Си Паради - Dancing With Shadows

"Oops. Didn’t think about that," Megan said, releasing her partner.

Noticing the dining room table was set, she raised her eyebrows and walked into the kitchen to set the vase down on the table in there. She and Tony usually ate in the kitchen and she was surprised to see the dining room table prepared for dinner.

Turning to face her partner, she asked, "What’s the occasion? Are we having company?"

Tony looked at the curious expression on Megan's face, and smiled. "No. I just thought it would be nice to eat in the dining room tonight. Just something a little different."

Tony was sure full of surprises today. "Umm… smells good in here. What did you make?" Megan said, her mouth watering.

"Mom’s lasagna," Tony said, her smile widening at the delighted look on Megan’s face. "I thought you really liked it."

"Oooh good! I loved it," Megan said, giving Tony a big hug.

Tony kissed Megan, then released her saying, "It should be ready by the time you change clothes."

A short time later, Megan sighed happily and sat back in her chair. Smiling at her partner, she said, "That was delicious."

A warm smile covered Tony's face and she said, "Thanks, Love. Ready for desert?"

Placing her hands over her stomach and widening her eyes, Megan said. "You're kidding, right? I'm stuffed!"

Tony laughed at the expression on her partner's face. "I am too. Want to watch a movie? We haven’t done that for a long time."

Megan grinned, and said, "Sounds good. Do you have one in mind?"

Tony smiled back at her partner. Megan looked relaxed and happy, the stress of the last few days gone from her face. A sudden thought occurred to her, It's a simple equation really. When Megan is happy, so am I.

With that thought in mind, she said, "Why don’t you pick one?

Megan's forehead creased momentarily and she turned her eyes upward as she feigned deep thought, "Hmm… a comedy, huh?"

Laughing at the amused look on Tony's face, she said, "How about Sister Act? I love that movie."

Teasingly, with her eyebrow raised, Tony said, "I'm so glad you could think of one."

Megan was sitting in her favorite position, relaxing on the couch against Tony with her lover’s arm resting on her shoulders. She could watch this movie a million times and never tire of it. And somehow it was even more enjoyable watching it with her partner.

She loved the rich sound of Tony’s laughter and she had been pleasantly surprised when Tony joined in with the songs. I just love her voice.

Lately there had been so little time for the simple things in their life. She had really missed this part of their relationship, and it felt really good to have it back.

Tony wasn’t sure if she was laughing more at the movie or at Megan’s delighted laughter. This felt so right. All the tension of the last few days was finally gone. One of her most frequent thoughts made an appearance in her mind, how did I ever get so lucky?

When the movie ended, with a smile still etched on her face, Megan said, "I just love the first time she leads the choir in church. The look on the Mother Superior’s face is too much."

Tony grinned and said, "Yeah. And the part when they’re cleaning up the neighborhood is really funny, too."

Looking at the mellow, contented expression on her partner's face, Tony felt a sense of peace. Leaning over and kissing Megan, she said, "How about desert?"

"You mean that wasn’t desert?" Megan asked, grinning.

Tony quirked a half smile and drawled, "Well…"

Megan winked at her partner and said, "I think I want to save the best for last. So what desert did you have in mind?"

Tony shrugged nonchalantly, "Just something I thought you might like." Standing up, she said, "I’ll go get it."

"I’ll help. I want to see what it is anyway," Megan said, wondering what surprise her partner had planned.

Tony opened the refrigerator and took out two pieces of carrot cake specially made by the bakery at the Giant Eagle grocery store. Each piece was totally covered with the rich cream cheese frosting that so enhanced the taste of the moist cake.

"Ooh. My favorite. How did you know? I never told you," Megan said, surprised.

Tony winked and said, "I have my sources." Actually Ashley had told her last time she happened to answer the phone when her partner was out on a case.

Megan sat at the table and pulled the plate in front of her, taking a bite of the delicious cake. "Let eat in here."

Tony chuckled and joined her partner at the table.

Megan savored each bite of the rich cake. Finishing she asked, "Feel like some tea? It’ll only take a couple of minutes to make some."

Before Tony had a chance to answer, they heard a dull thud coming from the living room. Tony rolled her eyes and grinned, saying, "I’ll go see what they did now."

Megan chuckled at the expression on Tony’s face. The kittens were always in to something. "Ok. I'll put the tea on."

Huggy sat on the coffee table looking at the silk flower arrangement. A white paw hesitantly hit the green leaf before quickly pulling it back.

The eyes watched the quivering leaf and the paw reached out, more confidently now, and batted the leaf harder. Her head tracked the movement of the leaf and when it slowed, she struck it again.

Velcro crouched on the floor, body motionless, watching the movement of the leaf, her tail twitching back and forth. Suddenly, the black and white fur ball streaked across the floor and leaped up onto the coffee table. Sliding across the smooth surface of the table unable to get purchase, she slid into the basket housing the silk flower arrangement propelling it across the table and onto the floor before following it with an ungraceful landing. Standing up, looking indignant, she batted the offending leaves.

The original culprit, startled by the unexpected arrival of her playmate, jumped straight up into the air before landing on her toes back on the table. Crabbing sideways, all the hair on her tail standing on end, she danced across the table, and looked over the edge. She watched Velcro playing with the leaves for only a moment before jumping to the floor and joining in the fun.

Tony walked into the living room and shook her head when she saw the two kittens happily playing with the leaves of the silk plant in the middle of the floor. Shooing them away, she picked up the basket and the plant, putting it back together in a semblance of the way it had been before the kittens had attacked it.

Setting in up on a shelf, she started to walk back to the kitchen when she stepped on something. Lifting her bare foot, she plucked the offending item off of it, smiling when she saw what it was. The arrangement was realistic, but she never realized it had a ladybug in it. Just as she was about to place it on one of the silk leaves, she stopped, all senses on alert.

Placing the ladybug in the palm of her hand, she looked at it closely. Something was odd about it. All of a sudden it hit her. There were three antennas protruding from it. The extra one was slightly longer and thinner than the other two. Narrowing her eyes, she placed it back in the basket, her thoughts turning dark.

Tony walked into the kitchen and raised a finger to the center of her pursed lips signaling for quiet. Looking at Megan, her eyes imploring her partner to play along with her, she said, "I’m going to take a shower now. The kittens trashed the silk flower planter but I’ve put it back together again. Why don’t you put the darlings into one of the bedrooms?"

Mouthing, "Come with me," she left the kitchen and walked into the bathroom, Megan right behind her. Closing the door, she pulled the shower curtain and turned on the water. Turning and looking at her puzzled partner, Tony said, "We’re being bugged."