A First

Yesterday, Fans, we had one of those bound-to-happen-but-still-scary firsts: Julie and Joe got separated in a store.  Clara was given the same dress by two different people for her birthday so Julie wanted to go and swap one for some more pajamas and socks.  She was in the way back by the pajamas and while she was realizing that they make night gowns in Clara's size--which Birdie would love because they are, effectively, dresses--she was nearly simultaneously realizing that once she went night gown, she'd never be able to go back and since she did already have some summer pajamas for Birdie, she was realizing she should dismiss the night gowns.  It was in the middle of this rapid chain of realizations that she also realized that Joe was no longer flittering around her.  She quickly went to the front of the store where the majority of the toys to buy are kept and sure enough, there was Our Hero, having wandered very near the door in the way front, clutching some truck contraption.

Julie had found Joe by the time he realized they were separated, but she found him quite literally at that moment, so she watched as his face twisted up in fear, which is what her heart had been doing about a millisecond before that moment.  It was only a moment and then Joe had his face pressed so hard against Julie's legs that she couldn't crouch down to hold him properly, saying, "I couldn't find you."  Oh, Fans.

We had to go through the McDonald's drive thru for some shakes after all that.  Joe got vanilla.  Julie got strawberry, but decided to give it to Clara after Joe asked where Clara's shake was.  Since it was strawberry, it was pink, and although Julie and Joe weren't looking for a sign, it all seemed sort of perfect all the same.  After it was all decided, Joe said, "Yeah.  We'll share with Clara.  That's called loving someone."