She was, miraculously, still smiling as she slipped into the air car. Her twisted graduation wrap immaculate and clasped in her shaking hands along with her diploma. As the door closed and the people and cameras disappeared Liara finally was able to cry. Her valedictorian speech had mostly been canned and that had probably saved her the ultimate shame of falling apart in front of her peers and teachers. A fifty year old fool is what she was. Goddess she should have asked for an exception, the speech had ruined her. Her mother held her close, but could not hold her tightly for fear the wrap would come undone. Maybe other Asari wouldn't mind if it did, but it would have mortified Liara. She felt both gratitude and anger at the loose grip. But it wouldn't do and she would very possibly die if she wasn't presentable for the social and then the dance. She didn't want to go to them, she wanted to go home and have dinner with her mother and her followers. Liara wanted nothing more than to miss a cue to pass the wine and have the commandos tease her for putting her elbow in the eikat broth bowl, to watch her mother laughing and bareheaded as she and Shiala continued to trade backhanded compliments and steal food from Yavel's plate. At least they would understand that if Liara suddenly bolted in tears that it wasn't because she was a rude terrible person, they would look at each other and send someone after her to make sure she calmed down. They wouldn't judge her.