Notes:Thank you TheToasterMarketingBoard, you're the best!
It was a fairly quiet dinner for Tenzin and his family. Bumi was rattling on about one of his many tall tales as a commander. Meelo and Ikki were half-heartedly listening to their uncle, having heard this particular story a few times already.
Tenzin looked around the table and noted both Jinora and Zhou Rhen were not present for dinner. It then dawned on him that he hadn't seen either since the morning.
The whooshing sound of a screen door sliding open and clanking against the stop broke Tenzin from his thoughts.
"Hi everyone, we're back!" Korra happily announced as she and Asami entered the dining room. Bumi stopped his story and the table all looked to the door.
Ikki shot up from her seat and ran towards the girls. "Yay!"
Korra grinned and opened her arms expecting a hug, but Ikki brushed past her and collided with Asami.
"I'm so glad you're back!"
"Good to see you too, Ikki," Asami replied, reciprocating the embrace.
The Avatar shot a look to her girlfriend, and Asami could only smirk back.
"Yeah, good seeing you Ikki," Korra said under her breath, making her way to an empty place at the table next to Tenzin. She removed her heavy coat and tucked it underneath the table. Ikki, still buzzing with excitement, clasped Asami's hand and lead the other girl back towards her seat by Bumi and Meelo.
"I thought you were going to give us a call before you returned?" Tenzin commented, turning towards Korra.
"Yeah, something kinda came up and we wanted to get back right away." Korra's eyes drifted away from Tenzin and around the table. "Where's Jinora?"
"She's around here somewhere," Pema said offhandedly, as she wiped at Rohan's food riddled face.
"What happened?" Tenzin asked.
"It's more like something is happening, in the Spirit World. Remember how Asami and I experienced a time discrepancy in there when we were on our vacation? Today we took my parents through the Southern Portal. We met up with Varrick and Zhu Li, who were wandering around in there, and when we told them what day is was, their calculations were also off."
"Time had moved slower for them, whereas for us, it moved faster," Asami quickly added.
Tenzin nodded a few times before speaking. "Not much is known about the Spirit World, it's a surface we have just barely begun to scratch. It hypothetically could operate like that when a human physically passes into the world, versus entering through meditation," the airbending master offered.
"Yeah, it's still weird though," Korra rebutted.
Tenzin tugged the hairs at tip of his beard. "It is strange, but how pressing of a matter…"
"We can't ignore this," the Avatar urged, leaning over the table.
"I have mentioned your first trip to the White Lotus…" Tenzin trailed off, looking towards the open door. Korra followed his eyes, expecting someone to be standing in the doorway she had recently passed through, but there was no one.
"Tenzin."
Tenzin looked back to Korra at her command, but his eyes kept darting back to the door. "Yes…well..."
Asami pushed herself up from the table. "Tenzin, I think it should be investigated, pressing matter or not. The Spirit World is now a part of Republic City. I plan to propose to President Raiko that we need to restrict access to the portal while we learn the basics of how this other world operates."
Asami had caught Tenzin's attention and he turned to face her across the table. "I will support that proposal. I agree the Spirit World should not be open to anyone who feels like wandering in," he said with a nod.
The Avatar cracked a smile. "Don't worry, we kicked Varrick out before we came back."
"Korra!" Jinora's voice called out. The young air master rushed through the open door and towards the Avatar at the table.
"Here she is," Pema called out to no one in particular.
Jinora took the empty place directly across from Korra. "I'm so glad you're back."
The Avatar flashed her lopsided grin before darting a glance Ikki and Asami's way. "At least someone is."
"When did you get in? Why didn't you tell us you were heading back today?"
Korra held up her hands as if to defend herself from the assault of questions. "We just kinda went over that, but to summarize, we need to launch an investigation on how time works in the Spirit World. As the airbending master most spiritually in tune with the Spirit World, I'd like you to help me."
Tenzin was about to object, but Jinora cut him off.
"Of course!"
"Jinora…" her father warned.
"Dad, this is the Spirit World we're talking about, I can shadow you some other time," Jinora said, staring her father down.
"Very well, but you can't go until the day after tomorrow. Korra still needs to meet her… guest, first."
Jinora rolled her eyes at her father, and the Avatar took notice.
"My guest?" Korra asked, looking around the room, but only seeing familiar faces.
