The illusion of the game only lasted a short period of time,

and she sat down on a moss-covered tree trunk. He silently joined her. He would’ve liked to say something to distract her from thinking about Ma, but no words came to him.

She returned to her post on the porch and waited for a long time. She kept her eyes fixed on the road, but didn’t shed a single tear. Her face remained calm and composed, her lips tightly sealed and her eyes focused. That day too, however, Ma didn’t return.