He nodded. “Yes. I know some NASA astronauts. One day, we’ll go to Florida and tour the NASA facility.”
“Where is Florida?”
“It’s southeast of us. They have alligators there.”
She shook her head. “There is so much I don’t know. But Neo is tutoring me after school. She’s taking her lessons and teaching them to me. She says it helps her learn the information.”
“Really? That’s cool. She’s a cool kid. When I first met her, I thought she was a bit odd, but she’s great.”
“Yes. She’s smart, and she’s really nice.”
Q began cooking their eggs while she toasted some bread. Having him home was nice. She’d talked about relationships with the women and learned how different it was from what she’d learned as a child.
“I’ve been thinking about work and what I want to do for a job.”
Q glanced over his shoulder and met her gaze. “So what are you thinking?”
“Well, I’m not going to do photography like Ellis. I don’t feel like I could do that. And Vera’s job doesn’t sound interesting. Cleaning buildings like Talia used to do might be good for me, but I wouldn’t want to work that late in the day. Remi is so creative. There’s no way I could ever come up with the stories she does for Pecky. But Clove’s job, cooking for people, that would be something easy for me.”
“Cooking is interesting. It’s hard work.”
“Yes, I know, but I’m not sure what else I would be suited for.”
“I’m sure you would be great at whatever you put your mind to.”
“I do have time to think about it. I can’t even apply until I get a social security number, which could take a year.”
Q finished making the eggs and plated them before he turned to her. “I’ve been thinking about your situation.”
She cocked her head to the side, not sure she was going to like what he had to say. “What about it?”
“Let’s eat, and we can talk.”
“Sure.”
They settled at the table, and she picked up her fork and pushed her food around. She feared he would ask her to leave.
“You came from a bad situation, and there is a whole world out here you’ve never known.”
She nodded. “It’s daunting.”
“I don’t want you rushing into any decisions. I know I kissed you when I came in, but I don’t want you to think you have to be in a relationship with me.”
She glanced up and met his gaze, fear rising. “What if I want to be in a relationship with you?”
He swallowed the bite he was working on. “I don’t want you to regret that decision in a few years. There are a lot of great people out there, some jerks, too, but a lot of great people, and I don’t want to be your only option because I was your only option. Does that make sense?”
She shook her head. “No. It doesn’t.”
“There’s this place called The Refuge. They have a counselor and some other people who can help you think through things. I heard from Wolf that the guy who runs the place is willing to host you out there. Normally, it’s only free to military vets with PTSD, but they have a scholarship that is available, and you qualify for that.”
“What is PTSD?”
“It’s a thing that happens when you’ve experienced trauma. The guys who run it are retired military. They watch for threats and will keep you safe. They are good people who will provide space for you to figure out things and talk to people who might have a different perspective. It’s worth it to give it two weeks, and then you can come back here. Not that I’d expect you to start a relationship even then, but clearing your mind and finding out what else there is out in the wide world might help you make decisions.”
“So you’re not telling me I have to leave.”
He shook his head. “Heck no, I want you here, but I don’t want you to think this is all there is. If we do end up together, I want you to really be satisfied that you made the right choice.”
