Chapter 73
The Trade of Forgotten Favors
I closed my notebook, the decision settling heavily in my stomach. There was no way around it anymore. I would have to contact Lev. I would have to ask for a favor from a man whose life had crossed mine in ways that were never simple. I would have to swallow my pride and hope that the kindness I had once given him was enough to bridge the awkwardness between us.
I went to the kitchen and took a a bowl of fermented black glutinous sticky rice, sweet and fragrant. It was one of Grandmother Halton's favorites. I had made it myself, following a recipe passed down through generations. It wasn't extravagant, but it was sincere, a quiet gesture meant to soften the purpose of my visit.
I wrapped it carefully, then added a bundle of herbal tea meant to help restore her appetite.
Only then did I take out my phone because guilt crept in.
