"It's all right," Nikita replies, letting herself relax even more without obscuring that she's working at it. It works with the cover. "I startle easily these days. It's not your fault. Or theirs," she adds with a nod for the dogs.

"You're welcome to some of whatever I end up making, if you don't mind the lack of meat. I can't promise it'll be very good, but it'll be healthy, anyway."