Leila didn't know what to think. Had Spock just asked her for a date? Or, had he simply been stuck with an extra pass to the conference and she was the "logical" most available person to ask? She definitely hoped it was the former. Though, if it were, why had Spock always seemed so cold and distant toward her? Was he simply shy? No, she thought, that would be totally out of character for a Vulcanian. Which brought up another thought – why would a Vulcanian have a permanent home in one of the coldest, wetest spots on Earth? Something did not add up. I need to do more research about my new friend, she thought.
Spock was confused. Why had he asked Leila to go to the conference with him? He told himself that since he had an extra pass she was the "logical" available choice. But was something else involved? No, he told himself. She is a colleague, nothing more. Yet, he could not deny the fascination this woman held for him from the first moment he saw her. And why had he offered to let her stay at his mother's family home? The young Vulcan shook his head in a gesture of all-too-human bewilderment. If he could take the whole exchange back, he was sure he would, but what was done was done. To uninvite Leila now would be in extremely poor taste and he had no choice but to follow through. Spock sighed inwardly – he was relieved that his father was off world on a diplomatic assignment and he would not be attending the conference – that was something at least.
The day of the conference dawned uneventfully for Leila, and she was ready for the shuttle when it arrived. She had been up late the night before in preparation, and had scarcely slept, armed with her new knowledge about the taciturn Mr. Spock. She was vaguely disappointed when she found that Spock was not on the shuttle. No matter – she was sure she would see him before the conference at his mother's home. She wondered if his mother would be there – that would be a woman to meet! Apparently, Leila had discovered, Spock was not full-blood Vulcanian, but the product of a Vulcanian-Human bonding, and Spock's mother was human. When Leila had learned this, a surge of hope had flared through her. Perhaps Mr. Spock had a personal interest in her after all! At least now she knew it wasn't impossible for him to return her feelings.
The shuttle ride to Seattle and Spock's mother's home passed quickly, and all too soon Leila's musings were interrupted by the arrival at her destination. She promptly disembarked and accepted her bag from the shuttle attendant, then looked up at the house for the first time. She drew a sharp intake of breath. The house was more magnificent than she could have imagined. She knew from her research that Amanda's family had been in the Seattle area for something on the order of 400 years, but she had no idea that the house was this old. What presented to her on this first impression was a very well-kept, large, 19th century house situated on the side of a hill overlooking Puget Sound. Wrapped around the side to the front of the house was a magnificent garden terrace of which she could only see a small part. It was overwhelming.
Leila felt small as she approached the front door of this impressive dwelling. Before she could ring, the door opened and a small, graying woman stood before her. Amanda? She wondered.
"Miss Kalomi – We've been expecting you," the small woman stated, and gestured for her to enter, while taking her bag.
Leila looked at her inquisitively and the small woman smiled. "I apologize," she said, "I'm Mrs. Burke. My husband and I take care of this place for Miss Amanda while she's gone."
Somewhere inside, Leila sighed with relief. She wouldn't have to meet Spock's mother's scrutiny – at least not yet.