Bumi stood on the dock fidgeting nervously as Ikki and Meelo jumped up and down, babbling.
"When are they gonna get here?" Meelo asked.
"Yeah, how much longer Uncle Bumi?" asked Ikki.
"I don't know kids," Bumi replied as he scanned the horizon. So far the only boats to enter Yue Bay today had been cargo ships. For some reason the longer it took for them to arrive, the more nervous he became. Probably because he now had extra time to actually think about what was happening.
He looked down and adjusted his belt. While his United Forces garb still fit, it didn't look as strapping on him as it had eight months ago before he'd acquired his beer belly. Nonetheless, he still looked pretty good. The wild man wasn't sure how his daughters (his daughters...that phrase was going to take some getting used to...) would react to him, so he'd decided to try to look as impressive as possible. He'd even gone the extra length of combing his hair and adorning his coat with his various medals.
"Not here yet?" Bumi turned his head to see Pema and Kya coming to join him, Pema holding the baby.
"No," he groaned. "And it's making me feel worse."
Kya smiled gently and went to give her brother a side-hug. "Aw, come on big bro, you're gonna be fine! I mean today all you have to do is meet them. The hard part will be convincing them to stay once they meet you."
Bumi rolled his eyes as she laughed at him. Off to the side, Jinora arrived and asked of Pema, "Mom, why is Uncle Bumi so worried?"
Pema hesitated. The adults had decided to wait and explain the situation to the kids AFTER the girls had arrived and Bumi had met them. In the meantime she said, "Oh, he's just nervous about seeing his friend after so long."
"Oh," Jinora said, "okay." She let the question drop but stared at her mother suspiciously. "So, what kind of boat are they coming on?"
"I don't know," Pema replied. "The letter didn't say. Vanessa just told us to look for the shiny one, whatever that means."
"Could it have meant that?" Tenzin had arrived and now pointed over his wife's shoulder toward the mouth of the bay. There a large shiny shape was drifting. After a few minutes the shape became larger until it was shown to be a massive sleek, silver yacht cruising its way toward the Republic City harbor.
"Whoa," the group said, awed by the luxurious ship.
"Where are they going?" Meelo asked as he tugged on his uncle's coat sleeve. Bumi replied, "The boat's too big to land here on the island, so they're taking it to deeper waters."
"I guess we'll meet them over there," Tenzin said and started toward the stables to prepare Oogi for the short trip. Bumi stopped him and said, "Actually Tenz, would it be okay with you if I went on my own?"
Tenzin looked his brother up and down, saw how nervous he was and realized that this was the sort of thing where the fewer the people, the better.
"Okay," he consented, "if you're sure."
"Great!" Bumi said, forcing a grin. "In fact, I think I'll go over on the glider - make a big entrance, you know?"
"I'm sure they'd love that," Tenzin agreed.
"Yeah." Bumi shuffled from one foot to the other, trying to make himself leave but feeling too apprehensive to do so. Finally Kya came over and punched him in the arm saying, "Well, what are you waiting for? You're gonna have to meet them either way. It'd be best not to make them wait."
"Yes, you know how Vanessa hates being kept waiting," Tenzin said in a light, teasing tone. Bumi smirked at his brother and put an arm around his neck saying, "Oh, trying to be the funny one are we Tenzy? Bet you won't be so funny after a noogie!"
Bumi pulled his brother into a headlock and ground his knuckles into his bald head, just hard enough to make the airbender cry out. Finally he shoved his brother off saying, "Oh, go on, get out of here." But Bumi could see that his brother was smiling just a bit.
With a deep breath Bumi took up a nearby glider and, with an airbending boost, took off toward the harbor.
Meanwhile on the dock, Lin Beifong was in the process of making an arrest.
"But I swear, I have no idea how that stolen cargo ended up on my ship," the greasy captain was shouting. "I've been framed!"
"Sure you were," Lin said as she handed the man over to her officers. "And Song here is a Fairy Princess."
"Hey, don't give away my secret, Chief," the officer joked, eliciting laughs from the others. Captain Saikhan walked over, shaking his head in amazement.
"Honestly Chief, I don't know how you do it. That was one smooth operation."
"Well, you just have to know how to play it," Lin said with a shrug. "Spot the little details. In this case I noticed that the water level on the ship was too high for shipment of food goods, meaning there had to be extra weight coming from somewhere.
