She followed him outside and down to the yard where a large kennel was erected and a huge Newfoundland waited expectantly. Maille, who loved animals, ran to the kennel and knelt to pet the dog through the fence. The big tongue lapped at her excitedly. There was yipping from under the Newfie and Maille saw a shiatzu with golden hair hanging over its eyes and braids coming out at all angles like doggie dreadlocks.

"Who's this?"

Kell unlocked the gate and the two dogs leaped out at them, the little one coming directly to Maille and sniffing her, the big one going to Kell for his pet. Maille lifted the wriggly thing and brought him over to Kell, feeling conciliatory for not going to his room, and possibly hurting his feelings. He pet the small dog affectionately.

"Charlie." He said of the shiatsu, and "Molly" of the big dog. "Kiyah." He introduced as a dark shape came leaping out of the darkness onto his shoulder. Maille's heart frozen in her throat until she saw the shape was a monkey.

"You-you have a monkey!"

She set Charlie down and came closer to the monkey who was sitting on Kell's shoulder, its tail wrapped around his face, one hand playing with his chin, one hand free to wave at the approaching stranger. The monkey screeched. Maille stepped back nervously.

"It doesn't like me."

"Neither do I."

Maille's mouth fell open and she felt a stab of sudden tears. Was this the same man who had made the children laugh? The same man who could so gently braid her hair, the same man who cared about her secret with Myndee?

He confused her. He made her aware of herself as she hadn't been before. And suddenly she felt totally out of place and uncomfortable. Was this what friends were all about? Moody and temperamental?

"There are stars in your eyes, Maille Mann." He whispered coming closer. The monkey pulled her braid out and examined it.

"Yesterday you held me when I cried about my sisters, you made me tell you my most painful feelings. Why are you acting like this now?"

Kell sniffed. "Then why don't you trust me?"

"What?"

He put an arm around her shoulder and turned her to begin walking around the side of the house. "Maille Mann, have I ever done anything that would give you the impression I would hurt you?"

"No."

"Then you should trust me."

"I barely know you."

"You know I like stars." He suggested. "You know I like Mexican food, and children, and dogs and monkeys. You know where I live; that I have no family, that I am an actor, that I have five cars, that I can make salad." He stopped and turned to look at her. "You know I am twenty-five, and I'm gay, so I am safe."

"But I've only known you for two days."

"Long enough." He said, still looking deeply into her eyes while the monkey played with her braid.

"But..."

"Overcome your fear, Maille. Be who you are, and be who I am." He smiled. "Just be."

For a split second, her heart had thumped erratically as he looked at her, something in his compassionate stance was speaking to her. For a split second, she had an image of him bending close to her, touching his lips to hers... for a split second, and then it was gone.

She closed her eyes. What was that? What had transpired to make her think ...

He was gay... he'd said he didn't like her in that way ... why did she suddenly feel attracted to him?

*****