It is about 60/i>/span/i15C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At Mayflower and Sycamore/span>/spanSamantha smiles and waves to Balinda as she walks into the room.

“Of course,” Tamar says to Samantha with a grateful ghost of a smile. “The Ladies Committee from the parish have put in a lot to help get this set up but we are always grateful.” She pushes up to her feet, gesturing to the table nearby. “I had print outs made of the verses we will read today and there is tea and coffee and hot chocolate.” When the door opens the girl glances over at Balinda and her smile brightens a little. “I am glad you could make it, Balinda.”

Balinda comes in, and she isn’t as late as she thought she would! Looking around she easilly spots the group of people, and walks over to pick up one of the print-outs before taking a seat herself. ” She smiles back to Samantha, and then nods towards Tamar.

Tamar catches up with Tenzin’s question then. “It is Saint Sera. She was a martyr,” the girl explains to him. “She was well know for her kindness and charity to everyone, no matter their background. And the parish where I work is named after her.”

With a solid foundation of manners, Tenzin rises from his seat briefly to give a polite bow of the head when Balinda comes in. He waits for her to get comfortable somewhere in the circle before he resumes his recline. “Your thoughtfulness warms us just as kindly as the beverages,” he tells Tamar.

“Saint Sera. It is good to meet her.” He takes a page of Bible verses, as well, and opts for coffee.

Samantha pulls out her phone to transfer money to the soup kitchen.

Accepting a mug of coffee, Ekaterina doesn’t interupt as Balinda enters, neither does she as Tenzin and Tamar hold their exchange over the painting of ST. Sera or the parish. Instead, she takes a page from the stack of texts, placing it on her lap and scanning the page for an informed identity to what the group will cover.

Balinda doesn’t take any beverage – or any glance at the sheet of paper she collected, instead sits down but uses her hand to go on with some incessant and maybe even a little rude texting.

Tamar pockets her fidget toy quickly and gets a paper for herself before sitting down again. She stares at it for a few moments, just to gather herself and let the nerves settle before looking up again. “So… thank you all for coming. A few people I talked to mentioned that it was upsetting that St. Batholomew’s church is corrupted by the Covenant and that we have no place for the faithful to gather. Perhaps one day we can have a working parish here, but until then, I hope that this will be alright.”

She nervously grazes her teeth against her lower lip before continuing, “Today, I chose some verses about the light of the Lord that I thought we could talk about. The first is from Matthew. Maybe someone would like to read it aloud?”

To Tamar’s mention of a lack of place to gather, Balinda comments, “there’s that church up north… Aurora Heights? Don’t know the name of the church, but it’s there – its head priest was assaulted and been in the hospital the other day.”

“I have heard about them and their upside-down crosses and recitations of the name Jesus but in reverse,” Tenzin nods at Tamar and mumbles silently, taking a sip of coffee only after the fact. The cup is kept to warm his hands.

He passes Balinda a side-eye for the texting, and briefly he looks at Ekaterina. The monk lifts his page and reads aloud: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl — which is common sense.” He makes sure everyone knows, “The common sense part is not included. Resuming…” He clears his throat, speaking the rest in his altaic-russified inflection, “Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others. That they may see your good deeds and glorify you Father in heaven.”

Balinda sighs at something she sees on her phone, and then tries to put it down. Will it be for long?

“They claim to not be devil worshipers, but anyone with a passing understanding of their origin knows differently.” Ekaterina tacks on to Tamar’s mention of the Conclave.

As to the church in the Heights as shared by Balinda, the scarred woman makes a note on her phone before slipping it away again.

“There is a chapple on the university campus also, though the demon nuns frequent it.” she shares. “I think this is better, at least for now.”

Then, she quiets as Tenzin reads, also agreeing in full with the common sense nature.

Samantha nods quietly as she listens and reads the verses.

Tamar looks over at Balinda when she mentions another church, tilting her head to the side. “Oh, I had not heard of that. Maybe you can give me his name later?” She goes quiet then as Tenzin start to read, watching him quietly and nodding her head a little at the common sense part. “Have you read the Bible before, Tenzin?” the girl wonders.

“I like this verse fifteen a lot, because you are right, it is common sense. If you put the lamp under the bowl then it is of no use, right? What is the point of it then?” She nods at Ekaterina then looks back down to her paper. “I feel this a lot in this city. It is easier sometimes to good quietly, or even secretly. Especially when the evil ones are so loud. Thoughts?”

