Tony chuckled as Mady abruptly noticed him sitting there near her in the dining room. He'd been watching as his little girl came in and made such an obvious fuss over her new kitty with amusement. This was the first time she hadn't excitedly greeted him whenever their paths crossed and, of course, he forgave her for it immediately. So he'd waited and continued to sip on his coffee and munch on the muffin he'd made earlier.

He laughed when she finally spotted him and shook his head. He scooted down the bench closer to her. "It's fine, sweetheart. Who is this?" He reached across the table and held his hand near the black cat's face, letting it decide if he was permitted to pet it or not.