When she saw Jienne, the woman was sitting near the counsellor.“Jienne, are you good to get a good night’s sleep?”
She looked at Ava with a watery smile.“I don’t think I will ever sleep again.”
“You will.Is she good to travel?”she asked the counsellor.
“Um.Yes.We will be in contact in the next few days.Just to finalize the reports.”
Ava smiled.“I will go with you as well.”
Jienne smiled in relief.“Thank you.Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because when a lady can deep throat a cupcake in a public place, that is a skill that needs to be shared.”
Jienne laughed and nodded.“Fair enough.Thank you again.”
“Don’t thank me until you meet my pet.Nigel is a lot of love in a very large animal.”
Jienne got to her feet and said, “Ready when you are.”
Ava brought up Zera on coms.“I am taking her home.I have sent you my address.Stop by anytime.”
“Jienne, are you going back to work at Klauz’s?”
“I don’t think I can.I...don’t think so.”
Zera nodded.“I will tell Klauz to get another hostess in.”
“Thank you.”
Ava smiled.“If you want help matching her with a likely candidate, I can do that, and when she’s ready, she’s ready.”
Jienne looked at her.“Do you think I will ever be ready?”
“You just need to meet the right patron.”
Zera stared.“Are you willing to come by as match-assist again?”
“You seem to be making a hash of it, and if I get booted out, I can do it remotely.”
She moved to end the call.
“Wait?Is that a yes?”
Ava smiled.“I am here, aren’t I?Send me the new files.Dork.”
Zera’s blinding grin blipped out.
Ava held out her hand.“Come on.Let’s get somewhere that doesn’t have the vibe of a brothel in a mad scientist’s lab.”
Jienne laughed and took her hand.That was how Jienne had gotten her treatment on the way in.The shadow had been exhaled into the street, and it went right back to its master.That is when the moron decided to camp out outside the building.Too bad he wasn’t better at hide and seek.
They got into Ava’s car, and as they drove away, Jienne said, “You know, I thought I had a shadow stuck to me, but it’s gone now.”
“You don’t say.”
“You don’t seem the kind to hold hands with strangers.”
Ava grinned as she drove through the early hours.“I have a very nurturing side.Somewhere.”
