirschrot and Balken.
It seemed a little odd to me that we were having such a difficult time naming the kitten. I could only remember one time that there had been so much difficulty in agreeing on a really good name; it was years ago and involved three people trying to agree, not just two. That cat ended up being called Nameless and she answered to Nameless for the rest of her life.
Doesn't bode well for if we ever have kids, does it? Came an unbidden thought, and I blushed furiously.
It's a little early to be thinking of kids, I told myself silently.
The sound of the front door opening reached me in the library. Giving up on writing, I went out to the living room to greet Andreas. The bit of paper with names written on it was in my hand as I padded, sock-footed, down the hall. Andreas swept me into his arms when he saw me and his lips pressed passionately against my own. Surprised by the sudden show of affection, it took me a second to return the kiss. My lungs were strangely empty when we broke off the kiss.
"Missed you," his voice was soft and breathless.
Deciding I didn't want to spoil the moment, I remained silent and smiled instead. Andreas' fingers slid down my arm to catch my hand in his, they hesitated at the feel of paper in my grip.
"What's this?"
"Ideas," I replied brightly. "Possible cat names."
Passing the paper to his hand, I waited for him to read them over.
"Playing with letters again?"
"Course."
"Well, I like them all. Except, maybe not Rimourion."
"Alrighty. I'll just scratch that one off. "
"You wrote down Balken. Thought we decided it was too masculine for a female cat?"
"Eh, it's worth further thought. The name really does feel appropriate for our cat."
Andrea came down the hall at that moment, yawning.
"Don't you know what time it is?"
"Ten o'clock or so. I'm not wearing my watch."
"Yeah, here maybe. It's the middle of the night back home."
"There's coffee in the kitchen."
"There'd better be."
She shuffled out of the room, with David shuffling through behind her just seconds later.
"Couple of zombies."
Andreas chuckled.
"Thanksgiving is this Thursday," came a sudden realization.
"It is?"
"Yeah. I haven't had a proper Thanksgiving meal in years. Hmmm…With Andrea and David here, it might actually be worth it to do a proper feast." My eyes wandered as I contemplated everything I would have to get. "Would you like to join us? I know it's not your holiday, but it could be fun to have you there."
"Sure. I've never celebrated Thanksgiving before. Could be fun. And you know who else you should invite? Robert and Dero with their families."
"That is a very good idea."
Running out of the room, I went to make a grocery list and to call Robert and Dero with my invitation.
"I know it's pretty short notice," I said to Robert's wife, "But I'd love for you to all be here."
"Why not? Just means I don't have to cook that night. I'll bring a cake, shall I?"
"Thanks, that would be great."
We settled on a time and I called Dero's house to ask them if they could be there. Valeria offered to bring some kind of vegetarian dish, which reminded me that I would have to keep Dero in mind as I planned the meal.
Sticking my head into the kitchen, I asked whether Andrea and David wanted to come along to the store.
Yawning and shaking their heads, they explained that they would shower and enjoy copious amounts of coffee. Andreas offered to come with me, as I thought he might.