Balinda nods to Tamar, but then needs to read the verses herself in order to understand the point she is trying to make. “I… I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. Isn’t this passage all about… exposure? You know, put the town on top of the hill, that’s where the churches mostly are in the old continent, isn’t it? On top of the hills, with the cross on top and their church bells banging the hours so it can be seen and heard in great distance… and the lamp, and to shine your light to others… it is about doing things in the open, not about doing them secretly, or am I wrong?”

“Da.” Ekaterina agrees to Balinda’s point. “When christianity was new, it was decided to come out of the hidden conclaves once Jesus was crusified. The crusifiction point was the top of a hill, which was public, and it was decided that the symbol of hope likewise should be.”

“There is one in All Saints but I forget the name, and a number of old abandoned churches in the area, as well. It seems to be a popular place for gatherings,” Tenzin joins his own findings of locations with that of Balinda for Tamar’s sake. He drops his eyes humbly. “This would be the first time, Tamar,” the monk confesses.

“I agree with the fifteenth one, as well,” he intones, mulling it over as naturally as breathing. “I believe ah, humans are inherently good. To let the light shine, it is to perform and attune to that which is our true purpose. If we do not, we are letting taint and corruption stifle what could otherwise be a guiding beacon to others.”

“So yes to both — it is easy to do good when nobody is there to laugh at you for it. But the most potent impact comes from when others can see.” His dark eyes are drawn calmly back to Tamar. “Which is why we are having this study here now, yes?”

“No, you are right,” Tamar tells Balinda quickly then looks back down and takes a moment to try and rethink how to explain what she means. “It is just that… when everyone else is doing things that are not good, like at some event or party or something. It is difficult to stand up and say no thank you, or to do the right thing. Maybe you just try to slip away or hope that no one notices you not drinking or taking drugs or something like that. But…” She tries to recapture her point.

“But maybe there are others who quietly agree with you. And if you let your light shine then it is easier for others to do the same?” She brings up a hand to rub at the side of her neck, not at all certain if she is making sense. Her gaze doesn’t lift from the page either except to slide a little glance at Tenzin and nod her head quickly.

“Is drinking doing a bad thing?” Balinda asks Tamar turning her eyes to fix on hers. It is a question that is mostly beside the point, however, and she must know it… She then glances towards Tenzin, and back to Tamar, and comments, “but no- I understand what you mean, and you are right. But there is also… well, I’m not a church person – I don’t have the… verses and the arguments in the tip of my tongue, but I’m pretty sure there’s scripture about how God particularly appreciates good deeds when they are done in private or without witnesses, because they are the most selfless.”

“Deeds regardless are good when intended to be so.” Ekaterina offers once Balinda speaks. “It is martyrdom to be the one who stands out, which is what makes this abstinence all the greater, because many will not do so. Public acts are flashy. But it is the small acts that mount to create the whole. The candle in the night that is uncovered and stands against the threats.”

“Indulgence is considered detrimental to one’s self; engagement is not. However, that is Buddhism,” Tenzin delivers to Balinda his own two cents about the drinking. “And a monk will not drink, regardless, because it is better to not be waiting at the door when temptation comes knocking.” To make a point, he sips on his liquorless coffee. “Better to be in the back garden harvesting cabbages,” he mumbles inside his cup.

Lidded eyes travel to Ekaterina and then to Tamar. “Perhaps it is even acting at all, that the passage also means. Doing any manner of good. Instead of watching the world treat another unfairly and with injustice.” It is more food for thought. The verses are their unleavened bread.

Tamar shifts in her seat at Balinda’s question, seeming to know just how much some people in this place like their drink. Eventually she glances up at her, studying the other woman’s face quietly. “I think… for most people, drinking a lot is bad. For some of us, not drinking at all is better. I… I try not to drink because then I do stupid bad things.” She looks back down again, clearing her throat after that confession, letting the others talk about Balinda’s second point before pointing out, “I think that is in Matthew six. Where he is like, do not go around announcing when you give to the poor, or pray out loud where everyone can hear you.” The point does cause her to frown though when she sees the contradiction. Perhaps she’s never noticed it before.

