The interaction between the pair made Zane's mother look up. It was the kind of teasing that was more common between siblings than members of the opposite sex, but the warmth of the exchange made her smile. She did not know who the girl was, but since her son and the woman seemed to be close, she would try her best to be social. Zane stepped forward and called to his mother.
"Mom, this is Mina Harlow. She is a good friend of mine," he said. Mina was caught off guard by Zane's introduction and she realized too late that she had let it show on her face, so she tried to play it off like a joke.
"Don't say that," Mina said. "If you tell people we are friends, they might get the wrong impression of me." Mina stepped forward and bent toward Zane's mother's ear. She whispered something that made the woman smile. The old woman then introduced herself to Mina as Mrs. Meagan. She did not give her surname.