"Now, how much you wanna bet that once we start questioning people it'll turn out to be an inside job?" Saikhan asked.
"I'd say there's a good chance," Lin said as he looked at the ships in the harbor. "These rich people are always looking for a little extra. Especially these yacht owners."
"Speaking of which, look at that whaleshark," said Saikhan as he pointed at the silver monster coming in. "How many million do you think that's worth?"
Lin watched as the yacht came in and dropped anchor next to the ship they'd just finished searching. People up and down the boardwalk looked on in amazement as the gangplank dropped, waiting to see what sort of people could own such a thing.
"You coming back to the station?" Saikhan asked. He gestured toward the car. Lin shook her head saying, "No, I'm gonna hang out here for a minute. I don't like the looks of this ship."
"Suit yourself." Lin watched her officers drive off and then turned back to the ship.
After a moment a figure appeared and started her way down the ramp. The woman was wrapped in a silver dress with a chain around her waist, her black hair hanging long and loose. Lin noticed a short man was following her and taking notes as she talked.
"Okay, so send that one to the Southern Department and then get me word on how things are going with that shoe problem we had; honestly I don't know why those idiots can't handle the concept of a RED sandal. Oh sure, they can do cherry, they can do pepper, but can they manage just plain red? NO!"
The woman stopped talking and noticed Lin watched her. She waved in a friendly manner and walked over.
"Hey there officer! How's it going? Sorry if my yacht is blocking your view, but I couldn't find a better place to park the damn thing."
Lin raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" The woman stepped closer and Lin couldn't help but stare at her weird, nearly violet eyes. "And might I ask what brings you to Republic City?"
"Actually," the woman said as she looked around the dock, "I'm here to meet someone. You wouldn't happen to know someone named Commander Bumi, would you?"
At the sound of her boyfriend's name coming out of this admittedly attractive woman's mouth, Lin felt a pang of possessiveness. "Yes, I do. And might I ask how you know him?"
The woman ran a hand through her hair as she considered the question. "Well, it's sort of complicated, but technically speaking he's my boyfriend."
Lin felt her heart seize up, and a deep cold feeling washed over her, like the time she'd been entombed in ice by a 'Red Monsoon' member had done to her in her rookie days. She'd quickly been freed but one never forgets that kind of cold; except for the horrifying chilly feeling she felt now. Her hands clenched tightly at her side and she had a POWERFUL urge to lash out her metal rope and hang up this woman this TRAMP, who dared to claim Bumi was hers, but also, she wanted to beat the ever-loving tar out of Bumi and demand an explanation. And then throw his limp body into the Bay, if it wasn't satisfactory.
These feelings went through her in a flash and she urged herself to calm down and assess the situation. But before she could ask any questions, the stranger started laughing.
"Ahahaaha!" The woman's loud laugh bursts as she covered her mouth with her hand, eyes shut and bent over slightly with the force of her laugh.
"Oh, sweet Phoenix, I haven't laughed like that in forever," The woman wiped away a tear, and Lin felt more conflicted and confused. Especially when the woman looked at her with a warm expression and matching smile.
"It's just, my claiming to be Bumi's girlfriend when we've not been together for almost 11 years." She shook her head, letting her raven locks flow over her shoulder to dangle in front of her chest as she stroked one.
"But, then again, we never properly broke up," She explained, and Lin felt something pop in her chest. A sense of relief and befuddlement.
"Allow me to introduce myself," She gave a quick spin, grabbing her dress before facing Lin again and giving the Police Chief a dramatic and elegant curtsy.
"Miss Vanessa Chen, at your service," She uprights herself to give Lin an amused smile. "And you might be...?"
Lin felt unsure, but she was certain 10 minutes or more passed, before the man behind Vanessa cleared his throat, snapping Lin out of her trance.
"Bei Fong!" She reaches out a hand to Vanessa, who accepted it and shook back firmly. "Chief Bei Fong."
"NO!" Vanessa breaks out into a bright grin, clasping her hand to her cheeks in disbelief. "Not LIN Bei Fong, Tenzin's old girlfriend? Daughter of Lin Bei Fong the first metal-bender, first lieutenant of the Republic City Metal-Police force?"
Lin blinked in surprise, "You know all that?"