Balinda smiles a bit at Tenzin’s reply, and nods at Tamar’s comment, saying by the end of it, “that’s what I meant, yes- not sure if there aren’t other cases… there’s that thing about the rich guy who gives a pile of money because he’s showing off and he has a lot more, while the other woman gives just a coin but it’s all she got… I mean, that one isn’t about doing things in public, but also touches it a bit, no? The man’s doing that donation just to… boast about being rich.” She turns as she hears the loud church door opening, but it as soon as open as it shuts again, and then once more…

Robert walks right in, hoisting up several trays oc cookies and looking rather exhausted as his booted feet clump across the floor. His apron, hair, and face face are absolutely covered in cookie dough as if something exploded – or he tripped in something – and he’s something of a mess. Still, he’s smiling, and in his hands are balanced trays and trays of cookies. He departs, sets a tray down, and returns, leaving them shining and ready to be devoured as he sets them upon the table.

Balinda watches Robert and comments “…you look like someone who needs a break – or a vacation.”

Tamar looks over to the door when Robert arrives, tilting her head a little at him. “You remembered. Thank you, Robert. Do you need to clean up a bit though?” She gestures to some dirt on his face.

Taking a sip from her coffee, Ekaterina glances up and over as the door goes. Robert is spotted, apparently judged not a threat, and her attention returns to Balinda, Tenzin and Tamar. “Giving for the act itself is the point in that. Showing off is just flippency.”

The first time the door opens, Tenzin is already making to stand. “Captain,” greets the monk, holding a respectful bow of the head. The in-and-out is waited through, and he only retakes his seat once Robert seems more or less done and settled. “You look like you have returned from the pits of a hellscape, solely to bless us with cookies,” he crisply points out, cracking a slight grin.

“Does intention make all the difference here, regardless of the scale?” he asks the others, Tamar, Ekaterina, and Balinda included.

Tamar hmms softly, looking back down at the page and considering something. “Being a light… it is kind of less something that you /do/ and more something that you /are/? Maybe? The other things like giving to the poor or praying are all actions.”

Robert gives Tamar a blank look for about twenty seconds. Then he reaches up, absent-mindedly peeling off another clump of cookie dough. “You’re welcome. Oh.” He says, seeming to realize himself. “…I do.” He admits sheepishly. “I will be… right back again.” As he sets down a plastic container, cracking it open and filling the room flush with freshly-baked cookies. A lopsided smile.

Robert cheerfully notes, waving as he turns out the door, “Help yourself while I”m gone!”

“I suppose so?” Balinda asks Tenzin, shrugging and then smiling a bit as she admits “I worry more about the end result than how it was made – in public, in private, for good reasons or for selfish ones… doesn’t mean the end justify the means, but… sometimes they even do?” Balinda shrugs, seeming to loose a bit the point she was going to try to make.

Robert adds, as a flippant after-thought, “Hello, Tenzin. And even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of chocolate chips, I will fear no hot oil, for you are with me; your spatula and your oven, they comfort me.” He jokes on the way out.

Samantha follows along with the group quietly.

Tamar leans over and nicks a macnut cookie for herself, trying not to look too guilty as she nibbles on it. There is a little tsk at Robert’s playful blasphemy but the cookie apparently makes up for it. She listens a bit to Tenzin and Balinda, “We can keep talking about this one, or we can move onto the next passage? I am happy either way and we can always keep the ones we do not read today for another week.”

Tenzin helps himself at the man’s order. It must have been an order. A little bit of sweets would not hurt his karma, would it? He takes one classic chocolate chip, murmuring his thanks, and promptly lets it fall into his coffee. There, it sits, soaking. “It did say that you are the light. You are the candle. Simply… do what you must. Cease hiding yourself?” he supposes, glancing at Tamar then Balinda. “It is so complicated now to simply do good. Everyone thinks the worst of it, even if you may have done so purely selflessly. We can move on, perhaps the rest will help it make sense.”

The monk barks out an uncharacteristic hyena-like cackle at the pastry chef’s reply. “Is this some manner of kitchen scripture?” But the man has left for now.

“Hm, yes- I’m sorry… we can move on, I didn’t meant to… well, to make us linger” Balinda tells Tamar and the other with a sheepish apology.

