"I'm going to do what I came here to do. I'm not going to let the city die. I want to save it. I know this now." She hesitated before continuing on. "Those kids...they reminded me of us."
Anita looked at her warily, unsure of what to make of this sudden turn of events. "Yes. They are special like that. They remind even me of how carefree and happy we were."
"It's just that, well, I had forgotten. No, I mean, I had forgotten what it meant to be a part of all of this. I remember everything, I just forgot the sensations, the emotions. I'm sorry I put you through this. I just didn't know if I was here because I wanted to be, or because it was because of some detached sense of responsibility, or simply a job."
"It's fine," Anita sighed. "I was wondering, though. We were all wondering that, you know. And for the fates to send us a savior and then turn around to send us someone completely indifferent to what was happening to us. You can understand this, no?" Mina nodded, feeling ashamed. "But I understand, Mina. I get that you cannot just automatically feel that passion. It's a process one must go through."
Lila, Anita's mother, came over with a huge pot of stew, the steam fogging up her lenses as she made her way over. Mina's stomach rumbled again as she caught a glimpse of that deep red broth, slick and shiny with oil.
"Enough shop talk girls. It's time to eat!"