Emma watched the events going on around her from an aloof state, a still aloof observer. She could see Claire and Clem been crowded by friends and well-wishers, she could see little Eva sneaking away pieces of cake from the large when she thought no one was watching, she could also see Melvina discussing deeply with a lady she hadn't seen before, she could see Derek and Maya talking outside the large room with some other guy whom she hadn't met before; she could see all these, but wasn't ...