I felt at peace as I made my way home from the clinic, looking forward to standing tall, no longer being afraid to make eye-contact. It would be nice not to have to be prepared all the time in case someone asked why I was wearing gloves or what my Calling was, although no one ever had.

Returning home, I was pleasantly surprised to see Sabeece waiting outside my door.

Once I invited Sabeece in and started preparing a couple warm drinks, I asked, "So Sabs, what brings you to my doorstep today? Last I heard, you were on assignment in a nearby settlement, what was the name of the place, again? Arven, Eren..?"

"The name's not important. I came to see you, Grayce. How have you been?" It seemed to me there was a particular emphasis on that last sentence.

Sabeece settled into my favourite spot on the couch, quite at home with feet up my the knee-height table I usually ate off of when I was home alone.

Gonna have to clean that later.

"Sabs, is this a personal or a professional visit?" I wasn't quite sure how to answer that pleasantry at the moment. "I enjoy your company, and I've always felt comfortable telling you anything - you know that... But, since you became a Counselor, I find myself wondering if I'm being analyzed anytime we talk."

"I appreciate your candor, Grayce. You were always one for getting right to the point! Soooo... how are you?"

"Same-old, same-old," I hedged, instinctively cautious. Sabeece really seemed to be getting at something, and after my experience at the clinic earlier, I wasn't in a sharing mood.

"You still haven't answered my question, Sabeece. I'm glad to see you, but why are you here?" I prodded, as I grew suspicious.

"Oh, you know..." Sabeece chuckled, with what seemed like a deliberate attempt at lightheartedness. "I... I'm just checking up on you, haven't heard from you in a while..."

An extended pause followed, while I studiously avoided eye contact and Sabeece sipped delicately on the fragrant beverage I had offered.

Sabeece finally fessed up, "Medic Quodis referred me. Said you needed to talk and that a familiar face might be best."

Oiiiii - I do not want to talk 'bout this. Now that I know thereea treatment, I just want to go get it taken care of and get on with my life.

"That's really... thoughtful of Quo, it is, but I don't need counseling."

"It's that bad, huh?" Sabeece quipped with a wink.

"No, it isn't. I mean, not anymore. It's all going to be fixed soon." I put down my half finished drink then, attempting to signal an end to this line of questioning.

"How about you, what's new with you? I trust you find counseling a rewarding Calling? Any interesting cases lately?"

"Fixed?" Sabeece showed no inclination to change topics.

"You still haven't Bloomed yet, have you, Grayce?"

"What...? You knew?!" I spluttered, instinctively taking a step back, barely keeping my footing.

"Of course! You didn't think you could keep something like that from me, did you?" Sabeece brushed my surprise away with a gesture. "Don't worry though, I'm sure no one else would have figured it out. You blend in well, I could only tell because I've known you my whole life. I'd have known the moment you Bloomed , so I knew it mustn't have happened."

I guess my big secret wasn't as secret as I thought. Sabeece made a good point though, it probably wasn't apparent to anyone else.

I hope.

As a Counselor, Sabeece was particularly attuned to the thoughts and feelings of others. Given our long history, I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still caught me off-guard.

"Have you ever seen anyone as old as you who hasn't bloomed?" Sabeece asked, quietly.

"Well, I don't personally know any, but they must be out there, living full lives. Worst case scenario, I'm alone, right? I could learn to live with that. I like my space anyway."

"You don't understand, Grayce," Sabeece looked at me, with evident pity. "There aren't any in-bonded Individuals."

"What am I missing, Sabeece? I get the impression you know more than you're saying." Worry tinged my voice.

"The un-Bonded are... taken away," Sabeecesaid slowly, carefully. "It doesn't happen often, but when it does, they're not allowed to stay."

After a pause, Sabeece added softly, "You're the oldest I've ever heard of that's gone this long without being Removed."

"That can't be true, we'd know if they rounded up and relocated a bunch of un-Bonded. It's not the kind of thing that would go unnoticed..." I trailed off, my thoughts automatically turning to what it would take for such an operation.

As each Individual in a cohort Bonded, they were assumed into the daily routine of their Calling. We used to meet regularly when we were younger, led by a rotation of Elders that kept us in line and offered gentle guidance when we asked it, or needed it but didn't know how to ask. Usually the Elders assigned to groups of Younglings had been Counselors, so they were particularly attuned to our thoughts and needs, often recognizing when we needed assistance before we did. As more of us Bloomed, the meetings become less frequent. This was normal and considered healthy.

Now that I thought of it, after a few meetings when it was just me and an Elder, I'd stopped going without much conscious thought. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I had met with one of the Elders. I guess they too had just assumed I had Bloomed. With no central record of Callings, would anyone know that a given Individual had not yet Bloomed, if they kept that information to themselves? If they didn't seek help from a Medic, as I had done earlier that day, or confide in Counselor, as I was apparently in the middle of doing, would anyone notice if a given un-Bonded simply ceased to... be around?

Once I really considered it, I realized with a twinge of unease that such an operation would not be all that difficult to implement, especially if truly un-Bonded Individuals like me were as uncommon an occurrence as Sabeece was saying.

"Grayce, you're not following what I'm saying," Sabeece's voice urgently intruded on my thoughts, "The un-Bonded are not just relocated, they are removed... permanently. Terminated."

~*~*~

Author's Note:

Hi dear reader - hope you're doing well. 👋🏾

So Sabeece says there's a termination process, and Grayce knows about a treatment. Who is right? What would being wrong mean for each of them? Tune in next week to find out.

As always, thanks for your comments and votes ⭐️

Cheers!