Usually they’re not concentrated in one neighbourhood, but spread out all over.”“So all these different peoples — live in the same places? Go ...o the same schools?”“In Toronto yes. Where I grew up was more than ninety-nine percent white.”“How did you survive that?”“There were incidents” — his face flushed — “but all in all, it was okay.”Manjula was having trouble processing this. One of the grievances that had led to war was Sinhalese families, in search of cheaper land, moving into once. Cathy gasped and fled."Way to go, Mom," Richie muttered, rolling his eyes."Shut up," Sandra hissed through clenched teeth. She shook a finger in his face, her eyes blazing. "Listen up, you little fuckwit."Richie flinched as if struck. He swallowed, his hands clenching and unclenching. It had been months since he had heard that epithet, and it still felt like being gouged with a butcher knife. His eyes flicked to her Aura, which churned like boiling black ink. He had never seen it so agitated,. "First, the information that applies to bothof you. You're both perfectly healthy,in body and soul. The changes youhave both undergone do not have any deleterious side effects. As to whatcaused these changes, we still don't know exactly what that is. We'realso not certain if there is, or is not, a way to reverse the changes.But we do have some working hypotheses, and for now I ask you to pleasebe assured we will persist until we can fully explain what has happened.In the meanwhile, you have. "What's wrong?" I asked softly.Sasha made her way over to me, her amber eyes full of emotion, so pretty. She eased her thick dark-burgundy hair behind one ear and, turning, sat sideways in my lap, leaning in against me. My free arm found her waist. She felt wonderful, the scent of pears and lemons battling with the aroma of her hair, a light floral bouquet."What's the matter?" I asked again."Nothing. Would you dance with me, Dad?" Dance with one of my favorite daughters in the world?.