[15: picture of a woman in a kitchen, ca 1905]

They sat down quickly. 

"Uncle Ram. . . Do we still have to go to school today?" Sama begged

"Yes you do."

Sama pouted.

"But there's time. We'll have tea together tonight and discuss summer
plans."

They ate -- Sama filled her plate with pieces of mango, and not much else.

Their father yawned. "We've been up for twenty five hours. I think a nap is
in order. We will see you two after school."

The girls went to get ready.  Sama raced and was back in the hall in
moments, and gave her mother another hug before they went to nap.


The car was waiting as they left school. Sama put her hands to the back
window before she got in to see if her parents were there waiting, but the
seat was still empty.

The girls piled in, and the car pulled out toward the house again. 

Once home, Sama raced to her room and changed out of her school uniform and
into her most brightly colored sari, and took a string of small bells and
tied it around her waist.

She bounced down the stairs two at a time, making a jingle with every
motion. 

Her father was standing in the drawing room doorway, watching as she came
down.

"You look like a delightful flower in the middle of all this grey."

"I feel like one!" Sama exclaimed.

Meera came after, still wearing the grey skirt and white shirt of her school
uniform.



They drove to the seaside the next day, the winding roads atop the white
cliffs made everyone's stomachs churn a bit, so they stopped at the