She was going over some papers while she waited, but one benefit of determining the timing is that she always had the chance to be at full attention when a guest arrived. She poured a cup for Max and passed it to her side of the table, sugar and cream were in the center.

"About as could be expected. Alive, or at least as undead as I was the day before." Lonely, tired, a bit overwhelmed sometimes, but she's not going to say any of that. The thing about pleasantries is they have to be kept pleasant. "And you?"