She looked at the table. At the place where Mei's hand and Alexander's hand had disappeared below the surface. She looked up at Mei's face.
She didn't say anything.
She went back to her fork and her case and her conversation with Damien.
But the corner of her mouth had done something.
After dinner Damien stood to clear the plates and Alexander stood to help him and for a moment it was just Mei and Aria at the table.
Aria looked at her.
Mei looked back.
"Don't," Mei said.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to say several things."
"I was going to say....." Aria stopped. Something moved across her face that was complicated and young and very much the expression of a daughter processing something about her mother that she hadn't fully processed before. "I was going to say that you look happy."
Mei looked at her.
