Tylene Gunn was not attractive, even by eccentric standards. She was too short and too fat, and sported too much nose on her long, drawn-out face. Not that it bothered her in the least, for she knew she was no supermodel.

She sat perched upon the edge of a bed in one of the nicer hotels in town. "Breathe deep," she said in a sweet sexy way, her painted lips sporting a smile.

Bob did as he was told. With his eyes closed, he inhaled through his nose, then exhaled strong through his mouth. As he repeated the effort, the therapist in the room spoke next.

"I want you to keep your eyes closed and continue to focus on breathing. I won't tell you when I turn on the link, but you'll notice it shortly thereafter."

She tapped an interface on her bitwatch, communicatng with a second therapist in an adjoining room. At a silent signal, they each activated the link. Nearly an instant later, Bob brainboarded with his wife.

Hi Bob! Cecilia said to him in his brain.

Bob felt immediately better, so much so that he no longer needed to concentrate on proper breathing. Now with each inhalation, he could almost smell the sweet amber scent of his beloved's perfume, with notes of honeysuckle riding on nutmeg. He thought of himself as a left-footed clod in the presence of her fashionista friends, but with her with him inside his head, his confidence while being among them soared.

Seas, he calmly thought back to his beautiful wife, hidden in the adjoining room. I'm glad to be with you.

He keenly felt her joy. Oh I am happy with you too! Tell Ty I say hi!

"Hi," Bob said at almost the same instant as his wife thought the word into his brain, opening his eyes to look at the woman who sat beside him on the bed. "Cecilia says hi," he clarified.

"Hi Seas," Tylene said. "We're going to make sure the link is secure, and then we'll try doing some walking.

"Okay," Bob replied.

Okay! Cecilia thought back, at the same time as Bob said the word.

For years, Cecilia had aspired to be a catwalk fashion model. But after winning beauty pageants as a youth, adulthood graced her with hips that were a little too wide, and a lack of height didn't offer a manner of compensation. These obstacles didn't stop her, however, from making friends in the high fashion industry, with Tylene Gunn being both one of her oldest and one of her best.

And one of her most successful. "She wishes she could see you," Bob said for his wife to Tylene.

Tylene smiled anew. "I'm right here, Seas," she said to Bob as if talking to her dear old friend. "Use Bob's eyes to look at me."

Bob could easily relay his thoughts and impressions of Tylene through the brainboard link he shared with his wife, but allowing her to make impressions of her own was a feat the couple had yet to master.

"You'll get the hang of it," Tylee said as she noticed Bob struggle with the link. "What I want from you right now, dear Seas, is to please help Bob feel at ease. Show him the confidence you have in him. Let him know you're excited!"

Bob's expression changed in a way that reminded Tylene of her hidden friend. "We're looking forward to doing this!" he said in a way that sounded like Cecilia.

Tylene stood up from the bed, signalling to Bob that he should also stand. "Push beyond the boundary," she said, instructing Bob/Seas with what to do. She gave a silent nod to the therapist still in the room with them, indicating she should wait beyond the bedroom door. "You're not alone with me," Tylene said only to Bob, his eyes wide with anticipation. "You are now with your wife. She sees in you what I see. And through her, you can see how both of us believe in you."

The confidence shining on Bob's face faltered for the tinest moment, until it was bolstered by encouraging thoughts from his wife.

I can do this, she thought into him.

"I can do this," he said to Tylene.