"Will they, won't they," Mary shrugged. "Either way you're here now. People can either get used to you or get out. But that's just my way of thinking. You live in this world too and people have to accept that." She sniffed the air and nodded. The tiny woman moved back into the kitchen to fill bowls with the soup, giving Abe more vegetables than meat.

"I'm always ready to eat. When I have an oven I bake all the time."