Cinnamon Rolls and Coffee

[Connor Kenway]

The early morning sun basked everything in a warm glow like molten honey, and the air was crisp and cool on Connor's skin as he jogged around the city. The exercise was invigorating; running in the mornings was one of his favorite things to do. At this time of day, the city of Ōmoi Ame was just beginning to wake up, and Connor loved being in the midst of it. The traffic wasn't that bad, and birds could be heard chirping a delicate song as they perched on rooftops and balconies. Not only that, but most of Ōmoi's rude citizens were still asleep, and so Connor was saved from their ignorant company.
Jogging to a leisure walk, he pulled out his earphones and let them hang under the zipper of his white and blue hoodie. Connor's eyes scanned the buildings in front of him, until they came to a stop on a local cafe. His dad had often droned on about how their tea was exceptional, which is truly a compliment; his dad was probably the most anal person in the world about tea. Connor rolled his eyes at the thought of his father, and pushed open the door to the little cafe.
It had a homely and cozy feel to it; the lighting was warm, and the scent of cinnamon and coffee lingered in the air and teased Connor's senses. His stomach growled slightly and he strolled up to the cash register while his eyes briefly scanned the menu. Not being able to ignore the fact he had a sweet tooth, he ordered a cinnamon bun and vanilla bean coffee. With his breakfast in his hand, he settled at a table near the back corner of the cafe. Connor breathed a sigh of contentment, and pulled a piece of the cinammon bun apart, the thick icing tasting like heaven. It was amazing how something so simple as food could make him so blissfully happy.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART The silence of the morning was a blessing to all the residents in this city. For some it meant a nice quiet time to enjoy some peace and quiet, and for the others it meant a few more hours of sleep. What it meant to this young lady, was a nice cup of coffee and a relaxing place to read a good book. Her converse clicked noiselessly against the concrete, keeping a slow and leisurely pace in her gate. A book was safety tucked under her right arm, while the other fixed the sleeve of her grey t-shirt. She would pay for wearing dark clothes at it warmed up, but her denim jeans were simply too comfortable to stay away from. The bell above the door rang, and she turned to the counter sending her braided black hair to the opposite side of her back. The usual, a caramel latte with extra foam and she would be happy. Turning around, she met with quite the surprise. Now she did not get his name, but she never forgot a face. This was the bartender from the club that helped rescue her brother. Recalling the occasion, to her aghast she had forgotten to thank him properly. Well, better late then never she supposed. She approached and smiled softly, feeling the cup in her left hand warming her skin as she began to speak. "Well hello again, I almost did not recognize you without the strobe lights and my drunken brother on your arm. I never properly thanked you for retrieving him for me, thank you very much."

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor was in the middle of eating his orgasmatic cinnamon roll, when a familiar voice rang out into the air. He looked up, and saw the girl he aided from the other night. Not wanting to talk with a bunch of cinnamon bun in his teeth, he took a sip of his coffee and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Connor looked up and waved his hand in the air, before saying, "Oh, it's really no problem. I do what I can to help..." His voice trailed off as he furrowed his brow and tried to recall her name. Didn't she mention it the other night? Man, he would look like a real dick right now if he couldn't remember her name. It started with an 'N', right? "Na...omi, was it?" He said hesitantly, crossing his fingers underneath the table and praying he got it right. Connor took another bite of his cinnamon bun to busy himself for a moment and inwardly savored the taste. He just might have to trust his dad more often, this place was good.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART At this time she took a seat at the other table beside him, keeping close so she could still hear him. He hesitated with her name, and she did not blame him. But he got it right and she smiled nodding as she placed her book on the hard surface. "Yes you are right, I am Naomi Koizumi. I never got your name before, I suppose I was too busy trying to escape that place. You must be a very patient man to work there." She speculated, taking a brief moment to sip at her latte while it was still warm. Seemed he was enjoying a cinnamon roll and a coffee, lovely choice. She might get one as well, the smell was drifting over to her and it was lovely. She loved food, particularly sweet things, and that walk from home to here had mad her a bit hungry.

