Kayla was still half-buried in the documents by the time the sun set and Layna had exhausted herself to sleep. He realized that they'd missed dinner, as no one but Layna had eaten since their encounter. He had spoon-fed Layna her supper, forgetting to ask Kayla what the adults would have for the evening. Judging from the state of disarray she was in, however, Kayla didn't seem to consider her lack of night-time meal a problem.

"It's late. Don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Are you telling me to go away?"

"Suit yourself. You can use the bedroom. I'm going to stay up."

It was with cold douse down his spine that he realized the marks on the calendar weren't her reading list but her deadlines. She was taking at least five books a month.

"You still here? Ah, sorry, there are canned soups and some instant noodles in the pantry. You can order delivery if you want. Didn't expect you to stay here this long."

"Have you eaten?"

"I can reheat some leftover casseroles when I'm done."

Or maybe let it roll until it's time for lunch tomorrow, was the unsaid part.

"How much are you working on now?"

"I do remote jobs in two offices."

"The one where we met earlier?"

"No. It's a client's office. I needed to clarify something. You work there now?"

"Nah, I was there for a meeting, too." Trying to steer the conversation back to her, he sighed. "Do you need money that desperately?"

"No. I need something to distract my mind that desperately."

"But...you're...torturing yourself."

"I keep myself busy, 'have a life', so you say, instead of having my mind wander to the dark corners and inner demons every time I'm idle. And this keeps the me everyone wants to see. I got another award yesterday, by the way."

Her laugh was without mirth.

"You take remote jobs to be cooped in all day?"

"No. Layna's always been rather frail. I couldn't bear not looking after her when she's not at school, at least until she's much older." As an afterthought, she added, "And I hang out with friends on weekends, so...no need to be concerned." The nod was supposed to be reassuring. It was not.

"Kay--" before he could finish, Kayla was already speaking, cutting him off.

"Besides, as you can see, it's working well for Layna too. I have enough money for all this fancy housing and private preschool and basically everything she needs."

"Kayla...what about you?"

"Like you always said...no one could save me but myself, right?"