"I know what you mean." Karla's new pastry was intensely fascinating. "My parents died--were murdered, actually--six years ago. On the one hand, I get so frustrated and annoyed with myself when I'm suddenly reminded of them and I nearly cry. On the other hand, when I can think of them calmly, or I do something that used to make me cry and now doesn't, I wonder if I'm being...unfaithful to their memory. They were my parents. Shouldn't I mourn them forever or something? Am I truly such an ungrateful daughter?"

She slanted a look Tahiri's way. "Sound familiar, huh?"