"You called me. I thought something happened."
"Something did. Doctor Julian says I can go home today."
There was a long silence.
Then a familiar sniffing sound.
"Maman, are you crying again?"
"I am not." A sniffle.
"You are."
Another sniffle. "It's just allergies."
"You have no allergies."
"Then it's the air conditioning."
Arezoo rolled her eyes. "All right. It's the air conditioning. Doctor Julian wants to do the confirmation ceremony in an hour or two. Do you know what that is?"
"Of course I do. Hildegard explained it to us in detail. I swear that nurse has a sadistic streak. Yasmin almost fainted just from the description."
Her mother wasn't the only drama queen in the family.
"It's just a tiny cut. Why would Yasmin faint just from hearing about it?"
"Oh, you know. She's sensitive that way."
"Then perhaps she shouldn't attend the ceremony."
"We are all going to be there. Do you need me to get you something from home? Something nice to wear? Perhaps your hair curler?"
Arezoo laughed. "It's not that kind of a party, but I'll let you know if I need anything. Please tell everyone to be here in two hours. I love you."
"I will. And I love you too, my sweet girl."
"Goodbye, Maman."
"Goodbye, my tall girl."
Chuckling, Arezoo handed the phone back to Ruvon. "That's new. I was never her tall girl. If anything, I was the shortest girl, and I still am. That inch I gained doesn't make me taller than either of my sisters."
Ruvon bent down and pulled out a duffel bag from under the bed. "As I said countless times before, you are perfect the way you are."
"You're sweet, but you still didn't get me that coffee and croissant. Before I get in the shower and get dressed, I need to call Drova, and in the meantime, you can go to the café and get me a proper breakfast." She lifted two fingers. "Two croissants, not one. Julian doesn't need to know."
He laughed. "I think the transition did more than add an inch to your height and make you immortal. It caused a personality change."
"I'm still me, just more assertive."
He bent over her and kissed her forehead. "I like it. Call Drova. I'll be back with your order in a few minutes."
"You are the best."
"I know."
When he walked out of the room, Arezoo scrolled to Drova's name.
