Memory From A Dream
Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door swing,
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away
Now don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone..Big Yellow Taxi, Counting Crows
When Lenne awoke the next morning, blinking into the bright sunlight, waves of contentment crashed down onto her. Life seemed…perfect. It was the only word to describe the way she felt when she saw the reflected sunlight on the dome-topped buildings outside, and the distant blue sea meeting the oh-so-blue sky. It seemed inadequate to describe the concert last night; or for that matter; her new friendship with Shuin.
It was odd. Last night, for a few moments, she would have willingly summoned Ifrit to squash Shuin. He had made her so angry! And yet…Lenne energetically pushed off the blankets and sat upright on her bed, her tousled brown hair falling around her….and yet; they had become very good friends later on.
He plays for the Zanarkand Abes! Last night, she had not been able to fully appreciate this fact; but now it seemed to glare at her as bright as the sun. She skipped energetically off the bed and smoothed down her silky pajamas.
It was a blithe and light-hearted Lenne who went down for breakfast.
It was, however, a grave and distracted Uncle who informed her that Calopia had declared war on Epiden.
She couldn't understand it. Why is Uncle so upset about it? Yeah; war was bad. She'd always been taught that, from both Uncle and her mother. In fact, the words 'mother' and 'war' in the same sentence brought someone else into the picture…
Little Lenne hated that smell. It was almost sharp and bitter, to her sensitive nose. For her, it symbolized everything 'father' stood for. She knew why he smelt like that…it was that strange, golden drink he always drank.
Little Lenne didn't like that drink, either. She has put her small pink tongue to it one night, and it had tasted yucky. It made papa act strange after drinking it. Sometimes papa would laugh and be happy, and at other times he would shout and throw things at mama (this was before mama had taken Lenne away).
And his trembling hand would reach for another bottle of that drink…
No! Lenne squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to remember that. Erase them…erase those memories. Instead, she pushed further into her memories, dug deeper into the past…
It was pretty, the way the moonlight streamed across the room and illuminated mama's face. Mama was extremely beautiful, in Lenne's opinion. When Lenne grew up, she wanted to look just like mama. Mama didn't have messy hair; her hair was long too- longer even than Lenne's!- and straight, and oh-so-shiny.
Lenne gazed admiringly at mama. Then mama stirred, and looked at Lenne. There was something strange in her eyes. It wasn't the patient sorrow that Lenne could somehow always see there, hidden though it was. No; this was something wilder, more uncontrolled and passionate.
"I want to tell you about your father."
Mama had never slapped Lenne in physicality, but it felt like she had dealt a severe mental blow to her now. It was a slap that left her agape…stunned, even. Not him! Not him! Lenne remembered precious little about her father, and even that she tried to forget. Father was a drunk…a bastard! She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, her palms suddenly hot and sticky.
Mama was watching. So she relaxed slightly. "He-he wasn't always the way you saw him, darling. He used to be so…" Mama's voice trailed off, while Lenne bitterly acknowledged the love that still lingered about the words Mama spoke. "So wonderful. We had a tiny little house- we were just married, and just starting out, you know. And then…The Evo happened."
The Evo.
Lenne's mind quickly ran over something she had once read about The Evo.
The Evo was an evolution of the last century into this. Consecrated by the blood of millions, the people of the Western provinces rejoiced at its end, on December 2nd, as a red sun rose. And they swore…they swore to never make such a mistake ever again. It had begun with one of Calopia's top scientists – Igneus Fallop – discovering how to implant human genes into a machina, which would allow him to create a mutant race (or army, as he later intended it to be).
Not strictly machine, and not quite human, these mutants were superior to both and all. The corruption and perversion of Fallop led him to create these monsters with one purpose: to capture all of the Western nations. Calopia was supported in this mad endeavor by Vegnazia and opposed fervently by Zanarkand, Epiden and Tome. Epiden, being a small nation on the eastern border of Calopia, was seized almost immediately.
What followed was a long and bloody 5 year war between the Western powers. It ended only when Fallop himself was assassinated, and his 'forbidden machina', as they were termed, destroyed.
Lenne was shaken back to the present by the sound of Mama's voice.
