Connie, however, walked past me into the kitchen without even looking back as she headed towards a large table that had a bunch of food on it already, with more women gathering around it as others started bringing out hot food from the stoves that were along one wall. I could see Connie's mother talking to some other woman at the table about something before she noticed her daughter; then, all conversation stopped in an instant, and everyone looked at Connie, who was standing there awkwardly before her mother cleared her throat loudly.
"I see you brought the company back," Lutha Grashalor said with a warm smile on her face, but the tone of her voice showed that it was an order. "Come on in and make yourselves at home. Connie, show Galio to a seat so she can eat."