[10: the ocean or the sea]

"Come on, Sama. Get up. This is the last day of school for the year! You can
do it!"

Sama groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. Meera came into the room
and threw open the drapes and pulled back the covers. 

Sama glared at her.

"I don't want to go. I didn't want to go yesterday, and I don't want to go
now."

"Come on. This is the last day!"

"I don't care."

A rumbling bellow came from the stairs.

"Sama! Get up now!"

Sama roused herself and glared more. "Great. Uncle Ram's home this morning."

"Of course. It's a Friday."

"I hate Fridays most of all."

"You said that about Thursdays yesterday."

"I changed my mind. So there. Now leave me alone."

Meera left her for a bit, and called down to her uncle. "She's up."

"About time" came the bellow up the stairs again.


The meal was set in the garden, and Meera spotted mangos in the basket of
fruit in the center of the table. Not just the usual toast and eggs that
they ate each morning, the table was set with a relative banquet.

"Uncle Ram? Why the special breakfast?"

"Wait and see."

His face was still hard-lined and impossible to read. Meera shrugged and
waited for Sama to appear. She did in a couple moments, still scowling. 

"Sama! There's mangoes!"

Sama tried to keep her scowl steady, but Meera caught a small smile at the
corner, and maybe a tear.

The girls sat, and waited for Uncle Ram to give the nod to start eating. The
table was set in white cloth, and the chairs were stiff-backed and formal,
not the usual garden set.

"Girls. There's a surprise for you."


"Sama! Meera!"

A familiar voice rang out behind them, and the girls turned to look.
"Mother!" Meera cheered, and Sama knocked over the chair and ran to her, and
promptly burst into tears. Their father stepped out of the house, and Meera
nearly knocked him over with her hug.

"Come. Eat!" The bellowing voice rang out, but this time tinged with a soft
care.