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[Connor Kenway]

"Connor Kenway. Actually, my real name is Ratonhnhaké:ton, but noone can pronounce it, so its just Connor. I don't blame you for wanting to escape the place, it is definitely the root of most of my migraines these days." He said, and laughed harshly when she said he was patient. "It wasn't always that way.Actually, I was quite the rebel when I was a teenager. Got into fights often, and got arrested a few times," he chuckled, remembering how pissed his father could get, and the livid arguments that would follow soon after. Connor remembered he had been slightly terrified when it happened, but looking back on it, it was quite humorous. "I moved out of my house when I was 18, and of course that took great responsibility.. which I learned the hard way. As you know, I am a bartender; I applied for the job when I was 21, thinking it would be cool. It only got me a bunch of obnoxious durnks. Anyways, my tolerance for drunk people grew as time went on. I sort of had to." Connor reajusted his chair until he was a bit more comfortable, and wiped the crumbs off of the table with the napkin, to save the hassle for the employees.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART Connor, a very nice name indeed. The other he said he had sounded native, she wondered which of his parents was native by blood. How fascinating, he was a rebel when he was young? Weren't we all at one point? "Yes I can see how that would build your tolerance for those people and others quite a bit. I was not as rebellious as you were though, I admit I was the intellectual goodie goodie who kept her nose out of trouble. It is my brother who is the rebel, and he says that as the older sibling he needs to protect me. Well it would seem that in the few short minutes that he was born before me, that role was not given to him but to me. I cannot count how many times I has to get him out of trouble, Akihiko is a bother at times, but he is a loveable oaf." She went on before taking another sip of her warm latte. He was grateful that she had came and got him though, he had almost gotten into a fight that night and only managed to escape once one of his friends ran to bathroom to throw up and then pass out. "I could never work under such conditions, I would gladly take being a writer as I am any day."

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor excused himself for a moment while he threw his trash away, then returned back to his seat. She sounded very close to her brother, and he didn't doubt their relationship. Connor was certain that if he had a sibling, he would feel the same way. Cracking his knuckles absentmindedly, he replied. "Well, it is usually the guys who are rebels when they are young. Your brother and I have that much in common. Anyways, how did you end up in Ōmoi Ame? Have you lived here all your life?" Connor took another sip of his coffee, beginning to feel the effects of it. He bounced his heel lightly as the caffeine began coursing through his body, replacing the energy he had lost from running. He idly traced the intricate grooves in the wooden table with his finger, waiting for her reply.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART Yes he and her brother shared that, he was not the child Naomi was. She kept her nose clean, worked hard in school, but suffered since she did not have many friends outside her family. Then he asked how she came to Omoi, and she looked down at the table in thought for a long time before giving her answer. "It's not a pretty story, but it has to be told. A few years after my brother and I were born my father went into the armed forces, we did not live here at first we are native to Japan. He came home when we became teenagers, having been discharged due to an injury to his back. But, in the following months after that, my father began acting strangely. Sneaking out in the late afternoon and not coming home until later that night when we were asleep. My mother feared he was having an affair with another woman...but that would have been a pleasurable circumstance to what really happened. My father couldn't work, and my mother couldn't support all four of us, so my father went to the mafia in our town to loan money. He did not know at first what they were...vampires. By the time that things began to be well again, they wanted their money back. They came to our house, threatened us all, my father had to beg on his hands and knees to take him and let us three go. They agreed, we left...and my father more then likely died that night. We moved around a lot, then heard of this place. We came here, and things got better. Mother has a good job, my brother goes to college to be a graphics designer, and I write for the local newspaper while on the side write books of my own. It's a good life...even if one of us is missing from the picture."

