Sir Guy was loafing on the blue loveseat in the living room, long legs crossed at the ankles and draped across the back of the furniture. Scarlett was draped across his well-toned tummy while his handsome aquiline nose was tucked into the paperback in his hand. The Bernard Hare book, of all things. Would wonders ever cease?
“So that’s where my book got to!” Ladywriter, her arms folded across her chest, smiled down at the duo. A pair of kohl-rimmed blue eyes (nicely accented by the color of the upholstery) peeped at her above the edge of the book. Did she detect a hint of sheepishness there? NOT that he would admit it.
“Urhm . . . yes, well . . .” Sir Guy sniffed and gave a nonchalant shrug of his Floppy Pirate Shirt-clad shoulders. “Thought I might just–take a peek. Since you have not yet read this tome,” he added in a faintly accusatory tone. Standing up for his CReAtor, was he?
Ladywriter sighed. “I told you, my dearest dark knight, my mind has been going in a thousand different directions of late and I’d like to be able to concentrate on the story as it deserves.” Her mouth curled into a smirk. “And some of us have to work at building our business for a living, you know . . . ”
Sir Guy raised a brow. “And some of us had to–perish–in a particularly nasty way to get to enter this Valhalla known as the Land of the So Not Dead.”
Ladywriter bowed her head. “‘Tis true, Sir Guy, and I do not begrudge you one minute of your much-deserved happiness.”
He gave her a gracious nod in return. “Thank you, my lady. It was your idea in the first place, the entire SND thing . . .”
“And once the craziness of this weekend and the first part of next week are over, then, perhaps, I can settle down and read the book. In the meantime, I’ve got interview questions for several people to write for our bonus feature on the POTR video, along with a script for my hippy dippy video jockey from the 70s to do, and Benny will be shooting me in front of the green screen Sunday, I’ve got a Tuesday luncheon date with our yogi we are shooting an instructional vid for, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage to shoot Tuesday night . . .”
Sir Guy stroked Scarlett, who proceeded to purr softly as she squinted at the big, handsome fellow she adored. It was good being Ladywriter’s cat. You got to meet the most interesting ChaRActers . . .
“And–a doctor’s visit Monday?” He tilted his head. “You KNOW you haven’t been feeling that well of late, either.”
She shrugged. “No, but I was hanging on for that appointment. At long last. WITH my former student, no less. A very intelligent and very sweet young man. He’s gotten raves from his other patients. So–I have hopes . . .” She crossed her fingers on both hands.
“So–enjoy the book and tell me what you think, and be patient with me, dear Sir Guy. You KNOW you are still my favorite ChaRActer . . .”
And always will be.
Benign, poised, demure Richard Armitage in a shot by Sarah Dunn 2014 
the armitage effect 