Robert returns once more whence he came from, his hair still damp and dressed in much cleaner clothes. He strides across the room towards the circle, pulling up a chair for himself.

Tamar shakes her head quickly at Balinda, “No, lingering is good. Sometimes Father Cyril and I would spend days over a verse, so it is fine. I just do not want people to get bored or anything.” She babbles a little, still nervous at having to lead anything, even this. “Um, so… Balinda, do you want to read the next one?” The girl looks back to the door when it opens again, offering a faint smile to someone nd then to Tessa when she arrives. “Welcome, Tessa.”

Tamar shakes her head quickly at Balinda, “No, lingering is good. Sometimes Father Cyril and I would spend days over a verse, so it is fine. I just do not want people to get bored or anything.” She babbles a little, still nervous at having to lead anything, even this. “Um, so… Balinda, do you want to read the next one?” The girl looks back to the door when it opens again, offering a faint smile to Robert and then to Tessa when she arrives. “Welcome, Tessa.”

Tessa shows up late with boba, a faint blush on her cheeks as she settles into a seat. “Hi, everyone,” she murmurs.

This I think is a good followup.” Ekaterina supposes, clearing her throat before raising her voice to carry to Balinda, Tamar, Robert and Tenzin. “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case, and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”

Allowing the lengthy passage time to sit, Ekaterina notes, “Though is is a split thing, it works well. For wrong or right is not for us to decide. If we do- Or do not do something in ignorance, God is the one who decides its truth as good or ill. So we can be content in these actions, be it to not take the drugs, or to act against something we think unjust.”

“Captain,” Tenzin meets Robert’s return with a lift of his coffee, into which a choco chip has half-sunk. “Your kitchen scripture has ensured your safe return.”

Another arrives — it is Tessa. While there is no glint of familiarity in his gaze, he rises from his seat to be polite until she makes herself comfortable. He sits soon after, listening to Ekaterina read out the next passage. “We will bear the Lord’s wrath, but he will also plead our case?” he asks.

Maybe it is something to do with the first verse still – Balinda sees something in her phone that makes her frown a bit, and then comments, “I’m sorry, I won’t be able to… I need to go – but do let me know when the next meeting is, yes?” she asks, as she starts standing up.

Balinda nods towards Tamar, and once again she says “sorry I need to go so soon.” But she does go.

“Thank you, Ekaterina,” Tamar says to Ekaterina as she reads the passage out loud for everyone. Her attention shifts to Tenzin’s question and the girl nods her head. “Yes, because the Lord is like a father. He punishes us, justly, when we do bad things, but he also will always love us and be on our side.”

Samantha asks quietly “In the end all we can do is pray for guidance and listen to our conscience.”

Tamar looks up to Tessa, gaze lingering on her neck for a few heartbeats before she gestures at the nearby table. “There is a print out of the verses, if you need. We are doing Micah now.”

Tessa does not make a comment about the fresh wound that spans her nape, taking up a not inconsiderable amount of it, nor the gaze upon it, but there’s a murmured, “Thank you,” to Tamar.

Robert sweeps up his verses and a cookie himself, flashing Tenzin a smile as he settles onto a chair. There’s some rummaging with a cookie held between his lips as he scans over it, and looking warmly upon Ekaterina as she reads.

The wound on Tessa’s neck does not go unnoticed by Ekaterina, though there’s a deliberate hardening of the features– The squaring of the jaw as it settles into a -This is why I take objection to people- expression.

Never the less, the scarred brunette turns back, nodding to Tamar as she mentions her reading, and she re-focuses on the topic at hand- If you fuck around, you find out, and Tessa clearly found out.

Neither does Tenzin say anything about the state Tessa is in. His gaze does not stay long on her at all. His focus remains with Ekaterina, Tamar, and Samantha as the discussion goes on. “It is a Father-Child relationship then, no? So you can be saying to your foes that my father will get you back for that even if you have ah — you called them committing of sins, yes?” he posits, taking a bite out of a coffee-soggy cookie.

Tamar tilts her head to one side at Tenzin’s interpretation, bringing up a hand to comb fingers through her hair and draw it back from her face. “I… well, I think it is more like… I messed up, and I failed, and so I will take my penance before the Lord. And he will bring me back into the light.” She hesitates, “At least, that is what I thought… what do you think, Tessa?” she asks the new arrival.