"Yes, remember what we discussed before you left? The White Lotus member is here to meet with you," Tenzin replied.
"Oh, that was fast."
"Yes, he arrived a lot quicker than I anticipated," Tenzin said, daring a glance at his eldest daughter. Jinora was clearly trying to hold her tongue. Her brows were furrowed and her eyes were locked on the table. He turned to his wife. "Do we have any leftovers for the girls?"
Pema started to ease up from her spot. "Yes, I'll get their food if you can get Rohan to eat the rest of his dinner."
"I can get it, Pema," Korra said, rising up from her seat.
"I'll help," Jinora added, mirroring the Avatar.
After the two girls left the room, Bumi lifted himself up from his place. He stretched out his arms like an old lemur and shuffled towards the door. "Whelp, I'm going to turn in for the evening."
Meelo exaggeratedly mimicked uncle's motions and then slapped at his protruding belly with both hands. "I need to turn in too."
Before the young airbender could move one foot away the table his mother spoke up.
"Meelo, you're not getting out of dishes tonight."
Meelo dramatically slumped his shoulders and thoughtlessly flung a hand at his bowl. "The girls are late, I don't have to wait for their dishes to be ready do I?"
Pema furrowed her brow as she glared at her son. "No, but you have to do the dishes that are ready now."
Meelo, still pouting, walked around the table collecting the abandoned bowls. Ikki grinned as she held out her bowl to her brother. He silently snatched it without humoring her with a response.
Once Meelo made his final and dramatic exit from the dining area, the rest of the group relaxed.
"You'd swear I was asking him to cut off a hand," Pema murmured to herself.
Tenzin shrugged his shoulders at his wife's comment. "He'll outgrow it."
"You've been saying that since he was two."
Asami cracked a smile at the older couple's comments. Pema noticed and smirked.
"Just you wait, it won't be so amusing when it's your own children you're dealing with." Pema turned her sights to her younger daughter, who was also grinning. "You have even more reason to be concerned Ikki, that obstinacy is hereditary."
"One Meelo in the family is enough!" Ikki groaned.
Jinora and Korra were spooning rice and vegetables into three bowls when Meelo loudly entered the kitchen.
"'Scuse me, dirty dishes coming through!"
He intentionally brushed up against the girls as he made his way towards the sink.
Jinora jerked away from her brother. "There's plenty of room to go around us!"
Meelo ignored the comment and dumped his armful of dishes in the water-filled sink. He then loudly started scrubbing at the bowls, clinking them together and against the basin.
"So uh, have you met this guest of mine?" Korra asked, topping off the bowl she was prepping for Asami.
Jinora looked down at her own full bowl. "I don't think Dad wants me saying anything."
Korra felt her stomach clench; the reluctance to say more than a few words about this 'guest' was making her a little nervous.
"He also doesn't want me working with you as much…" Jinora whispered.
At the same time as his sister's admission, Meelo loudly stacked a clean porcelain bowl with the other clean ones.
"What?" Korra asked, leaning closer.
"Dad wants me to start shadowing him more, and less with you."
"Because of this White Lotus guy? What he is here for is completely different from what we're doing."
The young airbender's heart started to race, and the corner of her eyes stung with threatening tears. She rubbed her eyes, a bit unsure why this was making her feel so emotional.
Jinora let out a sigh before speaking. "My dad said he kind of misrepresented how much time I should focus on learning to guide you. Studying with you is more of a backup plan, in case something happened to him prematurely, but it shouldn't be my primary focus."
"Oh, that's a grim thought…" Korra murmured. The uneasy feeling in her stomach increased at the thought of Tenzin not being in her life. He had been a continual source of guidance and comfort in her time in Republic City. She looked to her younger companion. Jinora had also been a constant in her life.
"This upcoming mission isn't about our future roles, this is about the Spirit World, and I know you are the best person to help me figure out what is going on."
Jinora looked up at Korra with hopeful eyes.
"Master Jinora, I am requesting your aid on official Avatar business."
The younger girl cracked a smile, and wiped at her eyes. "I can't decline an official Avatar summons."
A cool breeze blew around the small group huddled outside the Sighing Lotus restaurant. Zōngsè and Zhǎng lì shook the hands of their daughter's friends one more time as they prepared to leave.
