“Alright thank you! that’s enough.”

“Ah, you kids. All grown up so fast…”

TEARS WELL IN DOTTIES EYES. SHE SMILES.

“Won’t even kiss your auntie anymore.”

“It's not that. We should be on our way now.”

“Oh, of course! And give Aleph a big kiss from me!”

π CRINGES.

“Yeah, I will.”

“Goodbye aunt Dottie!”

“See you again Euler! You too π!”

THEY WALK ALONG THE DEEP PASSAGES. π CARRIES THE HEAVY BAGS.

“π, can I ask you something?”

"Sure Euler."

“Why do we call her aunt Dottie when she’s not our real aunt.”

“Well, why not? Sometimes Family does not have to be blood related.”

π TRAILS ON.

“...Sometimes your real family is worse.”

“Like my Papa?”

“Yeah! But don’t worry mine was not much better. At least I think so. There was probably a reason Mama never spoke of him.”

IT IS QUIET FOR A MOMENT.

“Aleph's Papa, I forgot his name, he was alright though.”

“What happened to him?”

“Went back south. He was a gatherer too but the most normal one I’ve ever met.”

π REMINISCES.

“And great at cooking. He would cook the meat and vegetables in this little ceramic bowl with a lid. It made it so tender and oily!”

“Did I eat it too?”

“That was before you were born.”

“Oh.”

THEY WALK FURTHER.

WHEN EULER BECOMES TOO TIRED TO WALK, π CARRIES HER AS WELL.

“I want to make it too!”

“What?”

“The vegetables and meat in the little bowl with a lid!”

“He gave us the receipt. Aleph might still have it. You could ask him-”

“You too. And then we all cook it and then eat it together!”

π SWALLOWS.

“We don’t even have the bowl for it.”

“Plato's cousin makes pottery. I could ask her to make one for us.”

“Is that so?”

"Yes! I could cut the carrots and you and Aleph-”

A CHUCKLE LEFT πS THORAT.

“Me and Aleph?”

EULER'S EXCITEMENT DIES WITHIN HER. IT IS SO SUDDEN EVEN π NOTICES.

IT IS QUIET FOR A LONG TIME.

“You know how it is, Euler.”

“I know π.”

THE PATH NARROWS.

…

…

…

…

………

“Hey, we could go to Canto for supper tomorrow. You love her Mama's potato bread, don’t you?”

“Hm.”