"It had only been 15 months…And the government began conscripting men into the army. Your father had to go, too. And the man I knew…"- Mama's voice broke a little here- "…never came back. He never was the same after the first few messages home. And he never told me anything about what happened during that war, or why he acted that way around me." Mama's voice had become almost a crescendo. But she caught herself, and stopped abruptly with a wry smile.
""When he came back, his hands couldn't stop trembling…"
And his trembling hand would reach for another bottle of that drink…
"Shell shock, they called it. He didn't work…his eyes were bloodshot and red, all the time. And he was covered in scars…so many scars. He was addicted to drink. Slowly, we couldn't afford that house anymore. Or any house, for that matter. I tried, I did! I had three jobs at one point, just so that we could maintain that little hell-hole in the slums, which we had. But there was only so much I could do, and he…he still wouldn't leave that drink of his. It became worse! From five bottles to fifteen! And-and…I never knew if he still loved me or not. Was I just there? Did he even care?"
The story became a jumble of meaningless words no longer addressed to Lenne. But what made Lenne's own hands tremble were the tears flowing out of Mama's eyes. Slow, sad, silent tears. With a sob choked out, Lenne flew at Mama and hugged her tight. Mama never cries! Patient, sweet Mama!
She still loves him so much…
War did that to people. But still…
"Oh, Uncle! Epiden is so far away! It can't affect us here, here in Zanarkand, can it? And anyways, Epiden had it coming to them. They're a heathen country, aren't they? They don't believe in Yevon, and Calopia is so strongly Yevonese like us, that's probably why they did it. Religious differences and the like…It was only a matter of time be-"
She broke off as Uncle grabbed her by the shoulders. Her eyes widened, and became brown swirls of surprise and slight fear. "I've taught you better than that, Lenne. Tell me I have. If I haven't, then I'm definitely a failure in my role as your guardian." His words were quiet but strong.
Lenne lowered her eyes in shame, but she said nothing, waiting for him to go on.
"Does it really matter if Epidenese do not believe in Yevon? Does it really make it right for them to die and be slaughtered by the millions merely because of Calopia's greed? Is that what you are saying, Lenne?"
Her face was like stone. She had been taught better than that.
"I'm so sorry Uncle," she said meekly. "I didn't mean…"
"I know darling, I know. But be careful with your words, and do not let Yevon cloud your judgement."
She nodded, still ashamed of herself. Silently, she pulled the news tablet towards her. It was a wonderful machina, the news tablet: a small, portable, colourful screen that displayed all the latest news at any time of day. Ingenious. She turned it on, a simple matter of pressing the huge red button on the right.
"Calopia Declares War On Epiden…But WHY?" blared a headline. Below in slightly smaller lettering, it read: "What use could Calopia have for Epiden? Were all the Forbidden Machinas REALLY destroyed?"
Click. She pressed a blue button to move on. Flick.
"Will Zanarkand Go To War Too? Will We Defend Our Allies?"
Flick.
"Vegnazia Remains Silent On The Issue- Were They Aware of Calopia's Plans?"
In frustration, Lenne turned the news tablet off. "Do you think Zanarkand will go to war?" she asked suddenly and abruptly. Uncle took a sip of his black coffee and shook his head.
"Not yet, we won't. We haven't really been mobilizing for the past few years, but they'll start at full speed now. And Epiden isn't really worth risking the lives of millions to our government…yet. We probably won't, unless Calopia or Vegnazia looks threatening to us." Draining his coffee, he stood up. "Well, Lee, I'll be back about seven. If you're going anywhere, let me know, alrighty? Oh, yes, and Mr. Kan will probably phone about your next concert date or venue or something like that. You can figure out the details, can't you? Bye, then."
With this fatherly banter, Uncle straightened his tie and left.
Leaving behind a desolate Lenne.
"Oh Yunie, I was so nervous!" said Lenne to the huge screen hung on the wall behind her bed. On the screen, a silver-haired beauty shook her head with a smile. It was the Summoner Yunalesca. "You weren't even there for support, you meanie!" Lenne threw her pillow at the screen as Yunalesca burst into laughter.
"I'm sorry, Lee…but you know I couldn't come! I had that wretched ritual to do…High Priest Zukon made me inscribe all those tablets. Ugh, my hand! At least a million, I bet. I mean…who cares about those things? It's not like we're all gonna become extinct overnight!" Yunalesca was Lenne's best friend, and Lenne trusted her implicitly. They had even gone through the trials of Yevon together, having been raised to the rank of 'Summoner' at roughly the same time.
