"No, honey, we don't have enough money for that." Takero told Mori as she
took the bag of candy from her and put it back on the shelf.
 Mori looked up at her with a look of disappointment on her face.
 "I'm sorry." Takero told her as she wheeled the cart along the aisles of the
grocery store. She picked up a few more items, then made her way to the register.
"Kisuri!" she  called. "Come on."
 Kisuri came out of the toy aisle carrying a new action figure.
 "Oh no you don't, young man." Takero scolded him. "Put it back. I'm not made of
money."
 "But mom!"
 "I said no." Takero reiterated firmly.
 Kisuri put the figure on a nearby shelf and joined his mom at the register.

 Takero sighed as she took the transit home with the younger two of her children.
Both of them were wearing disappointed looks on their faces and it made her feel bad. She
wished she was rich so she could give them all they wanted. But being a widow and having
her oldest daughter crippled for life strained her finances and she had to make
sacrifices.

 The transit stopped at the pick-up/drop-off location only a couple blocks from Takero's
home. She took her groceries and the kids, and departed the vehicle. Then, she made her
way back to her home.
 "Kisuri, carry this for mommy, please?" She said, handing her son the bag with the
meats in it."
 Kisuri took the bag and continued walking alongside Takero. As he walked, he
whistled and smirked, swinging the bag as he went.
 "What song is that?" His mom asked.
 "Just something I heard in school." Kisuri replied.
 Takero figured it was probably some novelty tune with naughty words in it, but she
was too drained to scold him, and besides, she figured, he was doubtlessly humming it
because he thought it was funny.

 Takero opened the door to her home. There was a lingering smell of smoke, but
it was very faint. She heard voices coming from the dining room. Hanging her coat in the
hall closet, she carried the groceries into the now-singed kitched. "What happened?" she
exclaimed, dropping the bag she was carrying, which fortunately contained nothing
breakable. She rain into the dining room and saw Shiasta and Miaku sitting there, enjoying
a quiet lunch together.
 Shiasta looked up. "Oh hi, mom." She said. "Sorry about the kitchen."
 "Are you okay?" Takero asked, looking her over.
 "I'm fine, mom." Shiasta replied. "Miaku rescued me and put out the fire."
 "It was no big deal, really." Miaku disclaimed.
 "Nonsense." Takero, told him. "You probably saved her life. If there's anything we
can do for you..."
 "Well, you could attend the wedding." Miaku suggested.
 "The..."
 "Shiasta's finally agreed to marry me." Miaku told them.