Essex grinned and directed his gaze at the child, "Take us to the play space, dear."
A moment later the world shifted to be covered by a soft blue light the same color as Betheny's eyes. The doctor glanced around and began to explain, "This is, essencially, a bubble outside of time. We are a few seconds off of everything beyond the blue phase. Its not obvious until there is a something moving that is not within the bubble with us. Because we exist just outside the normal flow of time, no one can perceive us or interact with us. They... how to explain it? Move aside, go around the bubble, without conciously realizing it. On some level their minds are aware we exist, but not the concious one."
He continued to brush his fingers through her hair as he told her that was enough. The world shifted slightly again and they dropped out of the 'play space'. The blue light gone.
"She is a lovely child, otherwise, isn't she?" He beamed, bending over to straighten the doll in her chair. "Eight years old. I am slightly concerned about her mental state when she reaches puberty a few years from now. With her memory issues... Well, cross that bridge when we come to it I suppose."