It was well known to all the High Priests and Maesters that these two girls were very special indeed, both having amazing powers of summoning and magic. They also knew that Lenne was in fact the better of the two; her powers being phenomenally strong. But Lenne, has she known, would have wished for a little less summoning power, and a little more of the grace and charisma that Yunie possessed.
At parties and gatherings, it was always Yunalesca who mingled and more often than not got the awkward Lenne through. But Lenne (although she never quite realized it) was a sweet, simple soul who was almost always smiled favourably upon. She was never jealous or bitter of her precious Yunie, and the two girls were intensely loyal and faithful to each other.
"High Priest Zukon? I've never had him. What's he like?"
"Horrendous. A mean old slave-driver if there ever was one. And that's an understatement, by the way…"
Lenne grimaced and grinned at the same time. "Well, I don't have any Summoner sessions for at least a month, thank Yevon."
"Me neither! Yippee for that."
Both girls were silent for a while, Lenne twisting a strand of hair idly while Yunia examined her nails. Then Yunie spoke.
"So, did you meet any cute guys last night?" She had a teasing grin on her face.
Lenne flushed slightly and shook her head with a tolerant grin.
"Liar! LIAR!" Yunie jumped up as if electrified. "A friend of mothers was there, you know, and she has a son. About a year older than us…surely you met the son?" Lenne looked blank. Yunie sighed loudly from sheer frustration at her stupidity. Lenne could be so dim. "Shuin! His name's Shuin-" Lenne gave a start- "Aha! AHA! So you did meet him! And he, my dear, is very cute. Are you blind to bits or what! He is fine."
Lenne stuck her nose into the air and assumed a dignified pose. "I met him, yes. At first, he was a rude, arrogant little-"
"Yeah yeah yeah. He's always like that at first," broke in Yunie. "But both of you are so blitz-crazy, I thought you'd hit off fine! He's a trainee with the Abes, you know." Yunie winked devilishly.
Lenne felt a touch smug as she replied; "Not anymore. He's in the team now. The actual team!" She tried to keep that tell-tale tinge of pride and admiration and excitement out of her voice, but it was impossible. Yunie waved her off again.
"Whatever. You know I can't stand blitz!" Lenne did know. "Anyways, darling, I've gotta scoot. Mama's taking me shopping, and Papa's just pacing because of Epide- By Yevon! I'm coming!" The latter was addressed to someone off the screen, presumably her mother. Yunie hurriedly grinned goodbye at Lenne and the screen crackled into blackness.
Which left Lenne alone in the fading brightness of her room, deep in thought.
Lenne's cheek was pressed against her mother's wet one. Mama was crying, but why? Papa wasn't shouting, for once. Instead, he was sitting on the dusty, moth-bitten couch with his head in his hands. His brown locks were messily rumpled, and his whole figure conveyed the desperation of the situation he was in, and the moroseness he felt inside.
Lenne was scared. This wasn't normal…
Mama was saying something.
"I can't stay any longer. I just can't." Kaila tried to keep the tears from falling. That line was meant to be cool, calm and collected! Lower lip trembling, she stared down at the man she had given all of her unconditional love to…whom she still loved.
He didn't look at her. Good…if he looks at me, I may just change my mind.
But a part of her was aching to hear him object – to hear him say anything that would make her stay. Unless…he wants me to leave? A big, salty tear fell off the tip of Kaila's nose, eluding her hand's gentle brush.
Still he didn't speak.
And that was when the dam burst. "I hate you!" cried out Kaila, her wide eyes flashing through the water droplets that would get stuck in her lashes. "Why are you doing this to us?"
And then he looked up.
Vik couldn't bear that look in her eyes, and it was heart-rending to know he had put it there. It was the first time since The Evo that he had actually been stone-cold sober without being furious at everything.
Looking around, he saw his surroundings clearly for the first time. I let Kaila and Lenne live in this? He ran his fingers through his already rumpled up hair. What…what..? Even his mind struggled to find the words that fit. He stared miserable at Kaila's tearful eyes (carefully not meeting them, however) and at little Lenne's glossy brown hair.
