"Haaji! What's wrong?"

Simone was standing at the doorway from the bedroom to the kitchen just as Haaji pulled a carving knife from the wood block by the sink. He turned, knife raised, mouth gaping open, his eyes changing colors from blue to green to red in a frenzy of emotions.

"Simone! Where were you? I was so scared. . ."

"Haaji, calm down. I was just at the seamstress' home and sat with her for tea."

"All morning?"

"I helped her with some of her work. She paid me to help her; she was so far behind and I knew we could use the extra money," she said.