Julia turned to Natalie. Noticing her wearing a kitchen apron, she asked, "Were you preparing dinner?"
"Ah! Yes, Grandma," Natalie replied politely, trying not to think about what had just happened in the kitchen. "Please have a seat."
Julia followed Natalie to the sofa and asked, "Were you startled by my arrival without any notice?"
"A little," Natalie admitted.
"I wanted to surprise you, so I came straight here, thinking you must be alone and I could keep you company," the older woman explained as she settled onto the sofa. She then turned to Justin, who had just returned after placing her bags in the guest room. "Why are you here? Albert isn't home, so there's no need to pretend to be Natalie's husband."