"Well, of course I do!" Vanessa chuckled, dropping her hands to place them on Lin's shoulders. "I'm Pema's Cousin!" She winked and leaned to whisper conspiratorially into Lin's ear. "Matter of fact, I stuffed two fire ferrets down ol' "Steel-poles" pants when I heard he'd broken up with you, just to go right around and date my Sweet Sis-cos."
"You did!?" Lin was stunned, flattered and more than a little curious. "Wait...'Steel Pole?'"
"HA! That's what I always suspected was up his ass." She slaps Lin on the shoulder and Lin was briefly reminded of her mother's affectionate punches. Vanessa turned to talk to the man in a happily surprised tone.
"Who would've thought it? The first person I meet back in Republic City, and it's the Chief of Police and former lover of my old 'prank-victim.'" Vanessa snickered, playing with the gold chain around her waist.
"I imagine ol' Steel Pole's sensing a 'disturbance in the spirit world' if he hasn't already been told by Pema I was coming, and gone into hiding, right, Xiao?"
"Indeed, Madame." The man gave a long-suffering sigh. "Shall I have the luggage brought down?"
"Oh, of course!" Vanessa snapped her fingers and turns to Lin. "That reminds me, I have to introduce you to my girls!" She paused and added, "It's so odd; I used to defend you; you're my idol really. Tough as nails, no-nonsense, rose through the ranks despite your gender and paved your own path. And I wind up having two girls, just like your mother did."
She took Lin's hand and before Lin could protest, the fashion designer dragged her toward the ship with eager steps.
"I must say, I thought I was looking forward to that Fashion Convention, but this is even better." Vanessa said to Lin, who finally planted her feet firmly on the wooden floor before they reached the stairs that led up to the ship.
"Hey! STOP!" Lin pulls Vanessa around grabs both of Vanessa's hands with her own tightly. "Look, I don't know who you think you are but..."
"MOM! I stop to get my books, and you're already getting arrested?"
Lin paused and looked up in surprise - there were two girls standing up on the top of the stairs. They were identical in height, and had similar face shapes and pale skin, but the similarities ended there. One had jet-black hair that was barely being contained in a ponytail, with the parts that were loose splaying out in random directions. She wore a white buttoned shirt and pants, a green vest, and stood with her hip cocked to the side in a way that screamed 'trying-to-look-tough.' The other one stood erect and wore her hair in a flawless dark-brown bun, her amber eyes peeking out from behind her bangs. She wore light blue pants and red silk coat with blue trim and flowing sleeves. They were both frowning at the scene below.
The red clad one was the one that caught Lin's attention, serious stare, shaking her head and hands on her hips made her look years older than she was, but that gesture drew Lin's eyes to the girl behind her who Lin was startled to see had wild dark hair, and a familiar pair of eyes.
That was when it hit her: these girls looked just like Bumi!
"Oh, My Jewel, it's nothing like that..." Vanessa quickly pulled her hands free, and pulled Lin into a cheek to cheek hug which the cop was too stunned to fight off. "I was just excited to show off my two favorite girls in the world to Lin Bei Fong."
"What do your models Mira and Keller have to do with us?" The girl behind the first girl said impishly, holding onto a bison shaped stuffed toy like a lifeline.
"She means us, Lilly." The other girl says, though her frown dropped as she headed down the steps toward Lin and her mother.
"I must introduce you to my girls - they are the flowers and jewels of my life." Vanessa excitedly tittered as she walked behind the girls, and dropped down to her knees, pulling up her dress train to make sure she wouldn't be pinned down. She wrapped her arms around the twin girls, and nuzzled the tops of their heads.
"This little spitfire is my jewel, Amber." Vanessa motions to the first girl, with her hair done up with a jade hair pin. "And here is my 'Tiger-Lilly' Lilly."
"...Twins you say?" Lin seemed to process this finally, dropped down on one knee to appraise the two girls.
"So, come along with your mother on a long boring business trip?" Lin asked them.
"Naw. Mama says she doesn't want us exposed to the cutthroat world of Fashion and the insipid backstabbing, harsh pressure and eating disorders of her work." Lilly spouts out in a manner that was very insightful and had Lin blinking in surprise.
"You can recite THAT, but you can't remember what you studied for your History Lesson, or that it was the Battle between Firelord Ozai that restored Avatar Aang's ability to form the avatar-state?" Vanessa exclaims incredulously, as Lilly just grins at her mother and shrugs.
