After experiencing the classic pattern of raising someone up (though that was probably just my own overinflated ego) only to be let down, we entered the store and sat at a table for three. The waitress and the other women in the shop were looking at us. It was probably 80% at Stevie and 20% at me. Still, I could feel their gazes on me too. It felt a little nice.
The two of them ordered pudding, so I went along with it. When it arrived, it really was pudding—pretty much the same as the one from my previous life.
"Isn't this the kind that needs fresh milk?" I asked.
Both of them widened their eyes in surprise. Lily said,
"You know that well! Even though you haven't eaten it yet!"
I'm used to being surprised at, but there's a big difference between being surprised because someone thinks I'm an idiot versus being surprised because they think I'm smart. This kind of surprise feels good. (Just don't dig too deep into where I learned it, okay?)
