"Yeah." Frida said and mechanically started to rub Casper's tummy while still paying attention to the album and Malachi. "I'll just tell my family that I have to work late so they won't bother me. 'Course I could come by earlier too, when it's still going to be daylight for a few hours."
She felt herself raise up an inch when Malachi sat next to her on the couch...and then he said something unexpected. 'Scared me off?' Frida stopped looking at the album and stroking Casper and stared right at Malachi. "Why would you..." She started to say as her imagination grabbed hold, "Why would you scare me off? You're a sweet person." 'Oh my, God. He's a psycho-killer! Don't tell me he's a murderer!' Her eyes had widened and the woman was pretty sure that she had leaned back an inch or so.

'Okay, maybe he's not about to slay me.' She breathed a sort of sigh of relief and relaxed when Malachi moved on to the album. "He must weigh a ton." Frida commented and examined the creature in the photo as she started to tremble a little bit at what her friend said next.
'That's an odd thing to say.' Frida thought and started to flip the edge of the album page to distract herself somewhat. "I...um..." She clasped her hands together and thought for a moment while the pair sat in silence for the brief time.
Surprising even herself, Frida slowly reached over and took Malachi's right hand in her left, and laying her right over it. "It's good that you're honest." She said, though she knew there was more he wasn't telling her. "It's just that, right now seems-" 'a bit soon.' The woman gave a half-smile, and kept certain things to herself. "I'll keep it in mind. Okay?" It wasn't much, but at least it was something comforting. Frida disregarded the word Malachi used, 'Cheesiness.'

Frida rolled her eyes and laughed slightly, releasing Malachi when he stood up. "Malachi." She began to say while giving him a 'Oh, come on now' sort of look, "You're not cheesy, you're not old, and you're not a fool." Frida stood up as well and set the album down where she had been sitting. "Now let's go. I want to see what a cinema is like." There was an emphasis on the word 'I'. "And of course I'll be back to pick up what you've selected for me." Good produce was always nice to have.