For a long while that evening, Bom remained awake as she listened to her newfound companion sleep on the bed beside her.  She’d refused the bed, preferring to be near the door should someone try to disturb them again, but had not been able to drift into unconsciousness herself.  Turning onto her side, she blinked in the direction the girl was, silently mulling over the circumstances of their meeting again.

                Was it mere coincidence?  She had to stifle a laugh while a smile played on her lips at the thought.  In all her travels, she had learned few things were just coincidences and this one felt a little too neat for her tastes.  Oh, the girl’s distress was real enough.  She had no funds that Bom could hear and she was indeed heading towards Kwanju.  Alone, which in and of itself was ill advised for an untrained young woman like herself.

                That was a piece of what made her wary though.  Even foolish young women knew better than to travel alone as such, so what was Minzy doing here with that excuse?  Perhaps she should have asked her where she was going instead of offering the destination for her.  Too little too late…  And why did she smell of cinnamon and cedar wood?  The thought alone sent another shiver down her spine and she ducked her head, pressing her loose fists against her forehead.  It had been too long since she’d smelled that combination and even now, she didn’t know what to feel about it.

                Rolling onto her back, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm her mind.  “Think about something else,” she mouthed quietly, her bottom lip before worrying it with her teeth.  What else was there?

                Those two bit swordsmen.  Of course they existed in every town but why this inn?  Not only that, but they had seemed unusually nervous upon hearing her name.  The one had even been about to say something before he’d been interrupted by something.  Or someone.  There was very little chance it would have been one of his companions and the inn-keeper was nowhere near enough to do anything so that left only one person.  Minzy.

                Had she perhaps hit him to keep him from saying something?  It was possible.  Under normal circumstances, she would think it utterly ridiculous but normal was not a term she could often apply to herself anymore.  Bom huffed softly and pursed her lips.  This was certainly new.  It didn’t detract from the fact she could tell the girl did need help, though it might not be the kind she initially offered her assistance for.  And she was a firm believer that things tended to happen for a reason.

                What that reason was, she had yet to understand but there was time enough to figure it out.  Especially since it would take them several days to get to Kwanju on foot and she herself was reluctant to seek out horses for the rest of the journey.  No matter.  If anything untoward happened along the way, she should be able to take care of them both, and presumably, by the end of her travels, she would understand what Minzy’s purpose was here.

                It wasn’t much of an answer but it was enough to alleviate her thoughts so that Bom could finally drift into slumber herself.  What little she was able to obtain at any rate.  She woke up much quicker than usual when she heard someone moving around before her, which was certainly not the norm.

                “Minzy?” she asked, hand automatically reaching for her katana nearby.

                “Ne,” the young woman responded almost apologetically.

                “Is something the matter?” Bom continued, still a little unsure, though she did pull her hand from her weapon as she threaded her hair behind her ears to make sure she would hear better.

                “Sorry.  Just have to pee,” she murmured abashedly, padding quietly across the floor to open and close the door behind her.

                Bom blinked where she sat on the bed and frowned thoughtfully.  They hadn’t drank much of anything last night and unless she’d snuck some between the bath and bed, it seemed odd she would need to answer nature’s call before she was supposed to wake up.  Easing off the cot, she headed for the window and pushed open the shutters, pausing to listen carefully.  She didn’t feel the warmth of the sun yet and the noise that usually accompanied the beginning of the day was absent.  Nor were the birds singing to greet the rising sun.  Much too early still…

                She turned when the door opened again and Minzy stopped with a gasp of surprise.  “I didn’t mean to wake you, my lady,” she murmured with a hesitant tone.

                “It’s alright,” Bom waved off her concern as she closed the shutters and carefully returned to her bed, making sure that Minzy did as well.  “I’m a light sleeper.  Feel free to rest some more,” she urged, gesturing towards where the bed was.  For a moment she felt Minzy hesitate at the edge, conflicted about whether to agree or not.  “We won’t be leaving too early,” she assured the younger woman, which seemed to sway her at last.

                “If you’re sure,” she hummed, sliding back under the covers and settling in place with a grateful sigh.  Bom shook her head at how quickly she tumbled back into sleep, her breath falling into the measured pace of true rest.  It would not be an option for her, however, so she grabbed her katana and slipped from the room on silent steps, leaving her wooden shoes behind.

