A Night for the Birds (Introducing Hummingbird)

"Thank you again,Hiro." Xuan said between her bursts of laughter.She puts the towel-wrapped ice pack on top of her foot.The cold and the wince that followed caused her to stop laughing long enough to shyly expain herself to the seemingly offended Junko.

"W-Well....Its just a funny pairing of words.."

"Snack time?" Junko was scratching her head as to what to make of how Xuan feels about hearing those two words. "Uhhh, what's so funny about that?"

Hiro would continue eating her ice cream as she listened on the conversation.

"It just....It just sounds like a kids term." She put her hand in front of her mouth to keep them from seeing her face,but the sounds of her laughs still permeate the other two girl's ears.

"Well, what else are we supposed to call it if not "snack time"?" asked Junko as she ate another spoonful of ice cream.

"We don't have any other terms for it," said Hiro eating hers still.

"True...." She said in a slightly shamed way.Thats when the Voice laughed at her from inside her head.Only she could hear it.Only Xuan....

She ate another spoonful of ice cream to try and forget about it. "So,are both of you gonna stay the night? Then we all go over there tomorrow?I-Is that going to be the plan?"

Hiro was halfway done with her ice cream as she nodded her in saying, "Yeah, I told Mom I'll see her tomorrow at lunchtime. She doesn't suspect that I would find Junko again."

Junko smiled as she said, "I guess that creates a much bigger surprise...or two. Me returning to Mom and you, Xuan becoming her third daughter. Heheh, she always says that time seems to fly by when we least know it." She was close to finishing her ice cream as she wondered how Xuan will respond.

--You are gonna get a family.Be happy......Hey,Im sorry for laughing at you,but the things you say sometimes.....HA!

Xuan shakes her head for a moment.She looked up to the the two girls "Hiro....Junko.Thank you.Just,thank you for everything." The thief finishes her ice cream.Her foot felt better,and she got up to put the bowl in the sink.

Hiro would finish her ice cream just as Xuan was getting up and putting her ice cream bowl in the sink. It felt good to know that both she and Junko can help Xuan not be alone anymore. She would rise up and hug Xuan as she said, "We'll be here for you, sister. Just don't be afraid of what's going to happen next and just be yourself."

Junko would join in as she added, "And don't forget, Mom will love you no matter what."

No matter what....

The image of Xuan coming home with a girl came up in her mind again.But,judging by what she was being repeatedly told,that image may come true....And it may very well be accepted.And thinking about it,Xuan sorta did look like Junko and Hiro.....Maybe thing would work out.

"You dont look very ready for bed.....Neither of you."

Hiro chuckled as she said, "No, we're ready. The ice cream actually helped." She would first put the ice cream container away before putting her own bowl and spoon in the sink.

After she put her own bowl and spoon in the sink, Junko then asked Xuan, "Hey, Xuan? Can you keep a secret about our Mom?