Special. I was proud of her. I didn't want it to end, actually. Sometimes you have to do the thing you least want to do. I've regretted it ever since....I'm glad she moved on. Honestly, I always thought her more dominant than submissive.”“She has done very well by me.” I wondered what had torn them apart, but neither spoke of it, and neither spoke ill of the other. That was both odd and reassuring.Kimberly chuckled. “The fact you're still wearing that collar this long after she left proves that.. For a long time--perhaps for most of the evening, it seems--she pored over her studies and remained unresponsive.Later that night I felt she was still mourning, despite saying she would get over it. I had seen a whole neighborhood full of hurt, tragic people: widows, the disabled and the paralyzed, the shot-up and the abandoned of the War. I had seen my mom's sister, my young and plain looking Aunt Martha, when she came to our apartment once in the middle of the night, pounding on our front. .. who knows when, if ever. Thanks for the videos. That was fun watching Dad carry you around your house. It points out one of the few benefits of being small like you and me.”“Hey,” Liya responded, “perhaps one of us could make a ToC command like that ... although I’d hate to leave our ... larger sisters out.”There was much chuckling.“Beth and I talked with the Moms this afternoon about ToC. They say that we will play again, although when is up in the air. Were you two thinking that we’d keep. It turned out that he had heard of The Flames, and was impressed that she worked there.Pyx was about to take him up on his offer to tour the kitchen, when I cleared my throat. "Pyx, we have some guests that we need to talk to. Maybe you could do that tour later; say, our first full day at sea."My slave immediately remembered her place. She bowed her head meekly. "Yes, Sir. That's a good idea." Of course," said the chef. "Just call the kitchen, and ask for me. We'll work out a better.