“I understand that cellos aren’t for everyone. But I promise this will be special. And…if you want some entertainment—what about a few tricks from yours truly? I’m more than just a [Singer]. I’m actually…an

[Actor].”

“A what?”

Sasi glanced at Cara’s face. And there was just a flicker of interest that made the boy, Culin, glance up from the ground.

“A performer. Someone who entertains. Would you like me to perform, Miss Sasi?”

“I…”

The girl’s eyes searched Cara’s face suspiciously. But again, her brother was simpler.

“Yes! What can you do?”

Excitedly, he bounced on his feet. Cara looked at him. And smiled.

“Well, let’s see. I don’t know if I should sing in the street—”

And that would be silly, anyways, wouldn’t it? But she had more talents than just—singing! Cara might not have the stage—but she had an audience. And this time she’d entertain them.

Put on the spot, Cara looked about. But she had it at once. Some of the produce they’d brought from the village had been Veil Tomatoes, dark, with a translucent skin. She snatched three up.

“Well—for starters—how about a little juggling act? Can you two juggle?”

“No—”

Culin began, but then he blinked as Cara tossed the tomatoes up and began juggling them. First she did a shower—the tomatoes going in one direction, then a cascade, where the tomatoes did two loops across her chest.

“You can juggle?”

The girl’s eyes widened, and she gave Cara a genuine smile. The young Irish woman winked at her.

“Of course I can. Who can’t?”

And before the children could protest, Cara did a third trick—the only other pattern she could do.

Columns were where she tossed the tomatoes up side by side, in literal columns. Culin’s mouth opened in delight, and Sasi blinked.

“That’s good!”

“Do you like juggling? Here’s three—how about four?”

So saying, Cara snatched up a fourth and added it in. She tossed them up before going into a fountain-pattern, with two loops of balls. It was the hardest trick; she wasn’t that fast with her hands. Cara thought of it as juggling two balls with one hand each, not four. She could do five…but she had a tendency to drop the balls.

“One, two, three, four—how’s that?”

She expected the kids to clap, or beg her to show them how to do it. It wasn’t exactly…the most amazing thing, but Cara had done this at birthday parties. In a costume.

The children watched her alternate back to the cascade pattern as Cara smiled. A spontaneous performance in the street, just for them! Culin’s open mouth closed. Sasi hesitated.

“…Is that all?”

Cara fumbled a tomato and nearly swore as she caught it. She stopped juggling and eyed them incredulously.

“Um. Yes?”

They exchanged a look. Sasi hesitated.