                The healing blister was well enough to walk on and she fancied a bit of tea anyway.  When she reached the ground floor, she eased her way towards the counter but didn’t hear the innkeeper at the front.  Not terribly surprising since it was very early, but by the sound of it, there was someone in the kitchen already.  A smile graced her lips as she made her way into the back, clearing when she stepped into a warm space that smelled well taken care of and filled with savory scents.

                “Oh!  Bless me.  Ya startled me dear,” a kindly woman’s voice laughed, age a mantle she wore well as she shuffled close to Bom who simply smiled in response.

                “Forgive me, grandmother,” she bowed politely.  “I did not mean to surprise you.”

                The older woman laughed again and assured her, “I didna think any of our guests would be up so soon.  Couldna sleep dear?” she inquired and Bom immediately imagined a bushy, gray eyebrow arching inquisitively over a lively, twinkling eye.

                “Well enough,” she responded instead with a simple nod.

                “I see.  Would ya care for a bit of tea then?” she asked, preempting Bom’s question rather nicely.

                “If you please,” Bom smiled as she kept her head tilted downward.

                She turned to head back into the main room but the grandmother stopped her.  “Feh.  Come in, dear.  No one’ll be out there for a while yet and I would enjoy tha company,” she admitted, grabbing hold of Bom’s elbow with a knobby but strong hand as she guided her to a stool nearby.  “Besides.  My lazybones son is hard ta stir afore the first customers wake anyway,” she chuckled as she pat Bom on the shoulder and turned about to resume her morning duty.

                “Forgive me for not introducing myself, grandmother,” she started to speak but was interrupted quickly.

                “You’re Lady Bom.  I know, dear,” the woman assured her with delight.  “Even sleepy as ya be, I would know ya.”

                Bom had the grace to flush lightly as she ducked her head.  “My apologies,” she offered, clasping her hands together to bow with her katana resting against her thigh.

                “None needed,” the woman murmured matter of factly as she continued working, stirring a pot here and chopping something there.

                If she listened hard enough, Bom might have been able to figure out what food items she was working with but she simply enjoyed the mutual silence between them instead.  There was something soothing about the normal flow of hard work and it made her want to step outside to drill with her sword.  She did nothing of the sort though and simply waited for the grandmother to return with a cup of tea in hand.

                “Careful dear.  It’s hot,” she warned, handing off a rough, clay mug to the blind woman.

                “Thank you,” she murmured, taking a deep breath of the aromatic liquid before she tried a careful sip.  A pleased hum escaped her when she confirmed it was black tea with a hint of orange.

                The old woman settled on a stool nearby and started to speak, “I heard what ya did for that Jongup boy.”

                “Ne,” Bom nodded in simple agreement.

                “And ya gave that lord a good thrashing!” she giggled in utter delight, acting considerably younger than her age.

                “Grandmother!” the swordswoman gasped in surprised amusement, deciding she rather liked her considerably more, though she did try to keep from smiling.

                “I never did like ‘im.  Tha spoiled, pompous blowhard,” she snorted, smacking her leg in her enthusiasm, the sound muted by thick cloth.  After that, Bom gave up the pretense of not being amused and listened to the old woman continue cooking and recount stories of his hard earned reputation.  In an almost conspiratorial manner, she bid Bom to be quiet as she slipped her one of the first bowls of oat porridge with a spot of honey in it.  “Ta thank ya for keepin me company, dear,” she assured the younger woman, placing her work hardened hands atop Bom’s in a motherly gesture.

                “You are very kind, grandmother,” Bom bowed over the food, setting it on her lap so that it would have a chance to cool.  “And I will accept your offer, but I must pay for my companion’s share when I return.”

                “’Ave a friend do ya?” she practically grinned, a suggestive tone to her voice.

                Bom blushed uncharacteristically at the comment and shook her head quickly.  “A young woman who is under my protection,” she explained before she could get any further ideas.

                “I see,” the grandmother responded, not entirely convinced.  If it was one thing grandmothers loved almost everywhere she had been, it was the romantic drama of younger men and women.  They honestly tried to make it happen in every situation.

                “May I take a bowl to her upstairs?” Bom asked in an effort to divert the conversation while she fished out sufficient coins from the pouch inside her uniform by feel.

                “Of course,” the grandmother agreed promptly, scooping another bowl out.

                “No honey in that one please,” she called before the accoutrement could be added.