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[Connor Kenway]

When she didn't reply right away, Connor felt the nagging sensation of guilt beginning to engulf him. When she did start talking, Connor felt as if a heavy weight was dropped on him. Holy shit. Connor felt like such a dick for even asking in the first place--he wouldn't have, had he known that it wasn't a happy time in her life. A few moments of silence passed as he took in her story, and what happened to her. He stared at his coffee for a moment, then breathed a sigh. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for asking. I didn't mean to pry into your personal life." He twiddled his thumbs for a moment and pursed his lips. "I suppose that since you've told me how you came here, I should tell you how I did. My mother is from a Mohawk Reserve--Kanien'kehá:ka, in the United States. She moved to New York City for more opportunity--and she met an Englishman man who, after a few years, obviously became my father. However, he was always consumed with his work, and had little time for a family. My mother said she'd be better off by herself when she figured out she was pregnant; she made him leave. I didn't meet him for 13 years. There was a shooting at the museum she worked at one day, and she was wounded. She didn't make it, so Child Care Services shipped me off to where my father was currently staying-- Omoi Ame. And that was pretty much how I came to be here." Connor attempted to speak indifferently as he recalled the story. By now, he was over his mourning stage for his mother, but a fresh pang of grief still coursed through him. He pushed it down and laughed lightly. "Well, this is great coffee shop talk, now, isn't it? Perfect way to start the day."

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART He paused as she told him what had happened, obviously taking it all in. He apologized and she put her hands up giving him a soft smile. "Oh no it is fine. I take the last words my father said to me to heart every time I feel upset, never lose heart." That was when he began his story. A native mother, and an englishman for a father. So they both had a relative dead, they knew how it felt. But it seemed that like she he was past the state of grieving. Another sip from her latte, and he mentioned how this was perfect coffee shop talk, earning a small laugh from Naomi. "Isn't it though? Just the thing we needed to keep us going today. So, what brings you here today? That cinnamon roll smells good, I think I might buy one in a second." Her coffee was cooling, if she didn't finish it soon it would be too cold to drink. And cold coffee was not pleasurable at all to Naomi.

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor spoke with utmost sincerity and a straight face. "That cinammon bun was the best damn thing I had ever eaten. It would be the mistake of the century if you didn't invest in one." His face cracked into a quick smile, before leaning back in his chair and flipping a quarter into the air absentmindedly. "Well, last night I had a day off, thank god. I just slept all day and watched TV shows on Netflix. When I work, I sleep into noon due to my annoying shift... and I hate it. The early mornings are my favorite part of the day. Therefore, I took advantage of the opportunity and woke up early this morning. I went for my usual run, and then I found this place. My dad said it had good tea, so I figured I'd give it a shot. It's my first time here, but it was damn well worth it." Connor's face fell slacked into a disappointed frown as he failed to catch the quater and it clinked as it hit the ground. Swooping it up in a fluid movement, he shoved it back into his wallet. After fidgeting with his ponytail for a moment, he looked up at her expectantly. "And you?"

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVER LOSE HEART Naomi couldn't help but laugh as the quarter he was flipping fell to the floor. He picked it up swiftly, along with what she guessed to be a piece of his dignity, and looked up at her asking the same question. To show part of her answer , she lifted the small brown book she had brought with her. "I like coming to places like this in the early mornings, it's quiet and I can enjoy reading with a warm cup of coffee. I try to read at least one book every month, I love to read and it keeps my mind sharp as a tack. It's sad that print is slowly going out of style, it's a wonderful form of entertainment." placing the book back on the table she looked to the counter and then back to Connor. "If you will excuse me a moment Connor, I think I will try one of those rolls. After all, it would be the mistake of the century if I didn't." Laughing lightly she stood from her spot and took her place in line behind a pair of young women ordering their own coffee and sweets. The sweet smells in the air made her smile and her stomach speak softly, seemed it too felt the same as Connor did. For a bartender she was greatly enjoying his company.

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(Last post for the night, good night and I will see you tomorrow!)

