“Yay!” I clapped my hands. “Come in and tell me about him. Does your dad know you’re here?”
“Yes,” Hallie said as they followed me to the kitchen. They climbed onto the stools at my island. “He said we could knock on your door, but if you weren’t home we had to come right back.”
“I’ll send him a quick text.” I grabbed my phone and sent Dex a note letting him know the girls were with me, then set it aside. “Okay, tell me everything.”
“He’s black with white feet,” gushed Luna.
“And he’s so soft,” added Hallie. “He loves to be petted.”
“I can’t wait to meet him. When can you bring him home?”
“Tomorrow after school,” said Hallie. “So after we change clothes, we’re going to the pet store to get food and a bed and some toys for him.”
“What are you going to name him?” I asked.
The girls looked at each other. Hallie sighed. “That’s a problem.”
“Why?”
“Daddy said since we picked the cat, he gets to name him.”
I laughed. “What does he want to name him?”
“Here are the choices.” Hallie pulled a piece of paper from her skirt pocket and read it solemnly. “Steven Tyler, Freddie Mercury, or Eddie Van Halen.”
I covered my mouth with one hand. “Which one do you like best?”
Hallie looked at me like I was nuts. “None of them. Those aren’t cat names. Those are man names.”
“I like Freddie,” said Luna.
“I do too,” I told her. “And what if you called him Freddie Purrcury?”
Hallie perked right up. “That’s perfect! I mean—purrfect.”
“Hello?” Dex’s voice floated through the screen door.
“Come on in!” I called.
I heard the door open and close, and he appeared in the kitchen a moment later. He was also dressed for church, in charcoal gray pants and a light blue button-down. I’d never seen him in that color blue before, and I liked the way it looked against his skin. My pulse quickened when he smiled at me.
“Hey,” I said. “I’m just hearing all about your new cat.”
“We’ll name him Freddie Purrcury,” Luna said. “Is that okay with you?”
Dex groaned. “I guess.”
“I think it’s a good compromise,” I said, patting his shoulder.
“Can Winnie come to the pet store with us, Daddy?” Hallie asked.
“Please,” added Luna, clasping her hands in prayer beneath her chin.
“That’s up to her,” Dex said.
I hated to disappoint them, but I couldn’t. “I’m sorry, girls. But my real estate agent is coming over, so I have to stay here.”
“What’s a real estate agent?” Luna asked.
“It’s the person who’s going to help me sell my condo.”
“You’re moving?” Hallie’s eyes were wide.
I felt sad, breaking the news. “Yes. I have to, because I have a new job in Rhode Island.”
“Where’s Rhode Island?” Luna looked from me to her dad. “Is it close?”
Dex shook his head.
“So we won’t see you anymore?” Hallie asked, looking like she might cry. “Ever again?”
“Sure, you will. I’ll come back for visits.” I tried to sound reassuring. “I just won’t live next door anymore.”
“But who will live here?” asked Luna, her expression worried. “And will they adopt Piglet?”
“Piglet will come with me,” I told her with a smile. “And you’ll have a new neighbor living here—maybe even some kids. That would be fun.”
They didn’t look convinced.
“I’m sad,” Luna said.
“Me too,” added Hallie. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Hey, listen.” Dex spoke up, reaching over to tweak Luna’s ear. “How about, ‘Congratulations on your new job, Winnie?’ Or ‘We’re happy for you, Winnie?’ Or even ‘We’ll miss you, Winnie, but we’ll keep in touch?’ Stop making her feel bad. She has to move for work.”
“Sorry,” Hallie said. “Congratulations on your new job, Winnie.”
“We’re happy for you.” Luna sounded anything but happy.
“Thank you.” I smiled, although I didn’t feel happy either at the moment. “I’ll really miss having you right next door, but your dad is right. We can keep in touch.”