“I left you a note in the kitchen…” Anatole said.

Dave and Kate had already rounded up the kittens and disappeared inside Kate’s house with them. Anatole held his finger aloft, made a circular motion with it indicating the international gesture for fruitcake, and climbed back into the cab.

“It’s in the backyard!” Dave shouted to Kate. “Anatole put it in the backyard!”

Dave opened the back door and the kitten tumbled in. It looked up at him and meowed. Dave burst out laughing. “She’s hungry.”

Kate couldn’t believe her eyes. She scooped the kitten up and held it close.

“Now why are you crying?” Dave asked in total exasperation.

Kate didn’t even try to stop the tears. “I’m so happy!”

Dave took four bowls from the kitchen cabinet and filled them with cat food. “Women,” he said gruffly, and when he turned back to Kate his eyes were bright.

Kate let out a long, slow breath. Never in a million years would she have suspected it could be like this. Loving someone so much that their pain was your pain, and their joy was your joy. That’s how much Dave loved her, and that’s the love she returned. She bit her lower lip and gave her head an almost imperceptible shake. She’d been incredibly stupid. She’d almost thrown away the love of a lifetime because Dave didn’t fit into her silly preconceived husband mold. She went to Dave and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You like me, huh?”

He nodded his head.

“And you’re happy the kitten’s been found?”

He nodded again.

Kate kissed him tenderly. “I think I finally figured it out. I thought my marriage to Anatole failed because of irreconcilable differences, but I was wrong. It failed because we didn’t love each other. We never loved each other. At least not the way husbands and wives are supposed to love. Our marriage is going to last forever because the differences between us won’t matter so much. You were right. It’s our love that’s important.”

It took him a minute to find his voice. “You’re a pretty smart lady.”

“It took me a while.”

He kissed her slowly, savoring every moment of it. “I’m glad you decided to marry me. I’d hate to think of these kittens growing up illegitimate.” He leaned away from her just a bit so he could better look at her. His eyes were serious when he finally spoke. “You’re going to make a good kitten mother.”

“Because I love them, too?”

“Yup.”

“If I had some help, I might even make a passable child mother,” she said, smiling. “Don’t you think?”

“You’ll make the best child mother ever. And we’ll make sure there’s room in your life for your cello.”