She nods and drops the crumb for Inari and then scoots closer to him, like his warmth can ward off the bad memories.

When I graduated from Gallaudet, they figured I'd had my fun in deafie school and now it was time for some magic or a cochlear to "fix" my deafness. Either I did it, or I left and gave up on...all their support. Much of it financial.

I left. And here I am.