Charlie's smile caused Cat's to become still wider and warmer. For some reason, the sight of this girl smiling gave Cat a thrill of contentment, of accomplishment. How odd it was, the investment she felt in this near-stranger's happiness. It was then that Cat realized that Charlie, however new an acquaintance, was no stranger. She felt the oddest urge to brush the other woman's hair with her fingers again, but this time restrained herself.
"It's good to have friends like that," Cat smiled. The fact was, Cat didn't have any such friends or companions. Having established herself so independently from family, having always been something of a good-time girl, Cat hadn't fallen in with many people she could count on outside of her family, and they were half a world away, of course. The few closer friends she had in New York were just that - in New York, leaving her feeling a bit more lost than she'd have been likely to admit in her new home.
"Here, let me," Cat said with a laugh, switching the settings. "Colors and darks... and yes, I think it's safe to call this a heavy soil."
Once the darks machine was set, Cat went about adjusting the settings for the machine that held the lights. "You're quite lucky." She cast a glance at her companion. "He seems to quite like you."