I step into the office and all eyes turn to look at me. When the co-op moved onto this floor the first thing it did was remove every wall that wasn’t load bearing. As awful as open floor pns normally are, the drones get anxious when there are physical dividers between them for too long.

  One of the drones pauses its work and stands up to greet me as I walk over to it. It’s been a while since we’ve met in person. Too long, we agree. We hug. We talk for a short time and catch up. The rest of the drones resume their work.

  It turns around and lifts its long hair to bare the back of its neck to me and reveals the tick attached just below the hairline. The motion jerks awkwardly, a rare hiccup in the transtion from a distant mind centered in a body far rger and with differently shaped limbs. It frets the same way it always does when a part of itself is about to disconnect, reminding me to watch for overstimution and triggers and not to take it personally if a reconnect is required.

  As if I don’t already know all that from having this same conversation many times before. Still, I smile. It’s always reassuring to see how much it cares. I let it know as much.

  It calms. Laughs. Apologizes. Shifts its tone towards teasing flirtation and tells me that it wouldn’t mind if I try it on for myself while I’m here. I ugh and thank it for the offer but say that’s not my thing. It knows. It’s an old verbal dance between us that I don’t mind repeating.

  I cup my hand below its neck, palm up, and catch the tick when it disconnects and lets go. I transfer it to a secure container where it will be safe. I understand the weight of the trust it’s putting in me.

  The body in front of me turns around and blinks groggily. Then the mind inside fully comes online and her eyes light up with awareness and recognition. She shouts in delight and throws her arms around me hard enough that I stagger backwards. I return the embrace and tell her that I’m happy to see her too. It’s been a while since we’ve met in person. Too long, we agree.

  The drones wave and say goodbye in unison on our way out and we return the gesture, maybe a little bit more perfunctorily than is strictly polite, but the two of us are forgivably too excited and caught up in one another. I won’t be in town long and we want to make the most of the time we have together before we return to the lives we’ve both chosen for ourselves.