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"Ellie will be happy that I'm not going to be in the basement of a building turning into a crazy old tenured professor." He rubbed his hands vigorously in mock excitement over what would have been a very organized mess of books and lecture notes.  He was happy that he had found another path where there would be an amazing woman waiting for him whom he also liked and wanted to be around.  "I can take a stab at your parents. I could probably find something using ancestry data if I sent it off to the right lab. I thought the Wongs were big in Asia though.  I'm not keen to use it, but I'm sure that in your parents eyes those relationships would be very valuable to their national interests. Also, I do get a nice monthly amount from Henry."

"Nice?  Henry already told me.  He's paying you a hundred thousand a year to keep you off his back." Janna held his hand as she pulled him back towards the reception area.  A security guard flighted a light in their direction as Janna waved at him from the front desk.  He threw her the thumbs up signal as he continued on his run of the building's perimeter. "You know sometimes you need to remind me that you have your own money.  I often forget that you are much more than just the average college student. Maybe, if you'd made it more apparent I would have been less scared of approaching you."

"Hey, I got you.  Don't forget already.  I did the deed myself. But, in terms of money you should probably be making ten or twenty times more than me by the time that I get everything in the accounting department sorted out.  But the major thanks should come from Henry of course. He is the main money man of all of us. I should also bring in a lot more patients when I get you on social media -- I'm sure everyone will be happy to see my glowing reviews of your services."

Outside of the clinic, Janna paused to look at the decaying building behind them.  She touched her lover's face with her free hand before smiling. "Social isn't really something I consider to be one of my strengths." She smiled dreamily at Nolan's beaming expression. "But, I do like that you are going to pick up on my weaknesses."

His breath caught as she admitted those last words.  He looked around carefully before quickly kissing her.  Wu looked at him with a confused expression, before surrendering to kissing him with renewed enthusiasm.

=//=

Ellie couldn't help feeling like she was stuck in a video game and was so busy playing it that she had forgotten that she didn't really belong in a fantasy world.  Henry and her would spend most of the day together and she would want to touch him more with each passing day. She would catch herself with a hand on his arm or on his leg without a thought.  She would removed it quickly before he could notice, but it bothered her why she kept feeling so comfortable around him. After they had gone to the racing track, they had gone to do recreational activities around the city.  Henry usually had the whole place shut down so they wouldn't be disturbed by other people. He was also worried about tabloid fodder which is why they made sure to not be out in the streets together. Ellie understood his concerns but did feel a bit uneasy that he didn't want to expose their relationship at all.

A great difficulty to her was making sure that he didn't see her upset.  Henry was a great friend to her, other than when she had made an unconscious move on him.  His demeanor changed almost imperceptibly where he would grow cold and extricate himself from her casual touching.  He didn't really like all all to be touched by other people, Ellie noted. He didn't even like it when people offered him handshakes.  He did it quickly, before retreating back into that cold mask of polite disinterest. Ellie privately wondered if he was well aware of her wants and was trying to convince her otherwise.

Escapism could only work for a short while, sadly.  The warm days of summer were quickly turning. The cold northern winds were slowly descending on the city as Michael kept recommending her to change her sweater for parkas.  Eventually his insistence included heavy scarves and kid gloves. Outside the pigeons were finding warm heaters to use as hideaways for the winter. The wilder birds were gone from their usual haunts by the pond in the garden.  It was inevitable of course, the charade couldn't last forever. It was approaching the end of their annulment process. Ellie felt a strange restlessness that the opportunity were slipping away from her. She was losing him if he decided she was still not worth trying to forge a relationship with.  Henry was going to find company in other women, although they did enjoy each other.

Although the streets below them were cold and miserable, seventy stories up a couple was lounging in their balcony garden.  There were heat boxes all along the side of the guard rail which was pumping heat to the long day bed which had been set out in the middle of the garden. There was a large HDTV opposite them where the duo were sharing kettle popcorn and watching one of Henry's favorite black and white films.  There were weighted blankets that were shared by the two as Madeline had made a little nest in between as she mindlessly suckled on her rawhide bone while her legs at interval would jerk in a scampering motion.

"This is caramel popcorn, Ellie.  I had it specially made in the kitchen so you could try it.  It was one of my mother's favorites. Would you like to have some?"

"Of course.  I am honored that you would think of me."