Dottie frowned as she was hunched over the table in the hall set up for studying. Around this time of day, it was usually empty so she and some of her classmates would head over there to work on their homework. She was interrupted by one of her older classmates putting her bag beside the chair beside her.
"Hey," she said as she sat down.
"Oh, hi," Dottie replied, looking up from her papers, her pen making small doodles in the margin.
"What has you so down?"
"I can't get the definition down for this word. I keep mixing it up with 'remuneration'."
"Ah. Remuneration is a specific form of compensation. In layman's terms, it means that payment is a specific form of giving you what you owe for your work."
"Thank you. What are you struggling on?"
"I am struggling on the various types of social interactions of various people in situations."
"Oh, do you want to go over that with me? That's something that we both need to work on. I'll just jot what you just told me on my notes, and then we can go over that together. I mean, if that's good for you?"
"Sure. I'll just get the book out of my bag and find the chapter."
"Sounds good."
"Hey, has this chapter been helping you at all in regards to understanding those around you?"
"Some. Seeing how interactions have a set flow that people tend to fall into and what makes up that flow has been helpful."
"I don't have the same struggles as you do, but I can see how trying to keep people from falling into a set of instinctive behaviors would be a sign of a good manager as you keep people thinking about what is going on instead of going into fight or flight mode."
Dottie grinned, turning slightly towards her companion.
After a good half hour or so of really getting into and trying to help each other what the chapter was saying, the topic turned to relationships as they wrote things down.
"So, is that Reuben been hanging around with you lately?"
"We try," said Dottie, "but between his work schedules right now and the weather, it isn't easy."
She blushed, adding, "We had a date last Saturday. He took me to the coffee shop on the corner of Queen's Avenue and 6th. Do you know the one I'm talking about?"
"Oh, that one! That's a nice place."
"Yeah. It's quieter than the one on 1st and Rodney."
"Yeah, that one is nice too, and it has more options to choose from."
"It does, so we did go there once. Both of us found it a little too loud though."
"Honey, does Reuben have the same issue you have?"
Dottie took a breath before she replied.
"No. He has high sensory issues, but they're not due to autism."
"I see. Are you officially a couple yet?"
"Maybe? I don't know. How does one know when they are officially a couple?"
"Dottie, I think you might be one un-officially, but I think you should double check to see if he thinks you are one officially or not. This is a question that is solved with communication on both sides."
"Claire, can I ask you a question? Imagine that your husband is turned into a magical creature, would you join him in being that creature?"
"Is there any side effects that might keep me from being around normal people?"
"You have to stay home for a couple of days a month."
"Okay. Dottie, would this creature be dangerous?"
"Not really, unless you upset them."
"Unless it was something that would keep me from living my life, going to the grocery store, meeting with friends, or going to church, then I would probably join my husband in being whatever it was. If it was something that kept me from interacting with the people I care about, then I would stay human. Are you in that type of situation?"
Claire was looking at Dottie rather seriously at this point. Dottie was feeling rather awkward under Claire's gaze.
"Yes, I am."
"Honey, just communicate. If you are serious about this, talk things out with him. That is the only way for situations like this to be solved."
"Thanks," replied Dottie, dropping her head.
Claire looked down at the table, and tapped her notes.
"Should we get started again?"
"Absolutely."