Fumiko touched his shoulder. “You haven’t imposed on me in the least. I like having you here. It’s almost like having a friend of my own.”
Akira searched her face. “Are you not allowed to have friends?”
“I have the interns.”
“And now you have me. Oh, boy. It’s Nonny. He texts in English, so that’s better for you.”
Nonny here
About time you turned up
Where ARE you?
America
For good?
Better not be for good
Or I’ll kick your arse
Fumiko giggled.
A beat later, once he’d worked out the English, Akira mumbled, “Sorry, sorry. Nonny is a little … blunt. He isn’t angry. He’s probably been worried about me, since I left in a rush. Akira tapped in a response.
Just visiting
I’ll come home again
Who’s there with you?
Straight to the point, Nonny sent through a selfie. It showed four children mobbed around the same man from the previous photo, though he was clad in a chartreuse dressing gown this time. There were pillows everywhere, and the man had a baby curled on his chest.
“That’s the newest member of the family,” said Akira. “Those booties hide her hooves, but you can see how we modified her diaper to make room for her tail.”
A tuft of fur was indeed sprouting from her backside. Fumiko whispered, “She’s a crosser?”
“Yep. All of them are. Hang on.”
How’s Ella doing?
Been fussing
Mare’s milk doesn’t sit so good
Won’t settle for anyone but Jacques
Now that SOMEBODY skivved off
To America
Without us
Is Ella sick?
Michael thinks she might be like Gilen was
Shy of reavers