Bam!

I was valiantly attempting to defend baseball as an entertaining sport to Dr. Castillo when Sarah Jean approached me. I was leaning upon the mantle, gesturing with my right hand and, when it returned to me, it did so with a Sarah Jean attached. She slid into me, leaning deeply into me. It was one of those hugs that was very casual, not so much a hug as a using me to prop her up, with her personage trying the meld with my own. Loosely she grinned up at me. “Hi.”

Sarah Jean is a trained professional. She does not use her abilities for personal gain or just for show. She has 'switches' of a fashion in her mind to prevent her subconscious mind from roaming in an unfocused manner when she is asleep or unconscious or medicated.

I'm not completely sure what happened at this point. Everything was fine, I felt good, the last of the wine's effects leaving me. Then Sarah Jean leaned into me and I felt very good indeed. My brain fuzzed over immediately. Don't get me wrong, I do feel that Sarah Jean's presence is intoxicating and especially so her physical form, but this was ridiculous. In retrospect, I think our physical contract opened up one of those 'switches', allowing her fogged mental condition to affect me. My response to her was intelligent. “Hi.”

Dr. Castillo's grin grew mightier, shining like the crescent moon in the sky. “My friends, I sense I am no longer needed here.” He wandered off.

The suddenness of this drunk made it difficult for me to react. I recall trying to turn in order to better hold her but this movement almost proved disastrous. There was weebling as well as wobbling but no falling down. Before I could attempt another ill conceived physical movement, I was assisted. Dr. Castillo grabbed Sarah Jean's free arm, helping lift us from the mantle. Ms. Romero grabbed my free arm. We were surrounded. Suddenly we were walking.

I don't know exactly what occurred during that process. I know I focused most of my mental energies towards the picking up of one foot in order to successfully put it in front of the other. I was also aware of Ms. Romero's hot breath in my ear. I've the impression that she was speaking but none of the words were comprehensible to me. I do know what happened at the end of the process. Sarah Jean and I were guided to a bed and deposited there as gently as possible. As I fought to regain some clarity, our hosts departed the room. After the door clicked closed, it clicked again. We were locked in.