Zōngsè extended his large hand to Mako's smaller one and clasped around it. "Well Mako, it was certainly... interesting meeting you," he said, as he let go of the firebender's hand and then turned to his daughter. "Yasmine, are you coming home tonight?"
"Yes, I'll catch up with you in a minute," she replied.
Opal turned to Wu and hooked her arm around his. "I think I forgot something inside the restaurant. Wu, will you come with me?"
"Why-" Wu started to object, but Opal pulled him out of range before Mako and Yasmine could hear the rest.
Once they were out of Mako's sight, his eyes darted everywhere but his girlfriend's face. "So, uh, you live with your parents?"
"I told you that," Yasmine replied. She crossed her arms and tilted her head back towards the dark sky. The waning moon was starting to peek out from behind a cloud.
"Oh yeah… Sorry," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.
The conversation dropped and the pair stood in silence. Mako focused on the trickling sounds of the fountains, hoping it would drown out the pounding beat of his heart in his ears.
"If you didn't want to come to my parents' house for dinner because you wanted to hang out with your friends, you should have just said so. I think it would have been a lot less trouble for you."
Mako looked up and over to Yasmine, but her eyes were still locked on the moon. She continued, "You know Mako, I don't really get you. I thought I did, but it's clear to me now that you are just as confused about yourself as I am."
Mako continued to stare as she spoke.
"I thought in that hospital room, I had met the real you. But tonight I realized you've only ever told me lies, haven't you?" Yasmine asked, finally making eye contact with Mako.
He held her gaze, eyes wide, for a moment, before dropping his head in shame.
"Are you not even going to try and argue against anything I've said?" Yasmine urged.
The quiet and tense atmosphere was shattered when the front door of the restaurant burst open.
"C'mon Opal, I want to go back to the palace!" Wu barked loudly as he walked out of the building. Opal still had her arm locked with Wu, and this time was being dragged along by him.
"Wait!" Opal pleaded.
Wu continued to ignore the airbender and marched up to Mako. "Are you ready?"
Yasmine rolled her eyes at the new arrivals. "Alright Mako, if you don't have anything to say to me, I'm going to go," she said, turning to the still entangled Wu and Opal. "He's all yours now."
The prince threw up his free hand and waved at Yasmine. "Thanks!"
Yasmine rolled her eyes a second time as she began to march away from the group. Mako looked up again to see her back now facing him.
"Wait, Yasmine! I'm sorry."
Yasmine stopped at the sound of Mako's voice but didn't turn around.
"You're right, I have been lying to you," he said, stumbling towards her. He stopped moving and talking, realizing he hadn't thought beyond the impulse to stop her from leaving.
Mako dared a glance at Opal. She had given up restraining Wu and was now clutching her head. "What are you doing?" she mouthed, her face scrunched with frustration.
"Yasmine, you're right. You're right about everything," Mako called out. This caused her to turn around and look at him. Yasmine was still visibly upset, her face flushed and her eyes glossy.
Mako swallowed hard and shuffled a few paces closer. "I am lost… It's why I came to the Earth Kingdom in the first place."
"Because of Avatar Korra's new girlfriend," Yasmine cut in.
Mako's posture drooped. "You knew?"
Yasmine rolled her head back and scoffed. "I overheard your conversation in the desert. I was sitting right next you two, you know," she said, gesturing to his side for emphasis. "You confessed to still being in love with her in broad daylight."
Opal moved closer to Mako and slapped a hand on his shoulder. "I thought you told her everything?"
Mako shot Opal a warning look. He was about to explain but Wu's nasally voice caught his attention.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Wu exclaimed, marching towards Yasmine with his left hand up as if to stop her. Once his hand was a few inches from her face, he turned to look at Mako. "Avatar Korra has a girlfriend? Like a girlfriend, girlfriend?"
No one answered Wu's question as he looked between the three.
"Who is it?" the prince pressed.
Opal threw her hands in the air in defeat. "Asami Sato!"
Wu's eyes bugged and he locked onto Mako again. "Oh Mako, you dated both of them and now they're dating each other."
"Why don't you shout it from the rooftops Wu," Mako barked. "Yasmine, you want the whole, whole story? I dated Asami, but I left her to date Korra. Then Korra and I did nothing but fight and broke up. Right after, an incident happened where Korra lost her memories and forgot we had just broken up. During that time kinda I cheated on her with Asami. Then Korra and I broke up again. Everything eventually was fine between the three of us until the two of them came back from the Spirit World and were all of a sudden lovers!"
