Without hesitation, Gara stepped forward and took Grandma Lasmyra's hands.
"Mother and I miss all of you too, Grandma."
He remembered clearly how this old woman had always defended and helped his family in the past.
Encouraged by Gara's friendly gesture, other grandmas and grandpas gathered around him, expressing their pride. Gara responded warmly, and the elders smiled so widely their faces seemed to split in half.
After a while, Grandpa Jaya asked the villagers to step back so Gara and his group could rest. After all, Mayor Danan was still present. No matter what, he remained their leader.
Gara declined any formal reception. He only wanted to check the herb fields. Mayor Danan, unable to climb the mountain with his bulky body, chose to stay behind at Grandpa Jaya's house.
On the way to the fields, Gara passed his old bamboo house, now renovated into a large stone building. It had become a storage facility where villagers gathered their harvests.