What could he say? Could he really ask the love of his life and his precious child to stay in this filth a moment longer?
How can I ever justify what I've done?
The images flashed through his mind…
"Blood here, blood there. Blood everywhere!" Vik still hated that chant. It was so…crude. And so true. That was all the Evo had been so far: blood everywhere. The only thing that kept Vik going and his sanity intact was the thought of Kaila, and of little Lenne. The daughter he had never seen. She had been born only a month after Vik had left for the North-Eastern front.
"…She reminds me so much of you. She had your eyes, you know. So full of fire and vim, they are! But I'm sure hers will look soft and gentle often, too. She already has an astonishing fringe of the sweetest, fuzziest brown hair you have ever seen! I'm telling you, Vik, our Lenne will be a beauty when she grows up. Our Lenne.
Oh, how much I miss you!
I really do hate all this war business…it terrifies me. Everyday I read on the news tablet about some horrendous new machina those wicked, murderous Calopian and Vegnazian brains have cooked up. To think that you should be posted on the Zanarkand-Calopia border! I can barely sleep at night.
You haven't had a meeting with something called X078-AA7, have you? Because then I fear that you won't get a chance to read this letter…
Ugh, but I'm sorry. I won't joke about such a thing. I really am scared. Oh, Vik…
Please be careful, and come home soon!
It probably sounds extremely simple and bland on paper, but…
I love you. I love you. For my sake's and Lenne's…please. Come home soon.
Forever yours,
Kaila. 3"
Just as Vik finished his letter, a young soldier stuck his head inside the tent. "Squadron Leader Vik Mendel?" Vik nodded absently, still thinking about his letter. "A letter for you, sir, from Brigadier Rauil." Brigadier Rauil, the man himself…the man who was in charge of Zanarkand's attack on Calopia (or defending Zanarkand from Calopia, as some saw it).
"Thanks," Vik muttered, as he leaned forward to take the little piece of paper.
The young messenger smiled oddly, but Vik didn't notice. Then the soldier bowed and beat a hasty retreat.
Vik opened the second letter despite knowing what was inside.
"Squadron 4 No. IV6, Special Forces Unit Leader Vik Mendel, (Rauil wrote)
A reminder to you, sir, of tomorrow's planned attack on X2R43E44 – the codeword for Calopian Machina Unit 344 – at precisely Z:00 CD. – 7:00 PM – I have sent this through a completely trustworthy messenger, him being my own son, so have no fears that this message has been intercepted or read. You know what to do, and so good luck, soldier.
-Brigadier Rauil Myoto
Sworn Defender of Zanarkand"
Vik sighed wearily. Why do I have to lead an offensive, of all things and people? And the Machina Unit, no less. Unfortunately, he did know what to do. Excellent, brilliant young Vik Mendel who had never even touched a sword or gun or any weapon of sorts before being conscripted into the army, was suddenly a Special Forces Unit Squadron leader. And he was suddenly leading an all-important offensive on Calopia's machina unit; the 'wicked, murderous Calopian brains' who were most deadly and dangerous of all.
Vik grinned wryly, bitterly almost, and held the Brigadier's letter over the little candle flame on his table until it was nothing but a little pile of ashes.
In contrast, he lovingly picked up Kaila's letter, kissed it, folded it gently and placed it into his uniform's right breast-pocket. Next to my heart tomorrow, when I'll need it…And there it stayed forever, until the writing was too faded to read and the shirt too ruined to wear.
Memories of the next day were always too blurred and messed up in his mind. But not the aftermath of it…oh no, never those. Those memories flowed smoothly through his mind, no matter how hard he tried to forget. They followed on now…
He had led his band of talented, hopeful young men to their end.
And it was no noble, glorious end…it was an end of waste and ruin, needless pain and shame.
Now, as he lay bruised and bleeding in the dark, their faces flashed before him.
Shaz Defello. 19. "I want to be an architect, sir Vik, sir…it's always been my dream to build a really beautiful building in Zanarkand, with waterfalls and all…" Shaz Defello. 19. His face battered beyond recognition, his identity only on the little card still hung around his neck. He would never build.
Blood here, blood there. Blood everywhere.
