Page 60 of Surviving Enchantment: Part two
“Yup.She made sure that the embarrassment of my situation could never be held up to her again.She has other kids to be proud of.”
“You miss them.”
“Of course I do.I also know that no one is allowed to talk to me, so there is no point in trying to get in touch.”
He sighed.“Close communities are...difficult.”
“Yes.They are.”
“How long have you been gone?”
“Ten years.”
“I see.Here all that time?”
“Yup.School.Working as bait for vice, and then admin after the wave.”
“Why?Why did you change after the wave?”
“Because I didn’t want to kill anyone, and some of those predators were vile.”She smiled.“I also needed six months to control my forms.That took a lot of therapy.”
“Right.I imagine it would.No training as a child?”
“Nope.My mother said she always knew I would be weak.”
He was stunned.“I see.”
“Eh, middle child syndrome.Did you at least get the lady’s number?”
“What?Who?”
“The woman from the wedding.”
“Oh.No.The moment Solor came up to talk to me, I forgot all about her.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why are we outside?”
“Oh, Jerrik was waiting up for news.Iris was on a date with Kairek.He associates you with Kairek, and he would wake up from his nap if he heard you.”
“Oh.Okay.You are babysitting?”
“Emily is babysitting.I was having tea and cookies.”
“Ah.”He rubbed the back of his neck.“So, how do we start?”
“Why don’t we not?You have a bright future with your links to family ahead of you.I wouldn’t want to interfere with that.Seriously.You think I am cold, and I think you are pretty, and we are just going to leave it there.It’s better for both of us and less stress for the people around us.Because when it would go bad, it would be extremely bad.”
“What if it’s good?”
“It still ends when your family shows up.”
“You can see it?”
“I can predict it.You have already told me about your mother’s attitude.I don’t foresee it getting better.”
He sighed.“Can I have cookies?”