                “Oh?” the grandmother chirped curiously but declined to say more.  “Should I help ya upstairs, Bom?”

                The swordswoman shook her head and set the bowl on her lap to tie the sword to her belt easily.  “Not necessary but I do appreciate the offer,” she explained with a bow as she stood up.  “Thank you for the tea and company as well,” she added, extending her hand to wait for the other bowl.

                “Anytime,” the old woman chuckled, handing the wooden container off with care.  “Feel free ta leave them upstairs when you’re finished dear.  I’ll just ‘ave my son go up ta retrieve them when ya head on your way,” she explained mischievously.

                “I heard that mother,” a masculine voice grumbled from the front: the aforementioned innkeeper and the grandmother’s son.

                “Good!” she shot back as Bom retreated with a carefully neutral expression.  She could feel her host’s eyes following her and only when she had her back to him did she let the oncoming smile appear on her face.

                Making her way carefully around the ground floor, Bom took her time with the steps so that she wouldn’t fall and lose both bowls of food in the process.  Stairs weren’t particularly tricky but you never knew after all.  She was glad for the precaution when the top step appeared sooner than she anticipated, as it often did when she forgot to count them.

                Bom had to set one bowl on the floor while she knocked to let her companion know she was there.  “Minzy?” she called, peeking her head in and hearing a muffled groan in response.  It only took her a second to grab the second bowl again, frowning when her finger dipped into it by accident, and eased inside.  “I’ve brought us breakfast,” she called, carefully shuffling around her cot so that she could place the untouched bowl near the side table by the bed.

                “Ugh,” Minzy groaned again, rolling over and covering her face with something that muffled the sound.  Probably her pillow.

                “Are you alright?” Bom asked with a frown, settling on the cot with her legs folded easily in front of her.

                “What smells so sweet?” she asked, her voice becoming clearer when she freed her head.

                “It’s probably the honey in my porridge.  Why?” she asked, keeping her thoughts to herself.

                “Nothing.  It’s just really strong,” Minzy replied with a voice that suddenly sounded stuffy.  She wasn’t breathing through her nose.

                Bom hummed to herself and stood up, taking the bowl with her while she opened the window.  “Sorry.  I can eat over here if you prefer.  The bowl next to your bed doesn’t have any,” she assured the younger woman, taking a small bite as she chewed thoughtfully.

                Minzy grunted in response and tentatively tried her bowl, sighing in relief after the first bite.  “Thank you,” she mumbled shyly.

                “Of course,” Bom replied without looking up, not that it would do her any good.  Many of the gestures she followed through with for the benefit of others; they seemed comforted by the fact she acted like she could still see them, but Minzy was already distracted this morning.  “We’ll get ready to leave when you’re ready, ne?” she offered, giving the young woman the chance to offer information or make a choice.

                A couple more taps of her wooden spoon in a mostly full bowl and Bom finally got an answer.  “I’m ready when you are.”  The bowl clinked against the table as Minzy slid from the bed and started wandering around the room as she patted her hair down in short, quick .

                Taking another large bite to polish off her dish, Bom shrugged and moved back to the cot, carefully placing her bowl next to Minzy’s before she reached under the cot to retrieve her belongings.  The stick slid against the wooden floor and she pursed her lips when she had to reach further to grab her bound travel container.  “We can get some water on the way out,” she commented, receiving little more than a quiet hum from her companion in response.  Honestly, she hoped the girl would talk a bit more on their way.  Otherwise it was going to be a fairly long and boring journey.

                Indeed, the first couple days were shy and tentative with Bom giving Minzy her space as they maintained a slow and easily manageable pace.  They spoke off and on, exchanging vague tidbits about themselves as they went, and stopped at least three times a day for each meal, if not more depending on Minzy.  At times, the young woman was strangely short of breath and had to stop to answer nature’s call frequently.  Ever patient, Bom waited for the girl to volunteer information she suspected, but after Minzy returned from emptying the contents of her lunch on the third day, the swordswoman thought it possible her companion had no idea.

                Thoughtfully, she chewed on the rest of her dried meat stick and waited for Minzy to settle before she spoke.  “Why didn’t you tell me you were with child?” she asked as nonchalantly as possible, sitting with her hands resting lightly in her lap while they were stopped along the side of the road.

                “Eh?” Minzy nearly choked in response, clearly surprised.  “I’m not!” she denied immediately, though there was a hint of doubt in her tone.