"So that's when you realized you still loved Korra, once she moved on," Yasmine said flatly.
"I realized it right before they ran off together. Not that it mattered, it was clear Korra didn't have feelings for me anymore. Now I'm just waiting for the rest of the world to find out about them. A good portion of Republic City knows I dated both of them, so I thought I'd come hide in the Earth Kingdom until the public's shock and curiosity about the whole affair wears off and I can slink back into my old life and pray no one remembers. There it is, pretty petty sounding huh?"
Mako looked at the three faces staring at him. He wanted to laugh, thinking about all the trouble they had just gone through to help him make a smooth break with Yasmine. "I may have feelings for Korra, but I don't want to anymore. I'm trying, have been trying to move on, but I'm realizing it might be a little too soon to try to do that with someone else... I'm sorry Yasmine. I'm sorry for getting you wrapped up in my mess."
"Our mess," Opal said, stepping forward. She placed her hands on her heart and looked to Yasmine. "I encouraged Mako to try and get you to break up with him tonight. You know some very powerful information, and we are deadly afraid of what you will do with it. We were worried if Mako broke up with you, you'd use it against him."
Yasmine snorted and crossed her arms. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. That thought never crossed my mind, but after this humiliating evening…"
"Please don't punish them because of me," Mako pleaded. "I was the only one that hurt you in all of this."
"What is the price of your silence?" Wu asked in a tone more serious than Mako and Opal had ever heard from the prince. "The recognition for your efforts on the Kuvira mission?"
Yasmine eyed Wu, and then looked back to Mako. "So you're breaking up with me?"
Mako nodded his head. "Yes, and I'm going back to Republic City."
"What kind of recognition are you talking about, Wu?" Yasmine asked.
"There will be many diplomatic roles opening up as the states start to operate independently. The main function of the job will be to maintain relationships between Ba Sing Se and the rest of the independent states. I'll even let you choose which states you work with. I personally will be overseeing this portion of the new government once I step down as prince."
Yasmine eyed Mako as she thought. He was awkwardly shifting his weight back and forth. After the long pause she finally said, "Okay, it's a deal."
Opal let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Oh thank goodness."
"I expect a written offer by the beginning of next week."
"You'll have it on your desk end of business day tomorrow," Wu replied with a forced smile.
Yasmine gave the prince a small nod and then started to leave. Mako, Opal and Wu looked between each other and then to Yasmine's back. They didn't feel very assured by her sudden departure.
Yasmine was by the restaurant's grounds' gate when she stopped. For a moment it appeared she was wrestling with whether or not to turn around. Yasmine clenched her fists and sharply turned to look back at the trio. Silently they stared back.
"You know what I don't understand, is why you've done all of this? It's not even for the Avatar, it's to protect Kuvira."
The three exchanged looks, unsure of who should answer the question and how.
"Well…" Opal started.
"I just was following Avatar Korra's orders…" Wu murmured.
"Yeah, Wu and I weren't there for the planning, we just trusted everyone else's decision," Mako added, looking over at Yasmine as he whispered to his friends. "What can we say to convince her?"
The two young men looked to Opal. She scowled but nodded her head. Opal took a few steps towards Yasmine.
"Those who were involved, including Avatar Korra, did it because we all feel that no one deserves the death penalty, regardless of the crime. We didn't want to see the United Republic complicit in capital punishment. Was Kuvira a worthy candidate, if such a standard existed? Probably, but what would we be starting? Where would we go a as civilization from there? Kuvira didn't even have a fair trial, it was rigged from the beginning. The death penalty wasn't the will of the people, but of some anonymous Earth Kingdom statesmen, so hungry for revenge that they did everything in their power to ensure it would happen… And trust me, I understand their desire for vengeance. I think Kuvira has gotten off with less than she deserves. While she is walking free, my own brother, her ex fiance, is set to spend most of his adult life behind bars, because of her. I have to check my personal feelings and remind myself that this was still the right thing to do. At some point we just have to forgive, not so much for the one who hurt us, but for ourselves."
Yasmine looked at the ground as she processed Opal's words. She nodded a few times before looking back up. With a weak smile, she turned to leave.
