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“No, thank you. I already ate,” Charlotte said.

“Oh, um,” Nell hesitated. “It wasn’t for you.”

“Good morning.” Maklr walked downstairs, his shirt from the previous night, wrinkle free.

Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. “I see,” she said.

Maklr sat at the table. “It’s not what you think, Charlie,” he started to say.

Charlotte wiggled her eyebrows. “If you say so.”

Nell cleared her throat. “Actually, it isexactlywhat you think.” Nell put her hand up in a stop motion. “Before you ask, no, I’m not giving details. Not now, not in therapy.”

Charlotte glanced at Maklr’s wrists.

“No bonding marks. She’s not ready. She may never be.”

“I didn’t believe I would be well enough for certain things. I need a bit more time. Maklr is patient with me.”

“And if Nell decides she’s never ready, that’s her choice. I will love her forever, with or without the marks.”

“Love?” Charlotte said.

“Love,” confirmed Nell. She placed the omelette in front of Maklr. The three sat at the farmhouse style table in an uncomfortable silence while Nell and Maklr ate.

“Listen,” Charlotte began. “I never would have pushed you two to stay together if I thought…”

“No. I’m grateful. It’s exactly what I didn’t know I needed,” Nell said. “The mix up at the resort was an unintentional overbooking, but I believe it was a happy accident.”

Maklr reached to hold Nell’s hand. “I prefer to think of it as fate intervening on our behalf.”

“Fate works too,” Nell nodded.

After breakfast, when more humans had descended the stairs to begin their day, shock at Maklr’s early presence in the center filled the room.

Maklr let Nell take the lead on how she handled discussing their relationship. “It’s nobody’s business but ours,” Nell said. “Either we tell them, or the rumor mill will start up and it’ll spiral out of control.”

Eventually, Nell took Maklr’s hand in front of all the residents. “Yes. Quit the rumors. Maklr and I are together.”

“Together, together?” someone in the back corner asked.

“Yes.” Nell confirmed. “Now, who wants to walk with us to the center to see the playground in action? We’re supposed to have five families try it out today.”

Half a dozen human residents, Charlotte, Maklr and Nell, headed to the center. Maklr and Nell brought up the rear of the rag-tag group.

Nell remained jumpy, leaning into Maklr for comfort. “I can’t explain it. It’s a weird sensation.”

“Remember the moment my comm dinged this morning, and woke us up?”

Nell had been laying sprawled over his chest, her leg between his.

“How could I forget?”

“Well, two things. Phil knows about us. He saw your head on my chest, and he wants to help. You two are comfortable with each other, right?”

Nell nodded. “Yes.”

“I brought him into the loop with the weird shadows.” Maklr took her hand. “We’re meeting him in a few minutes at the center to discuss your protection.”