Ame's mother's stories eventually ran out, and so did the topics.
We continued eating in silence. I took advantage of it to listen to the discussions in the dining room, which were a weird mix of joy and reality.
My plate didn't have much food left when Ms. Shimizu came into the living room.
"May I take a seat?" she asked Ame's mother.
Ame's mother nodded frantically and moved aside. "Please."
"Ms. Shimizu, do you want another serving?" Sachiko asked.
Ms. Shimizu answered as she sat down, "Yes, but I'm on a diet, so I'll have to refuse."
"I understand."
"I don't want to be a bother, by the way," Ms. Shimizu said to Ame's mother. "I just want to chat a little, if that's okay."
"It… it is."
Only then did I realize how shy Ame's mother really was. Ms. Shimizu struggled to get her to talk, which shocked me after she had talked with Sachiko and me for minutes without trouble.
