She's looking out at the stars. Forgotten in her left hand, a light-stylus glows a forlorn green.
I clear my throat. "Excuse me."
"Oh!" Her hand goes to her heart. "Uncle Leo, don't scare me like... that." She catches sight of me.
"I'm afraid I don't know Uncle Leo," I say with a smile. "Did I sound like him?"
Without answering, she says, "I'm Joanna."
"Aiden," I say.
"Nice name." She cocks her head. "What's that in your hair?"
I thought she would ask about my eyes."Huh? Oh, those're my ears."
"Wow! Do they move?"
"About as much as my tail does."
Her eyes light up; she must think I'm joking. I swish my tail in front of her; she gives a kind of squeak.
**
Sal doesn't seem to know what to make of Joanna; neither does Maddie.
I can feel my ears twitching nervously. Do they think she just led me home, like a lost kitten?
"Well," says Maddie. She runs a hand through her copper ringlets. "Aiden doesn't often bring friends home."
"Am I the first?"
"First this month," I chime in.
"Aiden!"
I smile and click my tongue.
**
"That one's Aelita." She points out a small, bright-red star. "She's shy; can't you see her blushing?"
"Oh, yes," I reply.
She's told me about her odd habit. "Not so odd," she said. "Ancient mariners named hundreds of individual stars. They depended on those stars to find their way home; I do the same."
"You're an astronomer?"
"No, I'm a stargazer. Trust me; there's a difference."
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