"What can I say? I absorb what I find interesting."
"Enough chit-chat," Amber said pointing a finger at Lin. "Mom, why is she here?"
"Honey-badger, be nice," said Vanessa. "Lin's not here to arrest me. Wait, you're not, are you?"
"No," Lin said. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and added, "At least not yet."
At about that moment Bumi came sweeping over the harbor on his glider, headed for the yacht. "Okay," he said to himself, trying to get pumped up. "You can do this. Just go down there, stick the landing, impress them, then become the BEST. DAD. EVER."
As he started to decrease his altitude he muttered, "I can do this, I can do this, I can-" That was when he spotted Lin standing on the dock standing face to face with none other than Vanessa. The sight sent a bolt of panic through Bumi that caused him to emit a loud, "AH!" This caught the women's attention and they looked up just in time to see him lose his lift. He came in too fast and crashed into Xiao who was loaded down with luggage. Bags flew everywhere and the two men groaned.
Lilly burst out laughing at the sight and Amber's frown intensified as the strange man crawled out of the twisted pile of luggage rubbing his head. She continued to frown as he stood up and faced them.
"Um..." he said slowly, "Hi...everyone..."
"Well Bumi, is that really you?" Vanessa looked him up and down carefully. "Why you've hardly changed! I mean you've filled out a bit but otherwise-"
"Bumi," Lin interrupted, "you have A LOT of explaining to do."
"Yes, dear," Bumi said sheepishly. Vanessa's eyes widened as she looked back and forth between the two and realization hit.
"Oh," she said to Lin, "are you his...?"
"For now, yes," the Chief replied while glaring at the wild man. Bumi didn't catch the glare though, because he had finally spotted the girls and couldn't take his eyes off them. He observed that one had his eyes and the other his dark brown hair, but besides that they looked too pretty to be his children.
"Hey there," he said while giving them a nervous little wave.
"Nice landing." The black-haired one shifted her toy bison from one arm to the other and looked him up and down.
"Well, now, girls, let's not be too shy." Vanessa gave Bumi a teasing smile. "Come introduce yourself to Papa Bear."
"Papa Bear!?" Lin's eyes turned from glaring, to bulging in shock at the nickname.
"I know right?" Amber looks up at the older woman. "It's not like we're bears, I mean...sure, my mother likes to gulp honey from the jar..."
"ONCE!" Vanessa whirls around to point a finger at her daughter. "And it was...my "Moon Time."
Bumi blushed at the mention and Lin seemed unable to make sense of this situation, as Vanessa pulled Bumi closer, ignoring her assistant who flailed to pick up the clothes and put them back into the trunks, before they became soiled.
"Now, enough about my embarrassing visits from 'My Cousin.'" V, chuckled as she pulled Bumi by his arm over to the girls, though she stopped a few steps away from them, causing Bumi to lurch forward and get jerked back to stand beside the eccentric woman.
"I've already introduced them to The Chief here." V, winked at Lin, making her scrunch up her face in a confused and slightly annoyed frown. "So, you can just formally introduce yourself. Though they know who you are already." She whispers the last part to him before hurrying back over to Xiao, shouting at him not to get her new gold kimono damaged.
Bumi looked back to the girls, feeling like he was being stared down by his father and mother after a prank; and with Lin there giving him a blank stare it made him even more he felt a surge of relief to see how healthy they looked, and wearing such nice clothing.
"Uhh...Well, this is awkward...but..." Bumi then flashed what he hoped was a winning smile, and waved a hand at the girls, keeping his distance until he felt they extended an invitation. "Hello, I'm Bumi, your father."
Hearing the admittance had Lin frozen in place, uncertain of what to do.
"We know who you are...Father." The red clad one seemed slightly reluctant to call him that, but that calling him 'Commander Bumi' would be stretching it formality-wise.
"Yes, Dad, err...Commander Daddy, Papa Bumi...er...Uh..Sir?" Lilly seemed to flounder, not as certain as her sister was in how to address her father.
Bumi Chuckles, crouching down on one knee to smile at the black-haired girl. "Well, just 'Father, or Pops' will do...if you're comfortable with it. I mean, I don't want you to feel pressured or forced to accept me right away."
