"No," she replied softly, her eyes crinkling. "Come here."
Bast put her arm around Lani's shoulders and steered her firmly into the living room, which was just off the kitchen in the great-room-style apartment. They'd be able to see each other even if Bast was cooking. She pushed her daughter gently onto the couch, went to the DVD rack, and got out Lani's old favorite- The Lion King. She'd seen it so many times when she was little that she had all the songs memorized in third grade.
Over the opening chords of "The Circle of Life," Bast caught Lani's eyes and said, "Okay, I'll make this easy. Have you had any veggies today?"