She went back into the kitchen and sat down and picked up her tea and her mother looked at her face and read it the way she'd been reading it for twenty four years.
"Today," Mei said.
"This afternoon."
Mei nodded.
She reached over and covered Aria's hand with her own.
"You don't have to be kind to her," she said.
"I know," Aria said.
"Whatever you're planning to say...you don't owe her kindness. Not after everything."
"I know, Mum."
Mei looked at her.
"But you're going to be kind anyway," she said.
Aria looked at her tea.
"I'm going to be honest," she said. "That's all. Just honest." She paused. "I don't know if that's the same thing."
Mei squeezed her hand once and let go.
"It might be better," she said.
****
THE MEETING
The place was a private dining room at a hotel in midtown.