"Because you got our mom knocked up ten years ago and due to your busy military career she was unable to get in contact with you, thus you had no idea about us? Resulting in Mom having to raise us without your support and create her fashion empire?" Lilly let this out in one long sentence, which had both Bumi and Lin staring at the little girl in wonder.
"It's a BIG part of it." Amber snarks at her sister, but let a small smile come across her lips anyways as she turns to Bumi.
"Hi, I'm Amber." She curtsied to her father, suddenly feeling nervous. At seeing his daughter's apprehension Bumi put her to ease by crossing his arm over his chest to lean forward in a bow.
"M'lady." Bumi said in a sophisticated manner, causing the serious girl to crack a grin.
"AND I'M HER PARTNER IN CRIME!" Lilly shouted excitedly, hoping to get him to smile and bow to her. She waved her stuffed bison excitedly, causing it to fly through the air. This earned a cry of alarm from Lilly, but it was caught by Bumi, who examined the stuffed toy in interest.
"Partner in Crime?" Bumi asked in a mock suspicious tone. "Is that why Linny is here, to arrest you two?"
Amber huffed a laugh but Lilly looked down and began to play with the buttons on her shirt in a bashful manner.
"Yes, Father, we've committed a series of cookie thefts, water-buckets suspended on the door assaults and a rash of 'Sticky-Sap on the seat of the chair' vandalisms." Amber drawled out with an eye roll, earning a loud laugh from Bumi.
"Don't say that!" Lilly shook her sister in alarm, honestly believing she was confessing to their new dad. "He'll ground us! Or worse, he'll keep Flumi from me!"
Bumi blinked in surprise, looking at the stuffed Bison in his hand, before handing it back to his daughter. She took it back with a soft 'thank you' and she hugged the bison closely.
"Flumi?" Bumi asks, tilting his head curiously at her. Amber nudged her sister and whispered, "Tell him your name!"
"LILLY!" She shouted, then quieted down slightly. "Lilly, my name is Lilly...and you're our Dad, Bumi...I named him..." She gestured to her stuffed toy in her arms. "After you, sorta...He's all fluffy and...I love him, and I decided since you couldn't be with Ma or sis, I figured, I could mix your name and the word 'Fluffy' and it'd be like your were around. So, you wouldn't feel guilty or bad, since you were away till now."
"Subtle. Lilly..." Amber sighed. "But yeah...I mean, it's his name...and Mom told us you were shaggy and hairy..." Bumi cocked an eye and looks over his shoulder at Vanessa forcing Xiao to sit on a trunk to force the lid shut. Lin let out a snort of amusement, quickly covering it up and hoping no one heard it.
"And...I hope you don't mind, but Mom said you would've liked to be with us if you could've...so..." Lilly was cut off when Bumi placed a hand on her shoulder, and gave her a bright smile.
"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me...and yes, if I'd known about you girls, you bet your boots I would've come to see you right away." He smiles at the two girls. "I bet you girls were beautiful when you were born."
"As opposed to now?" Amber snarked with a raised eyebrow.
"Mom says Amber was an ugly baby." Lilly snickers, causing Amber to let out a growl of offense at her twin.
"I was not! And She Did Not Say That!" Amber snapped, but Lilly keeps chuckling.
"She said you looked like The Dragon of the West Iroh without his teeth!" Lilly continued. She let out a squeal when Amber lunged at her, but jumped to the side causing Amber to fall flat on her face. Startled, Lin and Bumi jumped forward as Vanessa hurried over and grabbed Lilly as she tried to run past her to escape her sister's wrath.
"Lilly Oma Chen, what have I told you about inciting your sister into attempting murder!?" Vanessa scolded the girl who tried to hide her face behind her stuffed toy.
Bumi helped his other daughter up, face and outfit was now dirty and dusty from her fall, her face bright red from embarrassment. Lin stood to the side not sure whether she should approach or not.
"You okay, Princess?" Bumi questioned the girl as he attempted to dust her off. She shuffled under his hands and finally jerked with a tight frown.
"I'm Fine! And I'm Not Your Princess!" She huffed, turning from Bumi to cross her arms. "I Barely Know You And I Don't Need Help! I Didn't Need You Before and I Don't Need You Now."
Bumi leaned back with a slightly hurt expression, and then looked at Lin and the hurt turned back into awkwardness.
