Return to business

The next day, you have to return to work. You worry a bit about leaving Sirona there alone, but the manticore assures you that she’ll be fine. She tells you that her sewing projects will keep her plenty busy, and she’s not afraid to be left alone for a few hours. The smile she gives you is reassuring, and finally you agree. Saying goodbye, you head off to the AWIO.

When you arrive, you receive some good natured ribbing about taking time off after just starting, but it’s all in good humor. You get a lot of congratulations as well, and pretty much everyone is happy to hear that Sirona is settling in nicely. After a bit of conversation, the work day goes back to routine, as if you never even missed a day.

With the success of the cafe, there’s been a surge of applicants for sponsorships, and you actually have a rather busy day. A couple interviews, ending with happy seeming matchups, and a mountain of paperwork to finish. You also get roped into helping sort through the online applications coming in. Even after the system filters out the ones that are incomplete, or get flagged by the background check, there’s still dozens that need to be painstakingly read through and sorted.

By the end of the day, you’ve barely made a dent in the pile, and you feel exhausted from reading so many personal stories. Still, you get a sense of accomplishment, and you head for the door still happy that you ended up doing this kind of work. Knowing how your life has improved since meeting Mazzy, you hope that you can bring the same thing to other people through this job.

It’s late as you make your way to the car, and you know that once again the girls will likely beat you home. As you get into the car, your phone buzzes with a message. Pulling it out as you start the car, you see that it’s from Mazzy, who must be at home already.

Hey, so something weird has happened. Don’t be alarmed, it’s not dangerous or scary, just…odd. It’s involving your ex. We’ll show you when you get home.

Despite her assurances, you’re worried, and you toss your phone onto the passenger seat as you pull out. Anything involving Kelly can’t be good, especially with as unhinged as she seemed last time you saw her. However, if it was urgent, Mazzy would say so. You pull out, driving home in more of a hurry than usual. Soon, you pull in at home, and through the window you can see the girls relaxing in the living room, seemingly unconcerned, which is a relief to you. As you get out of the car, Sirona looks out and sees you, smiling and waving.

You chuckle, waving back as you head to the door. Despite all the weirdness, it’s always nice to be greeted warmly.