[Connor Kenway]

Connor drummed his fingers on the table lightly and looked out the window. The sun had risen higher in the sky, indicating that about an hour had passed. Cars were starting to roll down the streets as civilians made their way to their destinations. People were filtering into the streets and sidewalks, starting their daily routines and chatting animatedly on their cell phones. Connor proceeded to then take out his own phone and check the time. His eyes widened in surprise, and he cursed in Mohawk quietly. Or at least he thought he was quiet; a few people turned around and gave him a strange look.
Connor rolled his eyes and shook his head; people typically acted that way when they heard him utter the strange language. In a fluid movement he stuffed his phone back into the pocket of his basketball shorts. He ruffled his dark hair and yawned a moment, covering his mouth with his hand. Somehow he had managed to forget about his pet husky, who was at the vet's office for the night due to an illness. Connor was expected to pick him up in a half hour; he would have to leave the cafe now in order to retrieve this dog in time.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

As she stood in line, her deep blue eyes glanced out the window for a moment as she waited for the young girls to retrieve their coffees and go. Seemed there little corner of the world was beginning to stretch and proceed with its waking rituals. People began to pass by the windows of the small shop, and cars made their ways across the asphalt at a lazy 25 miles an hour. At last the girls were on their way out of the shop and Naomi quickly took a step forward. She simply asked for on cinnamon roll and she had her sweet delight in a matter of moments. As she turned, she was surprised to hear a foreign word slip past Connor's lips. He then proceeded to stuff his cell phone back in his pocket, and Naomi regained herself quickly to take her place beside him again.
"You must have somewhere to go, and it sounds vital."
She observed, tearing a corner off the roll and enjoying it with a sip of her still warm latte. She wondered where he could possibly go this early in the morning, it must have been important, no one curses that loud in a public place if it didn't matter to them greatly.
"Granted I have no idea what you just said, but from the tone of your voice it was most likely a curse, and one doesn't simply curse that loudly in a public place without it being important."

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[Connor Kenway]

Naomi soon took her place back in her seat with her new purchase. Connor nodded his head at her following words with a sheepish chuckle and replied. "Yes, it was a curse, but in Kanien’kehá:ka. It's the first thing that usually comes out of my mouth when I don't think about it. Anyways, you were right about both things. I do indeed have somewhere to go; the vet. Dr. Charles Lee, to be exact. I left my husky there overnight because lately he has had digestion problems." Connor fidgeted with his his wristband a moment before continuing. "Therefore, I have to go retrieve my dog. Like, now, because the appointment is in about half an hour, and I always like to get there early." Connor stood up before rolling his broad shoulders to ease out a knot that was forming. He bounced on the balls of his feet idly for a moment before looking back down to Naomi. "So, are you accomponying me to the vet's office?"

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

Connor laughed softly as he said it was indeed a curse, in the tongue his mother was raised upon. How interesting! He went on to explain of his appointment with the local vet, having left his poor husky in the office over night for digestion problems. Poor thing, Naomi wondered if it would be alright. With the roll gone and her coffee cup empty, Naomi pushed back her seat to dispose of her trash. He took to his feet, and asked if she was accompanying him to the vets office.
"I would love to, they would more then likely have information on any local kennels. I have been looking for a dog myself."
Excusing herself to dispose of her trash for a moment she returned, taking the book from the table top. Oh well, it would simply have to wait until later. She didn't mind that, Connor was so interesting to her, she wanted to know more about him, what he knew, and what type of language he could speak aside from English.
"Maybe on the way there we can tell more about ourselves. I am quite curious on your native back ground, and perhaps I could learn a few words on the way. In turn I could teach you some Japanese if you would like."

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor smiled to himself as he pictured himself annoying his dad with not only his native language, but also Japanese. Ah, it was perfect. Connor needed no more persuasion as he shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, sounds good to me." Connor made his way over to the door and held it open, relishing in how the air was cool and fresh on his skin. Sure, the cafe held a nice cozy atmosphere, but nothing felt better to him than the open air. Even if it was city air.
Connor scrunched his nose slightly as he thought of common Mohawk words to teach Naomi. He was unsure where to start, and then he realized she only knew how to pronounce his English name. "Well, for starters, you can learn my Mohawk name, Ratonhnhaké:ton." He breath out of his mouth a moment before beginning. "Okay, you ready? I'm gonna say this slowly... Ra-doon-ha-gay-doon."

