Sabé peered around the corner to study the strangers that were observing Meira. The little girl was focusing her attention on the activity of the day, gardening.

"Oh, Meira's patch is doing better than anyone else's," the older woman marveled.

"Why, yes it is, Mrs. Calle," the teacher said, with surprise. "Her radishes are ready to dig up. The others won't be that big for at least a couple more weeks. Here, let's get one, Meira!"

Meira helped dig one out and held it up, smiling proudly when the teacher snapped a holo. "Oh, your mother will want a shot of that. Very good!"

The Calles smiled and clapped, and held out their arms to offer her a hug, but Meira simply went back to digging in the patch of ground that she had been working for the last few weeks.

Sabé took a few deep breaths as she fought her anger. After a moment, she entered the building by another door.

"May I speak to the director?"

The receptionist started at the sharpness in Sabé's voice. "Oh! Yes, Minister, of course." The young woman hurried down the side hall, and stuck her head in a doorway. When she returned, the director of the center was with her.

"Madame Director, is it now the policy to allow visitation at this center from parties that are not on the list the parent or guardian provides?"

The older woman bowed, and Sabé noticed beads of sweat on her forehead. "Begging your pardon, Minister,but we had little choice. The Calles arrived and insisted on seeing the child. A social worker accompanied them, and the paperwork was in order, so we didn't have grounds to resist. They have assured me they are not taking her, and I have one of the staff with them at all times."

Sabé's tones remained icy. "Still, I should have been notified. It is only appropriate that I be present."

"Yes, Minister, we did try to contact you. The first time, there was no answer, and on the second, we were told that you were on the way. Your comlink was deactivated, or we surely would have reached you. "

Sighing, Sabé looked down and saw that she had forgotten to turn the comlink on. She softened just a touch. "I understand. I don't think you will ever have another situation such as the one we have here." With that, she swept through the doors to collect Meira.

The Calles had since moved inside and were now observing the girl through the window. Sabé's first impulse was to run and snatch her child away, but something whispered to her to wait and watch for a moment. Shielding her presence from her daughter, she placed herself in an out of the way corner.

There was longing in the Calle's faces, as if they were close to a dream they had wanted for so long. Sabé found herself wondering how it would affect them when they discovered that they still didn't have a grandchild and never would. A feeling of pity surfaced and it surprised her. Summoning all her inner strength, she took the bold step of moving near them as they watched the girl.

Mrs. Calle glanced out of the corner of her eye, and surprise registered as she recognized Sabé. She pointed her out to her husband, who turned with a look of wonder. They spoke quietly to each other for a moment before they walked toward her.

Careful, Sabé reminded herself. These people were not just loving would-be grandparents. These people ran with a questionable crowd and had rejected their own son.

"Dear Lady," the woman began," Are you Meira's mother?"

Nodding, Sabé smiled genially.

"The wife of our son?" asked the man.

"That's what the marriage certificate says," Sabé replied carefully. His raised eyebrow told her that he had noticed her evasion.

"See, we should have tried talking to her before we got the court involved. She's a nice girl, I can tell," Mrs. Calle said quickly.

A wild hope rose in Sabé. Perhaps here and now, she should tell them the truth and come to some kind of understanding. It would be better than dragging it out in court.

"What were his last days like?" Mrs. Calle asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "If I had only known there would be so little time! And just as he came around, we never got a chance to reconcile!"

Sabé opened her mouth to speak when a stern voice interrupted. "You shouldn't be talking to her!" It was the social worker. "You're opposing parties in a suit. This is highly inappropriate!"

Mr. Calle gently took his wife's shoulders and steered her away from Sabé. "She's right. We've seen what we came here for. We'll get what we're after soon."

"Sooner than you think," the social worker said proudly. "T'he hearing has been moved up. We'll see the tribunal tommorrow." She glared at Sabé before she turned back the the Calles, chatting them up as they left.

Sabé lowered her shields. When she did so, Meira looked up with joy and ran to the window to wave at her, holding her radishes in one hand.