Opal, Mako and Wu watched her go, waiting for her to turn around again, but she walked through the restaurant's grounds' gates and was gone.
"Sooo… Anyone else need a drink? I'm buying," Wu announced.
"Yes!" Mako and Opal groaned in unison. The three then shuffled back into the Sighing Lotus for a few beverages.
It wasn't a few minutes after sunrise when Korra and Asami were woken from their sleep to the sounds of Ikki banging on the door of the Avatar's bedroom.
"Aaaaasami! Koooorra! Breakfast!" The young girl hollered, rapping at the paneling a few more times before scurrying down the hall.
The pair had both leaned up in bed, unsure if Ikki was going to burst in. They listened to her fading footsteps and once sure she was gone, flopped back down in unison.
"I don't want to get up," Korra groaned, rolling over on her side facing away from her girlfriend.
Asami moved to sit up in the bed, leaning her back against the wall. "You don't want to keep your visitor waiting."
The Avatar let out another groan and scrunched up her body, bringing her knees as close to her face as she could.
"So you going to loop me in on this guest of yours?" Asami asked.
"He's a White Lotus counselor, I guess. I told Tenzin our plan about coming out publicly. He said he was going to tell the White Lotus my plan, and that they'd likely send someone to talk me through it."
"Or out of it."
"I wondered that..." Korra murmured, staring at the blank wall her bed was rested against. "I guess I won't know until I hear him out." She then let out a frustrated groan as pushed herself upright. The Avatar crawled on her hands and knees towards the foot of the small bed and then climbed off it. She then began grabbing at her clothing on the floor.
Asami remained seated and watched her girlfriend dress. Her eyes roamed over the quickly disappearing almonde flesh.
"Has anyone ever told you how sexy you are?"
Korra was about to pull her shirt over her head, but stopped at Asami's admission. The fabric was partially covering her face, and she shyly peeked her eyes out from beneath it.
Asami smiled at Korra's very red cheeks and slipped out of bed. She slowly walked towards Korra, who had pulled her shirt off her head, but still had her arms through the holes.
Asami's soft hands ran up the Avatar's exposed arms, and gently pulled the fabric down until it fell to the floor. With her arms now free, Korra wrapped them around Asami's neck and pulled the taller girl closer.
"Korra! Asami! What's taking you-" Ikki asked, sliding open the screen door without warning.
Asami and Korra froze and turned their gaze to the door. Ikki was standing with her hand still on the handle, her eyes bulging and her face crimson.
Jinora then appeared and grabbed at the collar of Ikki's wingsuit.
"Ikki!" Jinora scolded as she jerked her younger sister away from the door and down the hall. "It's called knocking!"
Ikki stumbled a bit from being pulled away and then regained her composure. Her face was still red from embarrassment.
Jinora pointed to the ground to make sure her sister would stay put, and then dashed back to the open door. She winced her eyes closed and bowed her head as she shouted, "I'm really sorry about my sister!" She then flung the screen closed.
"You don't have to be such a jerk, it was an accident!" Ikki yelled, scrunching her face. She turned on her heels and stomped down the hall.
Jinora let out a sigh and rested her head on the closed door for a moment. A few moments later the door started to slide open, and Jinora backed away. Korra and Asami emerged, both fully dressed
Jinora rushed up to Korra. "I'm really sorry about that!"
Korra grinned awkwardly and scratched the back of her head. "Don't worry about it, she was just a little over-eager."
The three started to walk down the corridor towards the main dining hall.
"Still, Ikki should know better!" Jinora said in a huff.
"Don't be so hard on your little sister," Asami said as she placed a hand on Jinora's shoulder. "We're the ones who should know better by now that no place is safe in the Air Temple, not even a bedroom."
Jinora shook her head a few times from side to side and picked up her pace, bringing her a few steps ahead of the older girls. "You two don't understand, you don't have siblings. All responsibility always falls on the oldest. You're supposed to set a good example. It doesn't matter if you do because your siblings won't follow it and it's still all your fault!"
Asami gave Korra a look, expecting her girlfriend to say something back to Junora in Ikki's defense, but the Avatar only reached out to take her hand. Asami rolled her eyes at Korra's reluctance, but squeezed her hand back all the same.