                Bom merely smiled and shook her head.  “You act like you are,” she explained with one hand gesturing in the direction of her companion.

                “I do not!” Minzy retorted reflexively, but Bom could hear her shifting in place, fiddling with her clothes in a nervous manner.

                “When was the last time you lay with a man?” the swordswoman asked in response.  She knew the question was slightly rude but it would help get to the heart of the matter.

                Bom could very easily imagine Minzy’s glare when she felt eyes on her and she merely ducked her head with a smile on her face, letting the girl work it out for herself.  No answer at all was as much of a confirmation as denying it would have been.  “I can’t be with child,” Minzy whispered in a voice that held more conflict than joy and Bom frowned slightly at the tone.

                “It’s not a bad thing,” Bom assured her solemnly, sitting upright as she gave her full attention to the nervous young woman, feeling a veritable shift in the air as she considered her condition.  “To carry life is a gift.  You need not be afraid of it,” she went on as her hands tightened in her lap noticeably.

                “No,” Minzy threw back at her quickly, her tone terse.  “You don’t understand.  I cannot have his child,” she stated plainly, far more nervous about something that Bom knew she was missing.

                When the young woman stood up, a spike of alarm raced through Bom and she rose to her feet swiftly, closing the distance between them in a matter of heartbeats.  “Easy, Minzy,” she soothed as she pushed the young woman back to the ground with firm hands, bidding her to be calm.

                “No,” Minzy murmured while her hands gripped around Bom’s tightly, a hint of tears b in her voice.  “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she murmured in a very small voice.  “I cannot carry this… shame.”

                Bom’s eyes narrowed at the description and she pursed her lips.  “Do you carry a married man’s child?” she inquired while her head tilted to the side.  She couldn’t see the resultant head shake but she felt Minzy’s body move in addition to the poignant silence.  “Tell me,” she urged insistently, shifting one hand to grip Minzy’s shoulder.

                “He is forsaken!” Minzy hissed angrily, though it was directed more at herself than the unnamed man.

                Bom inhaled slightly and blinked in surprise.  Such persons were highly frowned upon and it was rare when they found any place in society after failing to take their own life in response to some dishonor they committed or that stained their name by blood.  “How?  Why?’ she added uncertainly, not entirely positive if she was asking about Minzy or the father.

                Sniffing quietly, Minzy was still quick to defend him despite his status.  “It’s not his fault!” she rushed out in a thick voice, obviously fighting tears.  “He is a good man.”

                “And I believe you,” Bom urged while she reached to wipe the tears from Minzy’s face, flinching as the young woman pulled away instead.  “Can you tell me why he is forsaken?” she pried softly, wondering at the heinous crime that had driven him to such a fate.

                “It doesn’t matter,” Minzy rasped with her head turned to the side so that her voice traveled over Bom’s shoulder.

                “No,” Bom murmured with an apologetic smile as she sat back on her heels.  “I suppose it doesn’t.”  She took a small breath and her lips while she looked in the direction Minzy was sitting.  “Do you love him?”

                “What?” Minzy asked numbly, sniffing in her sorrow again.

                “I said do you love him?  The father of your child,” she murmured once more, folding her hands in her lap once again.

                There was a long pause between them then, which the swordswoman did not rush.  She simply listened to the world around them.  On the road, there was another traveler walking by on foot and in the distance, a bird sang to its partner who responded in kind, while Minzy sat and continued to play with her clothes distractedly.  “Ne,” she eventually admitted in a mere whisper.

                Bom smiled earnestly at the hint of warmth she heard in the response.  “And does he love you in return?”  The sound of rustling clothes gave her an idea of what Minzy’s answer was but it was hard to be sure.  “Did you nod?” she asked for clarification.

                “Ne,” Minzy responded with the barest tremor of a laugh in her tone.

                “Then think on it first,” Bom urged in a manner that bordered on begging.  “A life created in love is something to cherish, no matter the circumstances,” she continued as an old pain flared to life in her chest.

                “And how would you know?” Minzy asked, the words cutting in line with her own inner pain and turmoil.  “You are barren.”  It was a statement of fact.  Nothing more and nothing less, but it still hurt like an open wound and Bom winced.

                “I am now,” she agreed in a hushed tone, placing her hands flat upon her empty womb with saddened eyes.  “Once,” she murmured in a heavy voice with all the weight of her regret and loss.  “I carried life in me but one time and one time only.”

