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"Do that... Well you better get going. Bez is really proud of his chili... and it isn't bad either. Tasty without being too hot on the tongue. I've never had Ai's though. Is it any good?" asks Em sqirming about slightly to get comfortable.

"Hey, thanks! That's a nice thought, Lucy. See you tomorrow." says Em climbing out of the pool and going to his ledge. He wallows in the sandpit there to dry off then stretches out to watch the sunset out the window.

**hmmm did the infamous phrase eater strike again... not sure what you wanted to say there? sweatdrop **

*aha! gotcha wink *

She turns back and nearly leaps out of her seat. "Where... where did you come from?" she demands to know.

"He was up visiting with Em." says Mara not realizing why her sister is so alarmed.

She rolls her eyes and sighs. "Yer almost as bad as Mama, she says things like that all the time."

"Guilty by association..." laughs Ai tapping his pot of chili. "So which batch do ye want to test first, Taro? I used our special recipe." he winks as he waves his ladle in the air.

Mara chuckles. "I liked it, but Ari says it's too hot."

Kero has tasted Bez's chili before and liked it. As Em said it is rather tasty, and anything but hot. And tonight is no exception. It goes down easy and leaves him hankering for more, but he likes his chili spicy, so he picks up Ai's sample, which even before it makes it to his tongue sets his nose a dancing. Visions of his last childhood drift to the surface of his thoughts. This is indeed the chili he grew up on. Now how does it measure up?

Ai pretend to brain him with his ladle.

"No fair. You have to choose. We did." cries Ari with a pout.

Mara nods. "How can they be equal? They don't even taste the same."

"Your brother is a diplomat. He doesn't want to cause waves. And I commend him. But it wasn't necessary, Brat. I saw ye go nostalgic." laughs Bez with a smile.

"Why do you call him Brat?" asks Mara out of curiosity.

"For the same reason I call you, Kitten, and your sister, Princess. Names carry power. So I use nicknames. Not so much because using your real name will hurt you, but because using a pet name brings me closer to the person I'm talking to. It's an old habit, I fear. One I've had all my life. The only person I don't use a pet name on is your mother... unless you include me calling him dulcha all the time. Think you can figure that one out?"

Ari screws up her face and thinks hard, but Mara merely laughs.

"You don't need to feel closer to Mama." she quips with a grin.

Ai walks over to his side and pretends to be glued on. "Yep, he's going to have trouble getting rid of me now."

Ari giggles as Bez kisses his cheek and gives him a hug, removing the ladle from his hand as he does it. "Safety first. Don't feel like having ye brain me with that thing. And yer right, Mara. Even when we're apart I know Ai is with me. And nothing, absolutely nothing is going to come between us now."

"Too bad ye didn't figure that out before... could have save us both years of heartache..." whispers Ai in his ear, but he softens the scold with a peck on the cheek.