Samantha emote gives Robert a smile silently saying hello as she listens.

Ekaterina nods to Tenzin. “In part, da. Though if you are saying my father will come beat you up, it misses the point. One of the first tenets taught is that we should turn the other cheek.”

Tessa notes, but does not comment on the looks, the inherent judgement given, and she takes a deep breath, setting her shoulders, before being slightly startled out of her head by being addressed. “It’s… to me, it’s about how we… people, I mean, are inherently flawed, some of us more than others. It’s expected I will make mistakes, will do things that shame myself, but it’s my job to accept what punishment I face for it, to be better, and the Lord will always, if I prove I want to, and strive to, be better, support me, even if I slip,” she offers, not looking at anyone, staring down into her drink. Topical, really.

“Good morning supernatural hunters of New Haven!… and Tessa.,” Kai greets.

Tenzin chews quietly and nods his understanding to all who speak. His eyes comfortably move from Tamar and Ekaterina to his page again. “Ah, let me see again. You are correct. The impression it gave me at first felt more aggressive, but they are just telling the foes to not gloat,” he realizes. Tessa’s interpretation is met with further nods.

The monk remains seated when Kai enters, affording a slight nod. “Farting One.”

Tamar listens quietly to Tessa, her eyes flicking towards the door when it opens and then closes then opens again. Her expression is thoughtful at what Tessa says, head nodding a little. “That is how I think about it also. None of us are perfect and there are going to be times when we fail to do the right thing.” The girl draws in a deep breath when Kai arrives, her gaze flicking across to Robert.

Samantha nods to Tessa, with no judgement in her eyes, just understanding. “A priest who used to live here in town always liked to say that the most important commandment of all was the only one Jesus gave… Love Thy Neighbor as your own.

Kai wanders over to the circle of missmatched chairs, “Is this an AA meeting or something?” he asks and plops himself down in a chair near Tenzin, waving to Tenzin, “No wait, Tessa wouldn’t go to an AA meeting… hm.”

“It’s a bible study,” Tessa murmurs to Kai, giving him a roll of her eyes.

Samantha gives Kai a suspicious look. “Please don’t make jokes about our faith.”

“No shot, is it really?” Kai asks Tessa and looks around, “No I won’t,” he tells Samantha, grinning over at her a little, “I just didn’t realize,” he slouches down a bit in his seat.

Robert shifts his gaze over to Tessa, his eyes narrowing with a concerned frown on her neck, but he quickly smooths it out to a warmer, more approving smile to Tamar and giving an encouraging nod. Then he covers his mouth to lick the crumbs off his lip, swallowing.

“It is important that you strive, and improve every step of the way,” He murmurs behind the hand.

And then he offers the bible verses over to Kai.

“Here, you might find this helpful.”

Tessa shifts to show the paper in her hands to Kai, a wince as her ponytail brushes the saniderm covering her nape.

Kai gets up and grabs a cup of coffee and retakes his seat, he starts to look over the page of bible verses, “What are these numbers?” he wonders to Robert as he reads, squinting.

Tamar seems to watch Robert for how to react to this, some tension easing from her shoulders as she offers, “Maybe we should look at the last one, Letter to the Ephesians, before we call it a morning? Would someone like to read?”

Tenzin lets the others take care of Kai, while he holds his attention over the page. He rereads with a narrowed stare, while his working hand feeds himself another bite of his coffee-soaked cookie. The rest has crumbled into his cup. “Perhaps the Farting One could do us the honor?” he supposes gently, glancing towards Kai.

Ekaterina looks up as Kai makes his way in- then back to Robert, Tenzin, Samantha and Tamar as it is decided who will read the final verse.

Tessa belatedly, softly, answers Kai’s question with, “It’s the numbers of the verses, not particularly important in reading, more in referencing. The chapter, whose book it is, to simplify, is the first number, then the verse is sort of the… line number.” Seems no one else was willing to.

Kai stands up when prompted by Tenzin, nodding amiably and starts to speak with passion, “For once! You were once darkness! But now… you are light in the lord! Live as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness…” he turns to Robert, “And truuuuthuh!” getting into a southern minister affectation as he goes, “Find out what pleases the lord! Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of daaaarkness! No no, expose them! It is shameful to mention what the disobediant do in secret,” he shakes his head in mock-shame, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible. Everything that is illuminated becomes a light!” he says, holding his arms up in the air, “Can I get an Amen?” and then lowers his hands to read, “This is why it is sade… wake up sleeper. RIIIISE from the dead. And Christ!… will shine… on you,” he nods to the group and retakes his seat.