"My Jewel, please, don't be so terse." Vanessa scolded as she walked over, Lilly's hand in her own. "And Lilly, you apologize to Amber. I don't need you two getting into fights while I'm gone. Iron Pole and your Aunt don't know how to handle you two, like I do, so I'd appreciate if you didn't get into your usual turtle-duck squabbles."
"Take care of us. What are we, Fire-Ferrets!?" Amber shot at her mother, but a pursing of V's lips, causes Amber to drop her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Mother..."
"Come here..." Vanessa sighed, reaching out to Amber, who went over and gave Lilly a sour look. V, gently turned both their faces up to look at her own.
"Now look, it isn't very often we get a chance to visit Republic City. In fact, we've not been here for ten years, 13 for me," Vanessa began. "And I know this is awkward, but this is a prime chance to get to know your family. And more importantly, your Father." She looked up at Bumi and the twins followed her gaze.
"He's just learned about you and I know this is hard for him, just as it is for you two. But I couldn't very well NEVER introduce you to him, could I?" She asks, and the question earned her an in-sync reply of "No, Mama," from the girls as Vanessa continued on.
"Now, I've never REALLY forced you to do something if you didn't want to..." Amber looked up to open her mouth. "OR," V, furrowed her eyes to silence Amber, "That wasn't beneficial, or good for you two. Now, I'm asking, no...BEGGING you two. PLEASE. Give the city, and everyone in it a chance? Give your cousins, Aunts and Uncle a chance. But more importantly, give HIM a chance?" She pointed to Bumi, who straightened up.
"I've had you two to myself for over ten years. And it would be SELFISH of me to want to hog you wonderful little honey-badger moles to myself," She whispered as she kissed them both on the cheek. "And we can't be mean to your father, can we?"
"No, you're right..."
"Yeah, we are pretty wonderful..."
The two girls looked at each and nodded in agreement. They hugged briefly as way of apology. While Vanessa looked up at Bumi with a flustered and slightly awkward smile.
"Better put your learning cap on, Papa Bear." She told him. "I've got two days to give you a crash course on learning EVERYTHING you can to look after them while I'm gone, and these little cubs have claws."
Bumi gave her an equally nervous smile and said, "Well, I'm all ready to learn."
"In that case let's start now. First off, Lilly can be a bit hyper at times."
"WHAT'S UP REPUBLIC CITYYYYYY!?"
Bumi looked over V's shoulder to see the black-haired girl standing on top of wooden post and shouting for all to hear. He looked back at her mother and said, "I can see that."
V grins before adding, "She can be a bit much at times, but Amber's pretty good at getting her under control."
As she spoke Amber went to her sister and pulled her off the post. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked.
"Saying hi! Making sure the whole city knows that I've arrived. Wouldn't want the boys to miss out."
Bumi overheard this and raised an eyebrow at V. "Boys?"
"Yeah, she's a little boy-crazy," she explained.
"Gee, I wonder where she got that one from."
The two laughed as Lin looked on in annoyance. "Well," she interrupted, "I hate to break things up, but shouldn't you be getting to the Island?"
Bumi nodded and said, "Lin's right Ness; we'd better go catch the ferry."
As they gathered up the bags Bumi pulled Lin to the side to say, "I'm sorry you had to find out like this. But truth be told I only found out this morning myself."
"It's fine," Lin said half-heartedly. "I'll get used to it - to them, I mean. I'm just worried about you."
The wild man shrugged and said, "No need to worry about me. I can handle a couple of kids." Then he gave her a big smile that made it impossible for her to admit that it wasn't the kids she was worried about.
"Can we go already?" Amber asked as she trudged past the two. Lilly ran after her, calling over her shoulder, "Ya better hurry old man!"
"Old man?" Bumi shouted after his daughter, trying to hide a laugh. "I'll show you old!" He kissed Lin on the cheek before taking off after the kids. Lin turned to Vanessa and gave her a cordial nod.
"I hope you enjoy your stay on the Island. And good luck with Tenzin."
Vanessa laughed. "Luck? Honey, I'm looking forward to it."
Lin watched as the four walked away, the assistant scampering after them. She hadn't felt this conflicted in a while. On the one hand she wasn't one to get in the way of other people's affairs. But seeing the girls run off, their father chasing them, the mother lagging behind and laughing at the sight, she couldn't help but feel like there was a new family coming together. One that didn't have enough room for her.