After breakfast Korra walked Asami to her boat at the dock. They shared a few quick pecks before Asami boarded her craft and fired it up. Korra watched the boat skip across the bay towards the mainland. Once her girlfriend was out of sight Korra turned back towards the temple. Waiting at the top of the stairs was Tenzin and a young man she did not recognize.
The Avatar's heart picked up a faster beat as she ascended the wooden stairs to meet them.
"Tenzin," Korra said with a slight nod.
"This is Zhou Rhen. As you know he is with the White Lotus and here as your counsel as you and Miss Sato go public with your relationship."
"Hello," Korra said awkwardly and then looked to Tenzin. "Is this really necessary? No offense, it just feels, I dunno, a little dramatic?"
Zhou Rhen put a hand to his chest. "Avatar Korra, my aid extends beyond this one event in your life. I'm here to introduce myself as an asset. Avatar Aang expressed a desire for outside counsel when he was a young man, so the White Lotus has trained me to be your counsel, if you so choose."
"I know you're weary of the White Lotus, but I think you should give him a chance."
Korra gave Tenzin a slight nod. Tenzin smiled, satisfied, and gave the two a slight bow before he left.
"So... you want to talk now?" the Avatar asked, shifting her weight from side to side.
"If now is good for you, Avatar Korra."
"Yeah, why not."
"I've taken a shine to the wind panel training area, would you like to go there?"
"Sure."
After breakfast Ikki had taken a quick bath, and was now marching down the temple halls looking for her friend.
"Asami?" Ikki asked, starting to slide open the door to Korra's room. She quickly stopped herself from opening it further, and slid it back closed. The young airbender rapped her fist on the door and called out again.
Since there was no answer, Ikki felt safe opening the door to confirm the room was empty. As she suspected, the room was not occupied by Asami or Korra.
Ikki closed the door and headed to the dining room. Inside was her mother, cleaning up her brother Rohan, and Jinora at the other end of the table with a book in front of her.
"Did she leave already?"
"Did who leave?" Pema asked, keeping her attention on Rohan.
Ikki groaned and threw her back against the wall. "Asami!"
"Yes, I believe she left after breakfast."
"She didn't even say goodbye…" the young airbender moaned, letting her body slide down almost into a sitting position against the wall.
Pema shrugged at the comment and started to open up Rohan's baby chair. She slipped her rag in between the bamboo seat and her toddler, brushing out the many crumbs. "Well Ikki I'm sure Asami didn't mean anything by it. She probably had to get back to her company."
Ikki let her body slide all the way down the wall, until her butt collided with the floor with a soft thud.
Pema turned around to look at her brooding daughter. "Why don't you go join the morning training? You'll never become an airbending master sulking in the dining room all day."
"I hate the training groups! It's so boring and there is no one my age," Ikki whined, dramatically crossing her arms across her chest.
"Asami isn't your age and you like spending time with her."
Ikki turned away from her mother's gaze. "That's different! Asami understands me."
"Ikki's got a crush on her," Jinora said aloud, joining the conversation.
"I do not!" her younger sister barked.
Jinora shrugged and turned her attention back to her book.
Ikki pulled herself up from the floor and marched towards the door on the opposite side of the room, purposely passing her by sister. "Why do you have to pick on me for everything!"
The door was flung open and then slammed shut, leaving Jinora and Pema alone.
Pemar slowly rose from her seat and started collected the dishes in front of her. "What has gotten into you girls? You both have been in such moods this week! I thought things would get better when Korra and Asami got back."
Jinora looked away from her mother.
"I don't know what's going on with you, but you know better than to take it out on your sister."
Jinora fought the urge to roll her eyes at her mother confirming her earlier defense about scolding Ikki. "I'm sorry mom, I'll leave Ikki alone."
"Thank you."
Pema's arms were full of dishes as she walked to the door; halfway through she stopped. "Do you really think she has a crush on Asami?"
Jinora looked up, a bit surprised. "I dunno, she follows her like a puppy. I was mostly just trying to pick on her."
"Well, you shouldn't tease her about it. You don't want to give your sister a complex about such things or she won't feel comfortable talking to us about crushes in the future."
"Even if it's a girl?"
Pema moved her body to face her daughter straight on. "I will love and support you children no matter who you fall in love with."
Jinora smiled and looked down at her book. Pema smiled back and headed back towards the kitchen. Just before she left the room, she heard her daughter say, "Thanks Mom."
To be continued..