"That's right. You must have been lonely." The son's friend who came to play had parents who divorced when he was young and grew up without knowing his mother's warmth. Eiko genuinely sympathized with his situation. So, when he asked to rest his head on her lap, she gladly accepted. She hoped it would be some comfort for him. Thinking this, she stroked his head. But as she watched the son's friend bury his face in her thigh, different feelings began to stir within Eiko. She wanted to comfort him more… Eiko could feel her body growing hot.
