i look around the room and no one seems to have anything else to say . from the kitchen , i could n't make out what they were saying , but every few minutes , voices were raised . i looked over his shoulder at grace and she grinned . my family has worked many generations there . '' within minutes he could understand everything i said , alexander explained . acted as though she 'd never left them , had n't been gone nearly six months . i shook my head and forced myself to smile . 