"Thank you."  Miriamne sent her water to nourish the new vine.  "I've been practicing."

Alanna decided to get a bag of mints and walked to the checkout lane with her groceries.  Paying quickly, she walked out with a smile on her face to hide the sadness she felt.  The cashier who had helped her was near death, she felt it.  Popping a mint in her mouth, she decided to check out the bookstore nearby.  Maybe they would have something new to read.