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

Connor smiled and said that it sounded great, opening the door and letting in the fresh air form outside. Naomi quickly stepped out and began following beside Connor. He remained silent, trying to think of something for her to say. He began with his native name, and at first it sounded intimidating, but as he pronounced it slowly the shape of the word slowly became clear to her. The slope of each letter and the tone at which they were spoken. She cleared her throat, and trying not to laugh at herself took a shot at it.
"Ra-doon-ha-gay-doon...how was that?"
She asked almost hesitantly, praying that she hadn't just butchered his name. The last thing she wanted was to upset him, though perhaps it wouldn't considering he said that many people mispronounced his real name. She still hoped she got it right, it sounded right to her, but she could have made a mistake along the way. This language would take some getting used to, it wasn't like her own native tongue or english at all.

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor set off in a slightly brisk pace, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. He looked over as Naomi attempted to say his name. Connor nodded his head at her pronunciation; it really wasn't that bad at all. She was nowhere near the level his father spoke the language, and that was a good thing; he would mispronounce his mother's name so badly that she would get exasperated over it. Therefore, Naomi did pretty well. "You know, it's really not that bad at all. Only when you get more used to saying it, you say the first part quickly and rushed, like ra-doon-ha, but you stress the gay sound and draw it out slightly. Then you just let the last 'doon' fall after that, like radoonha-gaay-doon." He was a bit awkward in his explanation, using his hands to make certain gestures, although he was sure it didn't help it all. Connor wasn't used to explaining his natural language; only a few people had asked how to say his native name, and hadn't really succeeded.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

Noami couldn't hold back her soft laughter as she watched Connor make hand gestures, trying to explain physically how to pronounce it swiftly. Well, now that he had shared some information with her, it was her turn.
"Alright, now it is my turn. I will start you off with a simple greeting, used among friends in a casual manner. Ohayou, this means good morning, there are others for certain times of day as well such as Konnichiwa which you have probably heard of meaning good afternoon, and Konbanwa meaning good evening. But I am getting ahead of myself, alright O-hai-yo."
She repeated, breaking down the syllables of the word into the proper pronunciation, it was natural to her but teaching it to someone else would be a little tricky. Oh well, Connor seemed to be a very clever man, she was confident he could figure it out one way or another. She did not make any hand gestures as he did, simply looked straight at him and spoke clearly.
"Once you have that down we can begin with honorifics, such as adressing mother and father and other members of the family, friends, teachers the likes of that."
She paused then smiled shyly, blushing softly.
"Forgive me, I tend to ramble at times."

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor furrowed his brow as he listened intently to the Japanese words. They sounded so odd and foreign to him--completely unlike English or Mohawk. He bit down on his bottom lip as he listened to her slowly pronouning the words so he could hear them better. Connor was hesitant to try out the new language, but decided to be a man and take a stab at it. "Oh.. o-hai-yow." The word was really odd on his tongue and he grimaced slightly, for he knew he mispronounced it. He was never really good at learning other languages, but he could sure as hell try. "Ow-hai-yo..?" He repeated again questionably. Connor felt that time was a little better, and he mentally gave himself a pathetic pat on the back for effort. "Eh, I'm not so sure Japanese is best for me. It is a beautiful language, I'm sure, and I'd hate to butcher it in my attempts to speak it." He was unsure about getting himself involved with another language as complex as Japanese.
Connor casually waved her off with his hand and made a noise when she said she was rambling. "We all ramble, especially when talking about something we enjoy." Connor stopped for a moment, a comfortable silence settling. He sighed softly and checked his phone. "Alright, we should be nearing the office soon enough to pick up Kanen'to:kon, my husky. Many people just call him Toko, though." He added as an afterthought as they continued walking.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

