Setsuko stared at the hand for a moment, and then tentatively clasped it in greeting, accompanied with what was hopefully her politest smile (smiling seemed necessary in the West, for some reason).

"I'll be back with some fruit and 'lemon' tea," she said.

At the table, she picked out more of the sliced pears and a few sliced greenish-white peaches. The 'lemon' tea was cold--cold!--and served in a tall glass cylinder that sparkled in the light.

"Here," she told Gina upon returning. "I trust this will be satisfactory?"