From the Deep

Looking at Kittens

Monica showed up at Ian's house again. He was beginning to wonder about all the increased social activity. 

"To what do I owe this visit?" he asked when he opened the front door and saw her there. He had almost asked, "What's the excuse for this visit?" instead, but he'd stopped himself in time. 

"Well, I remembered something about a certain set of cute kittens you happen to have around here," Monica said. "I left in a bit of a hurry last time. Do you mind if I see them again?"

"Sure," said Ian, and let her in. 

The kittens were now quite big, and quite energetic. At this moment they happened to be all tumbling around on his dining room floor while the mother watched from a dignified perch atop a dining chair. Ian made a mental note that she wasn't normally allowed to be there, but he did nothing about it. The cat was easy to forgive. 

Unlike some people. He watched Monica kneel down to the same kitten she had singled out last time -- a pretty little ginger - and - white - one, because of course nobody would ever go for one of the plain tabbies, Ian thought with annoyance -- and bundled it up into her lap. 

"She's so adorable," she cooed. 

"That she is."

"Who was the father of these kittens?"

"No idea. The mom just snuck out of the house one night. There's plenty of neighborhood strays."

"I see." Monica scratched behind the ear of the kitten and made unintelligible cooing noises in response to the kitten wrinkling its face. 

"So does this mean you're reconsidering on adopting one?" Ian asked.

"Reconsidering, yeah. It'd be nice to have a pretty little kitty around the apartment. Still not sure if it's legal, though, so I'll have to check."

"Let me know soon," said Ian. "They're getting just the right age to leave."

"Yeah." Monica leaned back a little, watching the kitten climb out of her lap to go rejoin its siblings. "Are you going to miss the ones you give away?"

"Well..." Ian shrugged. "Probably not really. Most likely I'll still be keeping the rest of them, so I'll still have a house full of cats. One won't be missed that much. Especailly if it's given away early."

"Yeah, but one missing is still one missing, isn't it?" said Monica. "You can't have part of something, and still feel like you have it all."

Ian wasn't sure how to respond. "Um... no?"

"No," said Monica with finality, "you can't."

"Okay," said Ian, wondering what had brought on the sudden kind of philosophical statement that was so very uncharacteristic of Monica. 

She spun around in her spot and leaned back aganst a table leg, looking up at him. "So," she said. "How have you been?"

"All right, I suppose," said Ian uncomfortably. He had never enjoyed answering questions like "how have you been," because he was in the habit of answering most questions honestly, and this was certainly one in which honesty was not always needed. He went on to add, "I guess I'm a bit worried about Andersen still."

"Yeah, of course you are. You're always worried about Andersen, aren't you?"

Ian shrugged. "There's a lot to worry about."

"Yeah, but still. You've had a long career. You've done plenty of risky studies before. But still, you're way more focused on the mermaid project than you have been on anything else, ever."

"Well, isn't that true of all of us?"

"Oh, sure," said Monica with a toss of her head. "This is the most fascinating project any of us have ever been on, or probably will ever be on, no doubt about that. But I don't know if it's affected us all as personally as it has you."

"I didn't realize it had affected me personally at all," Ian lied. 

"Didn't you? Well, it has. You're so much more focused now. So... obsessed. It's kind of weird." But the smile she gave him as she spoke indicated that she didn't think the weirdness was too bad of a thing. 

"Am I."

"Oh yes. And you know what else is weird?"

"What else is weird?"

"You used to be such a shy, vague, person, but you talked a lot. Well, not a lot, but as much as anybody else. Now you're motivated, focused, and determined -- and you talk about ten times less."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. You're doing it right now."

"Sorry." Ian stood up a little straighter, and tried to act like everything she had just said was completely innacurrate. "I hadn't realized I was doing that. I am very sorry."

"Ah, you don't have to apologize." Monica uncrossed her legs and let them rest straight out on the floor. "A person is who a person is, and if you're going to be all weird and obsessed with mermaids, then there's nothing I should really be able to do about it, is there?"

"All right," said Ian, "good. So if we're agreed on that -- "

"Yeah, like I said, it's weird," Monica went on, probably well aware that he was already at the point of asking her to leave. "But here's the thing -- it's quite a bit more interesting. This change in you is very intriguing. It's actually a bit fun to watch. I'm amused."

"O... kay," said Ian slowly. He was getting less and less sure of how to react to things as this conversation went on. "Look, I'm glad if something I've been doing recently has amused you. It's really an honor. Really. Now, are you done looking at the kittens?"

Monica glanced back over her shoulder to the spot under the table where the kittens were all tumbling around over each other playfully. "Yeah, I guess so," she said good - humoredly. "That was enough for one day."

Ian felt quite relieved when she stood up and seemed to be getting ready to go. She went to the front door -- without being asked to or being shown -- and reached for her sweater hanging on a peg and pulled it on. Ian found he really couldn't wait until the door closed behind her and she was gone, and he hovered around a couple yards away in anticipation. 

"Oh, but Ian -- " she said at the last minute, and Ian's heart sank. 

"What?"

"I probably will be back. Just to warn you. I don't think I'm quite done... looking at the kittens." She smield. "Or evaluating your behavior and passing judgement on your character." 

"Yes, I guess I assumed there would be a third visit," Ian said darkly. "The team wouldn't be really content just letting my 'change in behavior' rest, would they?"

Monica blinked. "Oh no, you've got it quite wrong," she laughed. "The team didn't send me today. And they won't be sending me next time, or probably ever again. No, I'm here of my own accord. I guess I just can't keep away."

"Oh, great," said Ian.

"Well, anyway, this was a good visit. I'd missed talking to you. I'll see you again soon, right?"

"Right," said Ian, "at work."

"Oh yes, there too," said Monica with a wink, and opened the door.