Laughter burst from her as he tried to pronounce the word correctly.
"I'm so sorry...I do not mean to laugh I cannot help it."
She stuttered as she brought herself back to a calm tone by clearing her throat. He waved off her rambling, saying that everyone rambled about things they were passionate about, and she was indeed passionate about her native tongue. He checked the time once again, and said they would be approaching the vet very soon. Naomi smiled and nodded, pushing her glasses back before her eyes as they slipped.
"I am looking forward to meeting him, I do love dogs. I hope I can find one soon, then I can have a companion that is not my twin brother."
Naomi loved Akihiko, but he was so infuriating at times. His horrid habits, his ignorance, it irked her greatly. Often she found herself questioning if they were truly related or not.
"I have no idea what breed I might get, but I want a large breed. I cannot stand the constant high pitched yap of smaller dogs, it gives me such a headache. I want a dog, not a yelping stuffed animal.

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor frowned and held a face of mock hurt while she laughed at him. Shaking his head gently, he said, "You're killing me, Naomi. I don't know how much more abuse I can take from you.I mean, at least I tried..." He pouted for a moment, then smiled quickly before cracking his stiff neck. He chuckled as she talked about smaller dogs being yelping stuffed animals. "I know exactly what you're talking of. The person who lives in the apartment above me owns not one, but two goddamned chihuahua's and they never fucking shut up. One time, I went to the mail boxes to collect my mail, and they started biting my ankles. They are almost as bad as cats," he said, scowling slightly as he thought of the feline furdevils. Connor beamed as they came upon the vet's office. "Ah, here we at last!" Connor held the door open for Naomi, then entered after her. The office was clean and manicured; just the way he rememebered it. A young lady sat at the receptionist desk and shuffled through papers, oblivious of them because of her work.

[Naomi Koizumi]

NEVERLOSE HEART ♥

Naomi laughed again as he feigned being hurt, then that gave way to a smile and a soft chuckle. Two chihuahuas? What a nightmare that must be!
"Oh do not get me started on cats, filthy little creatures. Having OCD I find them absolutely repulsive, getting litter everywhere and scratching at things including you. The very thought makes me sick!"
The conversation stopped as the vet's office came into view, and Naomi smiled softly in excitement. Huskies were darling creatures, and those deep blue eyes always took her breath away. Connor held the door open for her, and she walked past him with a soft thank you and a smile. The office smelled sterile, exactly like anyone would expect it to. Most found the smell foul and pungent, but to Naomi it spoke of cleanliness and the cleaner a place was the better. From the back she could hear muffled barking, seemed this place was quite busy. The young woman behind the counter had not taken notice of them just yet, being too absorbed in her work to have a chance to crane her neck up to look at the front door. At least the staff was working hard, Toko was sure to be in good hands.

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[Connor Kenway]

Connor made his way up to the main desk before gently leaning against it and speaking in a low tone, not wanting to startle the girl."Uhm, excuse me? I hate to disrupt you from your work, but I have an appoitment with Dr. Lee, and I just wanted to know if he was ready." The receptionist looked up at him with glazed eyes, before she blinked out of her trance. Her face lit up with recognition in a few moments. "Oh! You must be Mr. Kenway. Yes, Dr. Lee told me to send you in when you arrived. If you two will follow me please," The lady rose from her chair and proceeded walking down a hallway. Connor turned back to Naomi, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders before following the lady. Connor trailed behind the receptionist, apprehension starting to eat away at him; he hoped that Toko was improving. Connor bit his lip while in thought, but soon they were at Dr. Lee's door. The lady that guided them opened the door and gestured to some seats in the corner of the room. "If you'll just take a seat, Dr. Lee will be with you two shortly." With that, the receptionist left, and Connor was left anxious. He sat down in one of the plush seats, slinking down slightly to get more comfortable. Connor played with the drawstring of his hoodie and jiggled his foot as they waited for Dr. Lee.

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