I'm beyond help in some ways. I have a not!husband that dislikes physical contact, and I'm a subconscious cuddler. So every time Mayfield puts me in my assigned bed, he wigs out. Growing up in a family that communicates by touch as well as talking, it'll take more than a few months for me to reprogram myself, and I'd rather not.

I'm attracted to several people in town, but the whole place blows up so often there's not really a good time to approach them. I am having to step carefully around so many cultural standards, I can't tell if somebody's being polite or interested. I relied so long on my empathy to tell me these things, I have to really watch the body language, and even that can throw me off. I mean, I'm dancing around some values trying to find out if I give in to my impulse and wall him, is he going to be offended, fight it, allow it but discard me the next day, or is he waiting for me to make the first move?

[ She sags in the chair. ]

I kinda wish they weren't kidding about having a barbecue and orgy.