There was the scrabble of dog feet and the soft whirr of rotating treads as Zip and Cedric showed up at the door to the garage. Aiden leaned over to snatch up the black dog before he pounced on Valeria. He wasn't going to stop the robot zooming toward Val for a hug.

"I'm saving Val from puppy slobber. She's on her own on the Zip squeezes." Rather than let Cedric feel totally stymied, Aiden held the Scottie out to sniff, lick, and wiggle in Caroline's general direction.