Page 465 - Enders_Game_Full_Book

While the Bishop and the Speaker grinned at each other, the others laughed nervously, sat down, waited.
"It's your meeting, Speaker," said Bosquinha.
"Forgive me," said the Speaker. "There's someone else invited. It'll make things much simpler if we wait a few more minutes for her to come."
***
Ela found her mother outside the house, not far from the fence. A light breeze that barely rustled the capim had caught her hair and tossed it lightly. It took a moment for Ela to realize why this was so startling. Her mother had not worn her hair down in many years. It looked strangely free, all the more so because Ela could see how it curled and bent where it had been so long forced into a bun. It was then that she knew that the Speaker was right. Mother would listen to his invitation. Whatever shame or pain tonight's Speaking might have caused her, it led her now to stand out in the open, in the dusk just after sunset, looking toward the piggies' hill. Or perhaps she was looking at the fence. Perhaps remembering a man who met her here, or somewhere else in the capim, so that unobserved they could love each other. Always in hiding, always in secret. Mother is glad, thought Ela, to have it
known that Libo was her real husband, that Libo is my true father. Mother is glad, and so am I.
Mother did not turn to look at her, though she surely could hear Ela's approach through the noisy grass. Ela stopped a few steps away.
"Mother," she said.
"Not a herd of cabra, then," said Mother. "You're so noisy, Ela." "The Speaker. Wants your help."
"Does he."
Ela explained what the Speaker had told her. Mother did not turn around. When Ela was finished, Mother waited a moment, and then turned to walk over the shoulder of the hill. Ela ran after her, caught up with her. "Mother," said Ela. "Mother, are you going to tell him about the Descolada?"
"Yes."
"Why now? After all these years? Why wouldn't you tell me?" "Because you did better work on your own, without my help." "You know what I was doing?"