Cycle I: Coming on Strong
The Hidden Voice
The Nerve · 19 (v2.00)
THE HOUSE OF ZAN — Zan

“So I guess that makes me 20.”
“And how old are you, young lady?”
“40.”
“No, truthfully.”
— How Stella Got Her Groove Back

Between adults, a number can be accurate and still leave most of the story out.
It counts years.
The total cannot show what those years contained.
One adult may have spent childhood taking care of other people.
Someone older could have avoided responsibility all along.
People far apart might recognize the same uncertainty.
Those born close together can carry completely different power.
A younger partner is not automatically unfinished.
More years do not guarantee wisdom.
Attraction to someone easier to shape may still reveal why the difference appeals.
Experience. Dependence.
The ability to leave.
Age can show the distance.
Behavior reveals what either person does with it.