Nando "Bug Eyed" Bandero. Loud, earnest and clumsy. "I've got one helluva beautiful girl waiting for me back home, sir…I can't wait to get back and see her. We're gonna get married the minute I'm back, and no one's gonna stop us, no siree!" Nando "BugEyed" Bandero. Loud, earnest, clumsy and dead. His body was full of bullet holes, and completely scarlet, stained red with blood. His "bug eyes" were still wide open, startled and amazed.
Blood here, blood there. Blood everywhere.
Derkie Rowes. His arms partially detached from his torso. Pex Lente. A bullet through the forehead, dead centre. Whoever had shot him had had good aim. Tex Lente. Hacked into bits. What was left of him were only bits and pieces of the whole. Tabi Sol. Swinn Loc. All dead...dead…dead…never to live their dreams, never…
"The boys 'ad fun," spat the Calopian Leader when Vik's little 'tour' of his comrade's bodies was over. "But for you, we 'ave something more special, I promise." He had a taunting grin on his face, pleasure at the thought of torturing Vik.
Vik stayed numbly silent.
The Calopian, somewhat disgruntled by the lack of reaction on Vik's part, jerked roughly at the chain around Vik's wrists. As Vik dumbly began to move forward, however, he stopped abruptly, with a jerk.
It seemed like he was thinking for a minute, with a vein throbbing steadily in his head. Finally, he spoke. "I want you to know how it was that we knew you losers were coming," he hissed maliciously. "Don't you?" He got no answer. "Aw, c'mon. Sure ya do." Raising his voice, he called: "Reva! Oi! Reva!" A few seconds later, the heavy door swung open and Reva entered.
Only it wasn't Reva. For a few seconds Vik stared stupidly, and then it registered…
I have sent this through a thoroughly trustworthy messenger, him being my own son, so have no fears…
The messenger who had smiled oddly. That odd smile! That smile of victory. But…why?
It was a sudden movement, startling them all. Vik snarled and rushed forwards, arms straining to reach and wring Reva's puny little neck. "Your own father! You bastard! Why did you do it?" Reva too was startled, and he stepped back with sudden alarm. As more Calopian soldiers entered the cell to restrain Vik, the alarm morphed into a sneer.
"I bloody hate my father. Did anyone honestly expect me to support a man who was never home for my mother? Who didn't give a bloody damn about his child? He treated me like dirt, unless it was something to do with my military training. I bloody hated living up to his bloody expectations!"
There was silence. The soldiers were now pulling Vik out of the cell.
As Vik left, he heard Reva's scornful voice calling out to him. "Squadron Leader Vik Mendel? I thought you were good."
Vik had paid for his rage. "50 stripes of the whip…we won't feed him to the machinas just yet. I want him to hurt."
Later, in the dark, he crawled over to the soft pile of clothes; his shirt and jacket. Fumbling through it with trembling fingers, he finally found the letter. Sitting there in the darkness, his bloody fingers held the squarely-folded piece of paper, which was all he had left. Ignoring the pain on his bloody back, he moaned.
"Oh, Kaila…"
So what if the Evo had finished 10 days later? Excellent, brilliant young Vik Mendel was never quite the same again. The Calopian soldiers had had their 'fun' with him. He wasn't remembered, no war hero, no reward for what he'd gone through. For the next two months, he could barely limp, and he could not lie on his back for the flesh had all literally been flayed off.
So he had stayed for two months at a Northern Zanarkand Aid Centre, refusing to go home like this, refusing to let Kaila see what he had become. He was finally discharge, only physically healed. All the guilt he felt at being responsible for his comrades death hit him time after time like tsunamis…there were days and nights when he thought of nothing else, nightmares with them leering at him, clawing at him desperate to get revenge for what he had done…
On his way home, he found a liquid cure for the mental agony.
All of this ran through his mind as he stared desperately at Kaila. Tell her….tell her, dammit! Tell her not to leave! Why hadn't he told her about the Evo? She would have understood. Kaila always did. But he didn't deserve to live…not after what had happened to them. They fought every battle with me…how is it that I'm still here and they're gone? Gone without the glory they deserved. He wanted to drown. He tried to drown himself in drink.
And he had been too drunk and busy drowning to see Kaila and little Lenne.
Hehad brought them here.
I can't ask her to stay…not after I did this to her and Lenne. And so, although it went against every fibre of his being, he said the word.
"Go."