                Minzy’s curiosity was a physical force directed at her but she waited for the question, face pinched tensely.  “What happened?” the young woman asked breathlessly, on the edge of her seat.

                Bom’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile and she laughed, the sound without mirth.  “I lost it.  And the ability to conceive,” she added, failing to hide the bitterness she still felt over the loss.

                “Oh,” her companion murmured uncertainly, sitting back on her heels as she gathered herself.  “I’m… sorry,” she finally offered, not sure of what else to say.

                “Please, Minzy,” Bom whispered as she struggled to put a smile on her face.  “Do not be in such a hurry to throw away this gift.  You never know if you will have the chance again,” she added as a single tear escaped her eyes, dripping from quivering lashes to stain her cheek with a salty trail before it fell to soak into her uniform with a tiny pat of sound.

                Silence was her answer, as she had half expected it to be.  There really wasn’t much one could say after hearing such a tale.  Few knew she had not always been barren as it was yet another title she was known by.  Her penchant for spending time with children was well known for that reason and she did nothing to enlighten them otherwise.  It was easier for everyone involved, including her.

                Taking a deep breath to help calm herself, Bom got to her feet and began gathering her things so they could continue on.  “Come on then.  We’ve a fair ways to go yet,” she commented, listening to be sure that Minzy was still coming with her.

                “You’re right,” the young woman responded and Bom didn’t know exactly what she was agreeing with, though her tone was both thoughtful and unsure.

                Side by side, the pair traveled in mutual silence for most of the day.  Bom could feel Minzy looking at her periodically but there was little else she could say to her.  The only thing she was grateful for at present was the fact that in the presence of the girl, her usual followers seemed to have fallen back, which was both enjoyable and mildly alarming.  Really, it only served to add to her suspicion about Minzy but now she felt more obligated than ever to help her.  Her biggest question actually revolved around the identity of the father.  Forsaken truly were rare and unless she’d grown up with or known him a large portion of her life, she would have no reason to get close to this unnamed person.  And had he forced himself upon her, he would be dead already.

                Bom chewed her bottom lip in thought as she came back around to the first thing she’d asked the girl: Minzy or Minji?  Forsaken were equally unheard of in villages or towns since they were valued less than an animal there, but in the heart of a clan, it was possible.  Oh, he would still have no status but even the worthless would have a place there.  Was it possible?  Her memory of twelve years ago was not the greatest but she had always been good with names.  Hmm…

                Even if it was, she didn’t know how to broach the topic without sounding suspicious.  Taking another breath as she felt the warmth of the sun fading while it slowly set over the horizon, Bom knew she would simply have to bide her time as usual.  She allowed Minzy to choose the location to stop for the evening and they settled in to camp with the barest conversations between them.  At least her companion was able to keep the travel bread down this time.  It was bland and hearty but nutritionally sound, if nothing else.

                Bom was about ready to concede that it was going to be a quiet night until she heard Minzy’s soft voice reach out to her.  “How do you do it?”

                The question was very vague, though Bom had a good idea what she was asking about.  Still, she played unsure and sat up, turning her attention to the young woman.  “What do you mean?”

                “Live like you do.  Blind and alone,” she added not unkindly.

                She certainly didn’t pull her punches did she?  “One day at a time,” Bom answered solemnly with a hand on her katana.  Not that it ever got easier…

                “Why?” she asked further.

                Ah.  Now that was a question Bom had asked herself many times before.  Why indeed.  There certainly was not a simple answer to it either.  In part, it was for the child she’d lost; the life she’d left behind.  It was for revenge and redemption.  Anger weighed on her just as heavily as her own guilt did.  Every day was a chance to atone for an accident and a tragedy she didn’t know she would ever be able to forgive herself for.

                “Because I must,” was the only answer she gave Minzy, keeping the rest of her thoughts to herself, her expression neutral despite the turbulence within.

                Minzy remained quiet to contemplate the response she’d been given and Bom did not press her.  “What’s it like, Bom?” she eventually offered again, hesitating before she clarified.  “Not being able to see I mean.”

                There was something she was used to hearing and the inquiry made Bom chuckle to herself.  “I see well enough, just in a different way than most.”

                Minzy’s snort made her laugh more.  “You can’t see if you’re blind.”

