Saturday came by quickly. And with it came yet another visit for Malik.

It wasn't like he had even expected Officer Teodor to return to the hospital either. But he did. Just as, well, official as before. There was a letter in his hand as well.

"What are you here for this time," Malik questioned right away, honestly, he didn't want to pull up with more of this interrogation. "I thought I told you what you needed to know."

"I'm not here on that," he cut in, holding the letter out to the amputee. "I was told to deliver this. Someone paid for your brother's funeral."

Well that's a surprise. Malik was almost certain he'd have to scrape something up on what merger pay he had at the hardware store (he'd really have to explain this how thing to his boss later about the warehouse). But still, who would have bothered? He didn't know anyone who'd even consider it.

And there his answer was, typed in plain letters. His mother's name. There as something else as well, another letter, handwritten.

"But why...?" he murmured. Then he opened the letter, a small slip of paper fluttering to his lap, and read it to himself.

"Malik,

I'm sorry, I truly am. Everything I had said back there, I was just angry and hurt. I was nothing but a liar to myself, but it hurt so much less than watching my children suffer. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive a blind woman.
I didn't know how else to make this up. I loved Kadar as much as you, but I know that at least I can pay for a proper burial for him. It's the last I can do for him.
As for you, all I can leave is enough to get you by. You'll find the money you'll need to pay off the house and keep you going for a couple of months. Take care of yourself, please. Do as the doctors ask and stay out of trouble. I would have loved to stay, but even though I want to, I need to accept the fact that, for now, your place is here and I only am a burden.
Maybe I'll see you someday, but perhaps not.

With grave apologizes,
Mom"

Now if it weren't for the revelation that his mom just took the time to write this, he would have picked up the slip up sooner. But he just sat there, staring down at the paper for what seemed like an hour. He put the letter down and picked up what turned out to be a check. And on it he found what was probably the money from the life insurance claim from the accident. As he was aware, her guess on how much it could pay for was fairly accurate, though he might be a bit short a month.

"Thanks..." Malik said, not really sure if it was to the Officer or to his mom.

"Did you check the date of the funeral?" Teodor asked, then pointed down to it on the information or the funeral.

His eyes went wide for a moment, "But that's tomorrow."

"I'm sure you'll be able to leave for it," the Officer assured. Then, he was on his way out the door. "Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow."

Claudia was sitting at the dining table, staring down at the wood. Her mom was cutting carrots in the kitchen, not really looking up from the knife. If she wasn't mistaken, her dad had left for some errands, and Ezio was probably taking a cat nap with the cat in the living room. As for Federico, she wasn't sure where he had been off to all day. Oh, well, she was still pissed at him anyways.

At least the announcement in English class yesterday had been plenty to keep her mind a bit distracted from him. Mr. Machiavelli had said that Kadar's funeral was tomorrow, and anyone can show up or pass. But she was fairly certain that she was willing to go. Not that she asked her mom if it was okay.

'Mom? Do you know about Kadar's funeral?" She asked, not really looking up from the table.

"Why do you ask? Aren't you going?" Her mother responded.

That's when her expression was one of shock. "You already know? We're going?"

"Yes, I was told," her mom said, "so are you going to come?"

"Of course," Claudia confirmed. "Is everyone else?" She wondered if her parents would bother with Federico.

"No," Maria shook her head. "Ezio said he would, but your father decided to stay here and look after Petruccio. And Federico said he was meeting some friends."

"So he isn't grounded?" Claudia reworded.

"Have you ever seen him learn his lesson?" Maria put in.

"Good point."

Altair let loose a heavy sigh as he stood against a tree at the park. Why was he here again? It had SOMETHING to do with a bird he saw, sort of... Or whatever the hell he imagining. Did it really matter?

Anyways, so he was standing there, minding his own business and all, then he got clocked in the head by a frizbee. He stumbled off holding his head.

"Sorry about that, you alright?"

He hardly got a good look at the person before his attention was drawn down to his shoe as some little mutt started chewing on his lace. He shook his foot, trying to get the dog off. "What the hell?"

"Come on, Max, let him be," this other student pulled the dog off. "Eh, sorry about that, he's kind of rediculous."

"Fine, it's no problem," Altair sighed. Didn't mean he liked the thing. He looked up to find himself staring at that Junior girl he had seen with de Sable. What was her name again? "Maria, right?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "So you're the arrogent ass Robert's been meaning to kick?"

"I suppose," he rubbed the back of his head. Then he remembered something, "Aren't we in the same art class or something?" He could have sworn he saw her in there before.

"Sounds about right," Maria agreed. Her eyes turned down as she brushed some strands of black hair behind her ear. "So... um..."

"Ehehe..." Damn this was awkward, he realized. So he decided to try and get rid of it. Big mistake. "What color does a smerf turn if you choke it?"

"The fuck?" Maria casted him a funny look.

Two seconds later, Altair mentally listened over what he just said and face palmed. "Nothing. Nothing. It's just some stupid-... ugh.. Forget I said anything." Then he tried to walk away with moderate bruising to his pride.

In today's chapter, I give you plot advancement and stupid Altair conversational. YOU SEE WHAT RASPUTIN DOES TO MEH! Oh well, gonna listen to it another dozen times while I work on the next chapter (sounds about appropriate for the setting).