Chapter 5- Naomi's POV

Naomi kept on sneaking glances at Tara, knowing that she wouldn't suspect anything. It was hard for Naomi to not look at Tara because she looked a lot like her late husband. Especially her eyes-which were greyish blue-and the way she jutted out her chin out when she was stubborn. Tara had a strong resemblance to her maternal grandmother, but as she got older she started to look more and more like her father. This was something which has always amazed Naomi, even though she never said any of this to Tara.

Seeing Tara sitting next to her and eating dinner, the immense lose she had felt after her husband's disappearance seemed to lessen. Her house felt like home again, and she actually enjoyed eating the pasta!

It was not everyday that she gets to see her busy daughter and Naomi had always felt left out of her daughter's life. There always seemed to be a rift between them and she was never really able to close it. She partly blamed herself for it, but had been helpless. Tara had always found ways to shut her mother out.

Naomi knew Tara would not appreciate her intrusion in to her privacy, but she had to ask.

"How is Dan?"

Naomi tried her best not to notice the long silence before Tara gave her reply.

"I'm sure he is doing fine" replied Tara

Again Naomi tried not to frown at the vague reply. Instead she focused her attention on her plate and said matter-of-factly;

"I had thought you would be coming here with him. In fact, I had hoped you guys would come together so that he could see the place you grew up. He might not have another chance to see the place, you know. I thought that if he came with you, you guys might even decide to make a home out of the place-just like your father and I did."

Naomi knew by the time she was finished with what she was saying that she had gone too far. But there was no way she could take back the words. She was uncomfortable with the silence that followed and something told her that it would be better if she did not look at Tara and therefore tried her best to concentrate on her plate. But out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Tara's face which looked like a storm cloud. Naomi mentally winced seeing the chin jutting out of her daughter's face and knew she had caused trouble for herself.

Naomi mentally and physically braced for what was to come.