They can do that, then! And then, actually they don't really need to go back until it's time to sleep, does he want to do not there this afternoon. Does this city have any museums, she bets he would like museums.

The city has museums.

He likes museums.

Yay!

Museums have closing times, sadly, but they can also get dinner somewhere that isn't the soup kitchen before going back.

It is good to have food.

Yes. Poor kid.

...They can stop at a convenience store and get him some nonperishables he can squirrel away somewhere on his person if he wants to do that, that seems like the kind of thing that might plausibly make him feel more secure.

He does appreciate that, although it doesn't do a lot for his stress level, which has been quietly and very gradually decreasing since she took him away from the soup kitchen the first time but is still pretty high.

Well, it's better than nothing.

They can stay out until it's late, sitting in a park or something and letting him read his books while she does work on her desk, but eventually they do have to go back to sleep.

That is acceptable.

Carlotta is already sleeping on the couch but an air mattress can be found for him.

He is so small that it's hard to tell he's even there once he has curled up under the puffy blanket.

Well, if one isn't a telepath, anyway. She curls up on the couch and goes to sleep.

In the morning, he and his puffy blanket are in the closet.

The door opens from the inside, too, right? Assuming that's the case he can come out either when he decides to or when it's getting close to when they have to leave.

He emerges shortly after she gets up.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Carlotta opens her desk and reads her messages and makes an annoyed noise at one of them and deflates the air mattress and the flight doesn't leave for several hours but they can leave sooner than that if he wants.

He expresses no opinions on when they should leave.

Well, the apartment is pretty small. They can leave and get breakfast somewhere that has things other than oatmeal. How does Martin feel about crepes?

He turns out to feel pretty good about crepes.

Good. And they have time for a little more museum but then they have to go.

Okay.

Carlotta has an apartment in London; it's not huge but it does have a guest room that can be converted into a not-guest room. With a door that locks from the inside. Once they arrive Carlotta gets started on the adoption/legal identity process.

"...I don't suppose you know your birthdate."

"No. I gave you my closest estimate of my age."

"Yes, I figured. Do you have a preference for one?"