Intentionally dependent upon public transportation, llhaesa journeyed to city north without event, arriving around the agreed upon time.

Hrilleae was first to the door, given Djellrin was in the kitchen, the result of having won the flip of a coin over which would make dinner. Jahrae had spent much of her day pretending meeting llhaesa would prove an everyday event. Now, with the first opportunity to test her practised resolve, she shifted into role, too cool to jump up and answer the door – even though inside, she sensed the universe conspired to arrange this meeting, to bring each of them face to face with each other.

As Hrilleae pulled the door opened inward, the universe’s stealth manipulation of time and space pulled the last barriers away from the Khentavra’s and llhaesa; fantasy moved toward reality.

Over the past couple of weeks, the names had begun to intertwine, those in the Khentavra family learning more about llhaesa, and for her part, llhaesa had come to learn just a bit about the Khentavra family, or at least about Djellrin and Hrilleae. She knew nothing of a daughter.

Giving her usual disarming smile, Hrilleae introduced herself to the arriving guest, then with voice and arm working in tandem, signalled with a motion of her arm for llhaesa to enter their home.

Llhaesa found herself inside a spacious great room, one with an open expanse stretching from floor to the inner limits of the ceiling. She took in the exposed wooden beams, took in the original works of art hanging tastefully on the off white walls, she took in the elegant but inviting open, wooden staircase winding its way to a second floor walkway leading to the bedrooms of the Khentavra home.

The furniture was designed and in place for use, not show, for living, not observing. This was a family that loved life, llhaesa immediately surmised. The only thing missing – and her mind always searched spaces for appropriate spots – was a baby grand piano.

The piano left her mind, replaced by a vivid image of the exotic, black haired, green-eyed young goddess sitting on the sofa. Her smile grew larger at the thought, and the image remade into one re-formed with the piano, of her singing, of her singing to the dark haired goddess with no name; as yet.

Llhaesa quickly shook that tangent out of her mind, silently self-berating for wandering off into such thoughts.

Hrilleae looked to Jahrae, already on her feet and moving toward the young musician, fantasy swirling in her mind, though not of a grand piano. No, Jahrae thought of Chekresu Bay and a sailboat, with llhaesa bikini clad and in her range of view as she expertly navigated and piloted the boat through the beautiful waters of the Bay.

Jahrae was not so willing to dismiss the fantasy, nor as able as llhaesa to shoo it away.

Hrilleae only caught a glimpse of the expression on her daughter’s face, but in looking directly at llhaesa, saw her expression turn to one of instant appreciation and intense interest. At the realisation, she turned away for a moment in order not to prematurely display her own smile – one not sparked into existence by the formal introduction, but rather due her awareness of the virtual spark or two she suspected leaped from llhaesa to her daughter and back again in those brief seconds.

Hrilleae was more observant and aware of Jahrae’s natural inclinations than her daughter thought – the signs were all there, and after all, she had over nineteen years to detect and process. Hrilleae stifled a burgeoning giggle, one formed from her own mental wanderings of a notion of llhaesa as daughter in law – or perhaps it was better described as a result of her own wishful and fantastical thinking?

She looked again, and this time, clearly saw their eyes locked, exploring, processing, searching for mutual interest.

Suddenly realising her silence was awkward, Hrilleae introduced Jahrae to llhaesa, then reversed the exchange of names. As that momentary burst of formality settled, she asked Jahrae to retrieve her father from the kitchen, which Jahrae dutifully and promptly set out to do.

That done, Hrilleae motioned for llhaesa to settle into the chair or sofa of her choice. Llhaesa intentionally chose an overstuffed chair facing the kitchen, the better to catch a healthy glimpse of Jahrae as she emerged, while Hrilleae chose the sofa setting perpendicular to the chair.

No sooner were they seated when Djellrin entered the room, Jahrae in step with her dad, although a step or two behind. Hrilleae and llhaesa once again took to their feet, and once again names exchanged.

Sensing his entrance might have been ill timed, Djellrin moved to right the awkwardness, asking if anyone wished for a glass of wine. Another at work had already advised that llhaesa was partial to a smooth white. The three responded politely and  affirmatively, sending him to their built in bar located just under the stairs to retrieve the refreshments.

Finally, the four moved toward their first substantive interaction, but the story of the night was not the concert llhaesa was there to discuss with the Khentavras, it was that she, and apparently their daughter, felt an immediate pull that could not be explained simply by physical interest. That was there, but there was a whole lot more.