I don't know how I seemed, but I was anything but calm. Still, this meeting had to happen. My earlier confrontation with Paul had been absolutely awf...l. He had been holding all the cards: We had been in his office, and I'd been blind-sided by his belatedly finding out about Maria and me.Awful!This time, at least he could shout at me without the whole team overhearing. And maybe the presence of Orlie -- and Maria -- would temper his anger to some degree."Maria?" I said.She was driving this. Boss had even found her a translation tablet, the same kind she had use when we had first met. It was in a shed they had set up that contained booty stolen during raids that they had deemed useless, but too interesting to throw out. It allowed her some rudimentary communication, but it was enough that people stopped seeing her as an animal, and started to view her as an intelligent person.Ever alert, she heard me enter the cabin, and rolled over to face me, amber eyes peering out at me.“Hello. Satisfied she had sufficient line out, made her first cast. It was as near picture perfect as any cast could be. After several casts however, she had no success in attracting any attention!"Let me change your fly!" I recommended to my wife!Virginia retrieved her line and I tied on one of my own "killer recipes", as we like to call some of my concoctions. Virginia returned to her earlier position and cast to what we hoped would be a waiting salmon! On the very first pass a salmon came flying. About to lose her favorite toy.Mallory took several steps past Daphne but stopped. “I should help you back upstairs.” She turned and extended her hand. Daphne said nothing, but limped into her arms and laid her weight against her as she started for the stairs. She tried breathing through her mouth at first, but she caught whiffs of Daphne’s fruity shampoo. The fresh shower scent was intoxicating. She tried to resist, but Mallory heart soon melted at the feel of Daphne’s soft skin against hers..