"Maybe all mothers are like this," Ari mused. "What a horrifying thought. I do not think I would ever enjoy being one."
She appreciated a good audience, and Aspel was surely that, even when the performance was something so simple as a few lines of verse. "I could recite poetry - or sing songs - all day if you let me. You will spoil me with your rapt attention," she teased. Still, she couldn't deny she was pleased with it.
She took the pen when it was offered and scribbled her name on a napkin. "Hold on a moment," she said, pulling out a tube of lipstick to freshen the color before bringing the paper to her lips, leaving a lip print across her name, as before. "I've done this with all the rest," she felt the need to explain. "To ensure... authenticity."
Seeing the glass which had been offered, she considered only a moment before accepting it and taking a long drink before handing it back. It left a lip print on the glass but, well, that couldn't be helped. "I feel I have received reward enough, and as always, I have been glad of your company," she said.