Page 28 of Accounting for Taste

“Reem?”

“Yes.”

“Why aren’t you lifting me and swinging me around like you used to?”

“I lost most of my memories of individual events.My memories start after I woke in the lab, and I don’t know how long I had been there or been awake before my memories began.”

Jasmine leaned back and said, “That is what I heard, but I didn’t think it could be right.Then, we asked around, and we found people who remembered you, and they are willing to do a memory display tonight.”

“What is that?”

“They will put a halo on and listen to music that reminds them of a moment, and the halo will project that moment.”

“I see.That will be interesting.”

Jasmine looked at her face as if searching for something.“You are still in there.”

“I am.Do you want to see the implant?It seems to explain the point succinctly.”

Jasmine looked ill.“Sure.”

“You were always squeamish, Jayjay.You don’t have to look.”

Jasmine inhaled sharply and stiffened her shoulders.“I can look.”

“I paid to have my hair extruded just to hide it because it upsets people, no matter the species.”

“I can look, Reem.”

Reem nodded, bent, and parted her hair to show the silver band.“There, that is the item holding my brain together.”

She felt fingers on it.“Oh, wow.I thought it would be weird.It looks like a headband.”

Gold masculine legs filled her vision.“Comptroller Reem, Wenvari would like to know what is possible with your recovery, so we will do an assessment now.No treatment will be administered.”

“Yes, Lord Ra.”She slowly straightened.

“Follow me.”

She nodded, and as he walked to the pyramid, she followed.Harwin fell into step with her.“I am coming along so that it isn’t scary.”

Reem said, “I don’t get scared.”

Jasmine piped up from behind them.“She never did.Her blood was ice when she needed it to be.Always calm.”

Harwin nodded.“Right.That probably helped.”

Reem sighed, “Couldn’t hurt.”

Jasmine took her hand and held it tightly as they walked.

Reem looked at her and felt another piece of knowing kick in.Jayjay was always clinging to her and hiding behind her.“So, you have gotten spliced with something.You look very creamsicle.”

Her cousin smiled.“Mixed with Maltoothans.Ra is trying to contact them to see if they have a Hmrain descendant for me to play with.”

There was a snort from up front.Reem recognized that Ra was laughing.Harwin snorted.“Jasmine has refused a match until she saw you.Wenvari was refusing to let you go until just now.”

“He does not like dealing with his people, so he has been content for me to do it.”

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