Kaila stared in disbelief as she heard him say it. Go. Go? Just go. Nothing more….go. The ache was so strong that even tears didn't fall anymore. Without another word, lest she completely break down in front of that man, she slowly picked up her battered old suitcase, gripped Lenne's hand tighter, turned and left.
She was gone.
Vik watched her leave with dumb, agonizing remorse. He spent so long wondering whether he should run after her, grab her and force her to come back that it was soon too late. She was gone. Oh, Kaila…
Lenne never saw her father again.
Lenne sat up, sweating. She must hav dozed off after talking to Yunie! Raindrops were smacking against the windows hard, and the world outside could only be described as grey, dull and depressing. Normally, Lenne liked the rain, but after her strange 'dream' she would have much rather had bright sunlight.
What a horrible dream it had been.
Well, she wasn't really sure whether it was a memory or a dream. A bit of both, she supposed. There were parts from when mama had left papa, but the rest of it…she had never seen or heard of such things in her life. She swallowed hard twice, and then laughed uneasily. I'm being silly…of course the Evo wasn't that bad! After all, the casualty number released had been so low!
Much of the dream had now faded from her mind, and she didn't strain to remember. Those bodies…bullets…She shivered violently, and hastily scrambled out of bed. I need to do something to get my mind off this!
But as she stumbled distractedly down the stairs, she could not help but wonder…"Did papa really have to go through all of that? Watch people die around him like that?" Mama had said he was a strong man. She had said he had been the leader of some unit attacking Calopian forces. "But he never told her what happened at the Evo…"
She stepped into the brightly lit kitchen and immediately felt better. "Well, we'll never know."
Busily, and much more cheerfully, she began preparing a snack for herself. She had just taken a bite of the sandwich when the big screen in the kitchen beeped. Sighing, she got up and walked over to check who the caller was.
Number Unidentified: F20954JUH7
Cautiously, Lenne hit the "Accept Call" button. You never knew what kind of idiots would call a random number, flash rude gestures at the innocent person and then tune off. As soon as the screen flickered on, she reeled back. The screen in the kitchen was slightly larger than the one in Lenne's room, and Shuin's curious face filled the whole thing.
"LENNE!" he bellowed at her. Poor Lenne jumped slightly, and edged further back.
"H-hi Shuin," she stammered. After getting a close up of Shuin's bright blue eyes, he moved back and the view was less intimidating. She could now see what was obviously a little bit of his room; there were blitz posters everywhere.
"How ya been?" he asked cheerily.
Steadying herself, she resumed her cool demeanor. "Since less than 12 hours ago? Fine." She grinned a little.
"Good…good…"
Silence.
"So…uh, how'd you get my number?" Lenne asked, wanting to make some conversation.
"Yunie," he replied simply.
"Oh." Yunie! "So…um…what's the reason for the call?" It was a bit rude, she knew, but she really was at loss as to what to say. But Shuin sat up straighter at her words.
"Heh, listen." I am listening! "I got some free tickets for the Abes-Capo game tonight, and …here's the best bit! I'm playing! So I was wondering…well, if you'd like to come along and watch. I managed to bug Yunie into going too, and some of my other pals will be there too, so…" He trailed off, waiting almost hopefully for her response.
Lenne's face was aglow, and wonderful to look at. "You're playing? Of course I'm there! I'll be rooting for you for sure! Wow! I mean…wow. That's fantastic!" Her words were eager and excited. "Thank you so much! And I can't believe you actually got Yunie to go; she hates blitz!"
"It wasn't easy…" muttered Shuin darkly, at which Lenne giggled.
"Yup, it's like she has a personal vendetta against blitz. Anyways; what time is the game? "
"Well, we're all meeting outside the stadium at about 6:30, so I can give y'all your tickets. The game starts at 7:15. You'll be there, yeah?"
Lenne jumped up and down clapping lightly. "Of course! And again…thanks so much!"
Shuin grinned and ran his fingers through his hair, looking rakishly handsome. "No prob; you have to come, you know. I sat there through your concert, so you have to sit through my game!" He pulled a long tortured face, which was quickly replaced by the familiar teasing grin.
Lenne scowled. He just has to finish off being a jerk, doesn't he? But the screen flickered off just as she opened her mouth to retort, and so she stood there, slightly dazed for a second.
And then she smiled.
