"Genie, I... I know I said I'd give you time but you've been out here for a while and I..." Mariah said.
"You need to know," Genie said. "You need to know where I stand."
"No," Mariah said. "I need to know if you're OK. I... I can go back in, if you need to be alone."
"No," Genie smile sadly. "Please, stay."
They were both silent for a moment.
"You know, my mom is a puttana... a bitch," Mariah said. "After I lost my dad, she made me feel like I wasn't worth anything. Like I was a monster."
"You're not a monster," Genie said.
"Miranda told me that too," Mariah smiled. "She once told me she knew monsters and I wasn't one. But then, when I found out my dad - who loved me and valued me - had been part of the Alto Family, a gangster... I thought, that was it. I really am a monster from a family of monsters.
"Maybe that's true," Mariah continued, "but it doesn't mean I can't do good. My dad was a gangster and an honorable man. I can be what I am, and still be honorable too. Still do good. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know it's hard. It's hard looking at your family and realizing they're not who you thought they were. Questioning who you are because of it... but Genie, you're a good person. They don't define you. You do."
"You're such a good friend," Genie smiled. "I... I... oh, fuck it."
As Genie's lips pressed against hers, Mariah froze, shocked. What the hell, she thought. Genie is kissing me. Genie's lips are kissing mine. Merda. What do I do?
"Sorry," Genie said, talking very fast. "I know you're with Miranda... and you two love each other... true love, like Aadi says... and I totally respect that... and you guys have been such good friends to me... and I never want to ruin that... but what you just said was so... Right... and you've always been so wonderful... and I've totally had a crush on you for, like, ages... and I just didn't want to never have done that."
"Genie... um, breathe... just breathe," Mariah stammered, struggling not to revert back to her native tongue. "I... um... yeah... it's OK. I... it's... I mean, yes, I'm with Miranda and I can't... but that was nice. I mean... we totally can't do that... but it was OK... I mean it was nice... I mean..."
"I'm going to help," Genie said.
"It's all good... and we're friends... and what?" Mariah continued to stammer.
"I'm going to help you find grand-père's files," Genie said. "Because, you're right... my mom doesn't get to define me. She can be a gangster if she wants to be, but I know what the right thing is..."
"... and Mariah," Genie added. "I think I know where grand-père's files are hidden."
"You what?" Mariah gasped. "Genie, I could kiss you! I mean, I can't actually... we can't... again."
"It's OK," Genie laughed. "I got to do it once."
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"Umm, Miranda, I... uh... I need to tell you something," Mariah said sheepishly.
"What's wrong?" Miranda replied.
"Umm... Genie kissed me," Mariah winced. "I totally didn't do anything to do... I mean she just... out of the blue... well, maybe not completely but..."
"OK, deep breath in," Miranda said gently. "Now blow it out. In, out. In, out. It's OK."
"But... I mean," Mariah stammered.
"Mariah, sweetie, Genie has had a crush on you for ages," Miranda said. "If she ever needed to get that out of her system, now is the time. It's OK. We're OK. Now, if you're about to tell me you're running off with her to open a SCUBA shop in Sulani..."
"No... no, I don't think so," Mariah said.
"I love you," Miranda smiled. 
----------------------
"So," Genie said with forced casualness, "I kissed her."
"About damn time, girl," Aadi said. "You know..."
"I know, I know," Genie said, "but I didn't want to never have done it."
"I hear that," Aadi smiled.
"So, are we spies now?" Genie smiled.
"Yeah, I guess so," Aadi said. "I should rent a tux. I would look great in a tux."
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