                “To a degree,” Bom nodded as she got to her feet, drifting closer to Minzy steadily.

                “What are you doing?” the young woman asked with every evidence of leaning away.

                “Easy,” the swordswoman soothed, feeling for her companion’s shoulder before she knelt just beside her.  “I’m going to cover your eyes, alright?”  She could sense Minzy’s wariness warring with her curiosity and struggled to keep the smile off her face.  At a very subtle hum of approval, she placed her hands gently over Minzy’s eyes and waited for a few heartbeats.  “Now.  What do you hear?” she asked, listening to the world live and breath around them.

                Minzy hummed to herself in annoyance before she fell silent with a long sigh.  Again, Bom declined to rush her and let the woman feel her way.  “I hear the wind in the trees.  It’s rustling the leaves,” she explained, chewing her bottom lip as her face scrunched in concentration.  “There’s a bird nearby.”

                “Can you tell what kind?”  Minzy reluctantly shook her head.  “I don’t know what it’s supposed to be called but I consider it a warning bird.  Do you know why?”  Again, Minzy shook her head at the question.  “Because right now, it’s telling us that there’s another creature nearby it doesn’t like.”

                “How can you tell?” Minzy mumbled with a hint of irritation.

                “They sound very different when they’re singing.  Anything else?” she prompted gently.

                Minzy pursed her lips and continued to frown.  “Your stomach?” she laughed hesitantly when a strange gurgling sound emerged from Bom’s abdomen.

                “Indeed,” she giggled too, feeling a slight flush in her cheeks.  She didn’t press for more, though she heard what was probably a stream not too far off, and the faint sound of frogs with it.  There were crickets chirping in the brush and even the dust made a different kind of noise when the wind carried it over the ground.  “Now.  Keep your eyes closed,” she urged as she removed her hands.  “Tell me what you smell,” she urged, taking a deep breath herself.

                Minzy offered the obvious smell of grass and earth but was unable to elaborate on the scent of pollen in the air; the smell of water from the stream Bom confirmed was nearby; the hint of some sort of berry or flower bush in the relative distance.  Likewise, she had similar observations when she asked her to feel the world with her fingertips.  The ground was simply dirt and grass as opposed to soft soil mixed with tiny, smooth pebbles and the long grass that grew best in moist areas instead of the craggy tufts that clung to life in the inhospitable places.  Even her clothes were simply fabric and not the finely woven threads of spun wool or silk, though she could tell the difference when pressed.

                “Here,” she murmured, gently taking Minzy’s hands in hers so that she could guide them to rest atop her abdomen, noticing the way she tensed up in the process.  “Feel,” she instructed as she kept her hands pressed over Minzy’s, waiting for the girl to acknowledge the life inside her.  It was probably still too early yet to actually feel a heartbeat, but life had a sense to it.  Even at this stage, there was a sort of… well… glow you could say, in her presence.  Of course she couldn’t see it, but now that she was aware, she could feel it, like she wanted Minzy too as well.

                Several deep breaths passed and she allowed a smile to grace her lips when Minzy gasped slightly, a hint of awe in the reaction.  One hand came free to cover as she whimpered once, but her other slid further over her abdomen wondrously.

                “See?” Bom smiled, allowing herself to sit back with her hands in her lap.  “Even without my sight, I see the world more clearly than you do.”  Minzy stifled a sob, sniffing quietly, and Bom reached to pet the side of her head tenderly, feeling soft, straight strands under her palm.  “Get some rest, Minzy.  We’ll move first thing in the morning.”

                Bom heard the woman mumble something in agreement and resigned herself to settle in for the evening.  She would certainly be glad to be moving on soon, for they were closer than she cared to contemplate to the Yenega Clan grounds.  The mere thought filled her with a strange combination of dread, excitement, fear, and anger and she had to work hard to suppress the almost automatic shudder.  Three times now.  It would be her third attempt to return home in twelve years…

                “Bom?” Minzy called to her, drawing the swordswoman to sit up and look over, mutely waiting for her to continue.  “Thank you.”

                Her smile was weaker than usual but Bom nodded once.  “You’re welcome.”  For a moment, she listened to Minzy lie down, paying attention to her breathing as it evened out.  Only when she was sure that Minzy slept did Bom ease herself to the ground and stare blindly at the open sky.  There were no such thing as coincidences, but she had yet to understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit together, or what it would mean when they did.