Kai pops his monocle in when he retakes his seat, squinting down at the page curiously.

Tessa puts her face in her hand, a cough, clearly trying not to laugh at the absolute and utter absurdism, clearing her throat then taking a long sip of her drink.

Tamar slides a hand up to rub at the back of her neck, keeping her gaze firmly on the page in her lap as Kai does his best southern preacher impression. She mumbles a tight-jawed, “Thank you, Kai.”

Kai does the symbol of the cross, “No problem. I got ordained a couple months ago, but that was my first semon,” he tells Tamar chipperly and leans back, “So like, what’s all that mean?” he wonders.

Kai does the symbol of the cross, “No problem. I got ordained a couple months ago, but that was my first sermon,” he tells Tamar chipperly and leans back, “So like, what’s all that mean?” he wonders.

Samantha glances at Kai, but seems willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. “It means the more good works we do… the more they are reflected and help others make their own too”

Kai closes his eyes as he takes in Samantha’s words, he clasps his hands together thoughtfully and nods a couple of times, “So like.. uhh… pay it forward. Or like the idea in magic that you get back three times what you put out?” he wonders, opening his eyes as he peers to Samantha.

“It’s… to me, it’s about focusing on the good, instead of dwelling on the negatives,” a hint of judgement, of bitterness, in her tone as Tessa’s eyes sweep across those who have looked at her with judgement, not Samantha or Tenzin, “And to be inspiration for those who’ve fallen from the Lord’s grace to want to return to the light. Rather than simply being a reason more stray.”

Tamar looks up from the piece of paper when Kai claims he is ordained, staring at him. “I did not know you were a monk,” she says, glancing at Tenzin for a moment then looking around the group. She’s growing visibly tense, shoulders rolling and avoiding looking at Kai. “Perhaps give other people a chance to talk, Kai?” She checks the time on the clock on the wall and adds, “It has been two hours and I will need to go to bed soon. Any last comments?”

“Oh yeah, sorry ma’am,” Kai replies to Tamar and slouches down a bit more, slurping at his coffee, he nods at Tessa a few times in thought, quieting down, hazel eyes ticking from face to face curiously.

Tenzin fixes a placid stare through the wall and smiles thinly at Tamar when she wonders about Kai’s monkhood. “He is not,” he reassures.

He soon drifts those canted eyes to Samantha. They travel afterwards to Tessa, and Ekaterina. “I have taken from it something more along the meaning of how even the darkest of hearts are able to become pure so long as they seek this Light,” he opines. “So, in this manner, no matter how far from grace you have fallen, you will always have some hope so long as you are looking to the right source for it.”

Samantha nods quietly to both Kai and Tessa. “There is always a light in the darkness of every body’s life ”

Tessa gives a subtle nod at Tenzin, agreeing with his take, a murmured, “Two sides of the same coin, perspective and all that,” before she falls quiet, giving a tiny smile to Samantha.

Robert looks vaguely amused at Kai’s reading, lacing his fingers together. There’s a faint smile on his face.

Starind directly at Kai, he quietly says, “My interpretation. There is nothing to be ashamed of as long as what you are doing is not wrong. And, in bringing those bad actions to light, it too can be used to readdress those wrong and make them right again.”

He continues on, slowly, measured, “Of course… not right away. For light and truth bring purity and goodness, but those of darkness will exploit the truth to make others suffer, until they are dealt with – a darkness is different then protecting a flickering candle with a palm.”

Robert quotes, “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. – Proverbs 13:3.”

Robert shifts his gaze to Tamar, inclining his head. “Thank you for hosting, Tamar.”

Tamar’s fingers start to curl into a claw-shape then flex slowly against her thigh, nails grazing against the fabric of her trousers. She listens to Tenzin and Robert quietly, clearly having tapped out of her own social reserves long again. There is a flicker of a smile and she nods, addressing everyone around, “Thank you all for coming. I hope we can do this again in the future. Please help yourself to cookies and a drink if you want.”