Actually, no.  that wasn’t what was said.  What was said was:

“I miss the babies.”

Not a line from me and nothing to do with real babies at all.

He phones me last night, about 7.  He’s been at the shop all day and so is finishing early (well, early for him).

“What do you think about going for a pizza?”, he asks.

“Sure”, I reply.

“We could meet at Liù in 10 minutes?”, he suggests – this being the restaurant/pizzeria in Via Eustachi, so very close to me.

“Perhaps then I go home and come back and stay with you”, he says, before adding how he missed the babies.  Not me!  Well, of course not, since I am with him every night, even if we are at his place.

But, for me, it’s great that he misses the ‘babies’ as he calls Rufus and Dino.  I like it a lot.  And it’s great that he misses them and loves them.  I left the flat to take them for a walk and we waited, just outside the building for a few moments until I saw him coming.  Then we walked on as he likes to ‘surprise’ them – especially Dino.  And so we are walking.  He catches us up and is a few paces behind.  Suddenly Dino spies him, does a double take (for one second it could be anyone) and then launches himself at F, so excited he is to see him.  I like this too.  I like that Dino is so pleased to see him and that he is so pleased to see Dino.

This morning I text him to tell him that it’s been a great four months and that he makes me happy.  He texts back to say ‘I love you’.

I can’t stop smiling.