He thanked her again.

Kes smiled, happiness bubbling up inside her. Real happiness, like she hadn’t felt in what felt like a very long time to her. –You’re welcome– She said, smiling and feeling a lot better. –I’m just happy I could help you.– Then she turned back to the bag of food and got some more out and offered it to the woman. –Here, now you eat some too.– She said, almost a little shyly.

The woman smiled a little hesitantly to her and took the food. She took a bite and then looked from Kes to her sleeping daughter.

Kes looked at the girl too now. –She’s adorable.– Kes complemented the little girl. –What’s her name?– She asked.

”Lanam.” The woman said softly.

–And you, what’s your name?– She asked the boy.

”…Tresit.” He said, not reluctantly exactly, but more like he wasn’t really used to talking with other people, besides his family she guessed, and he didn’t quite know how to go about it.

–Nice to meat you Tresit, my name is Kes.– She told him.

”Kes.” The boy repeated her name, sounding a little unsure of himself.

She smiled softly to him. –Yes, that’s right.– She said, turning to the boy’s mother. –And… you?– She asked, feeling a little shy somehow again and wishing she could get herself to stop reacting that way to this woman. It was a little embarrassing was what it was.

”Shantoa Anara.” The woman said, which Kes understood to mean ’My name is Anara.’, or something close to that.

–…it’s a beautiful name.– Kes told her simply.

Anara thanked her, then asked… if she could touch Kes’s face.

Kes regarded her curiously a moment. The woman saw her, but… –Of course you can.– Kes agreed, moving forward to allow the woman to do as she’d asked.

The woman’s touch was gentle and soft and it sent shivers through Kes’s body, her eyes fluttering closed a moment when Anara’s finger’s caressed her ear. –Your touch is… very gentle…– Kes told her. –…your eyes…– She began to say.

The woman sighed and dropped her hand from Kes’s face. She spoke and told Kes that she could still see, but not clearly. All she could see was an indistinct figure. Her sight far away was better, but even still, not what it had been when she was a girl.