"Let them play," Clara told her, letting her breath slip down Shamira's neck. "Feel it through them. Don't worry about what-ifs. You can do this."

"Are we interrupting something?" Kira asked, poking her head around the corner.

Shamira felt like she'd just been caught by her parents, or at least what she felt it would have been like. She'd never brought anyone home to meet them. "No, it's okay. Why don't you make yourselves comfortable?" She glanced over and saw love and approval from the woman holding her. "I'll just watch for a bit."

"Uhm . . . watch?" Arthur asked, emerging from the bathroom.

Clara pulled Shamira up close...