"Or someone will steal the taxi you hail and he'll incinerate them because his feet hurt," Karla retorted. "Besides--don't tell him--but I actually like him sometimes now. Mostly when he's around the children and not aware there are other adults around, yes, but it does happen!"

She finished cleaning her gardening equipment and started lugging it over to the shed. "So how are you, darling. It's been forever since we caught up."