It's late in the evening when someone rings the door bell. Rita hurries to answer the door because Mr. Sozin is currently having dinner with one of his lady friends. Mr. Sozin has a lot of lady friends but it is not Rita's place to criticize him - even if she wants to. Instead she crosses herself alot and prays for the poor man's soul.

When she opens the door the first thing she sees is a pair of feet clad in white sneakers, a pair of faded blue jeans, an untucked white shirt and a marron leather jacket. Then she notices the young man's face. The fine black hair is brushed to cover half of his face, but Rita can see the scarred tissue of his skin peeking out underneath it. The eyes are the exact same shade as Mr. Sozin's but this pair has a warmer glow to them.

"Good evening," he says in a polite voice. "My name is Zuko Sozin. Is my father in? I would like to talk to him."

Santa Maria, Rita thinks. An illegitimate child. She should have known. Sodom and Gomorrha.

"Of course," she says quietly because even though she's a good catholic, Rita loves drama. No way is she letting Mr. Sozin out of this one.

She steers the young man into the salon and offers to take his jacket and the bags he is carrying. He entrusts her with his bags (gift bags, she notices) and asks her to place them in Azula's room as they are hers. Rita's mind is in a jumble trying to figure the situation out.

"I shall fetch Mr. Sozin in a moment and then take these upstairs," she tells the young man and hurries off. She places the bags into the kitchen because that's the safest place she can think off at the moment.

She informs Mr. Sozin of his visitor right afterwards and he excuses himself. She gives him a 15-second head start before apologizing to the lady in the napkin, but she has to keep an eye on the dessert, sorry.

Mr. Sozin and the young man - his son, Zuko - are facing each other in the salon.

"Zuko, what a surprise," Mr. Sozin says and smiles a tight, uncomfortable smile.

"Good evening father," Zuko replies. His voice is rather pleasant and Rita can very well imagine him to be a favorite among the ladies (she hopes he has a better taste than his father). "I hope I am not inconveniencing you." Rita smiles fondly. What a polite young man.

"No, not at all. Never. ... How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"

"Likewise, likewise. Umm... so to what do I owe the pleasure? Have you" - a pause, Mr. Sozin, Rita realizes with a start, is uncertain - "have you changed your mind about coming home?"

Rita's ears perk. Changed his mind? Did the boy run away? Funny, he doesn't seem the kind.

"I... yes and no," Zuko replies evasively. "I won't be moving in because Katara and I share an apartment and I don't want to leave her alone with the rent."

"Katara?" Mr. Sozin echoes and Zuko smiles.

"We're dating."

"Do you need something? Money? Furniture? Anything?" Mr. Sozin offers immediately but his son declines.

"We've got all we need."

They talk for a while, the young man dutifully answering all the questions his father asks him about his job (waiting tables; 8.75 per hour + tips), her job (barrista at the selfsame cafe), his scholar activities, where they live, how much the rent is (200 a month, utilities go extra; the neighborhood is ok, but he doesn't want her to walk the streets alone at night) and everything else the usually so reserved man can think of.

Mr. Sozin seems to be starving for information and he is so focused on the boy that he completely forgets about his date until the young lady dressed in a napkin (alright; 3 napkins and bits of string sewn together but no more) makes herself known. Rita curses her timing. Zuko apologizes and is immediately invited to join them for dessert. Every attempt to decline is shot down skillfully and Rita hurries to set the table for one more person.

Little talk ensues over dessert, but much praise is given for her buttercream tart. Coffee and tea is served in the salon and Miss 3-Napkins-and-bits-of-string is starting to become uncomfortable. Neither man pays her any attention and they talk more about Zuko's plans for the future. They are both at ease, but Rita (still nearby to spy) can tell that they are both surprised by this.

"I didn't mean to ruin your evening," Zuko finally says and sets down his cup of tea. "I merely wanted to tell you that I'd like to start over. I know last time didn't go over so well but I want to try again. I'll be in the neighborhood from time to time and I thought that maybe you wouldn't mind if I... occassionally came to visit."

Rita has never seen Mr. Sozin smile like that.

"I would very much like that, Zuko," he says.