"The Welch's kind?" she asked, smiling and very familiar with the brand. By way of explaining, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I work at a diner. By the time I get home, it seems silly to cook anything fancy when it's just me."
Lou moved to the sink to wash her hands thoroughly before beginning, the familiar sounds of the movie starting up in the background. Her heart lightened as she began what was routine for her but this time it would be something she could share. This felt right. Friends and food - the best part of life. She was grinning ear to hear and probably happier than most anyone ever got to see her. The edges around her softened in a way that made her seem much younger than she really was.
"Do me a favor and preheat the oven at 350 degrees?" That was the first step. It also had the added benefit of warming up the room that much more. The room wasn't bad, but Lou enjoyed the heat of baking anytime but in the blazing dead-center of summer.