Porcia badly needed a break from life, so she found herself here at Livia's house. They had both planned it, since both of their husbands were gone; Marsius still ill in bed and Lucius gone to who knows where. Porcia really would've liked to visit Valeria, but knew it would not be in the best interest of the new mother. She tossed something to her brother sitting on a stool behind her.

"Here, shuck it and make yourself useful."

"Yes, mother." Porcia rolled her eyes to Livia. See what I had to put with every day?

"Domina, " a slave hurried into the kitchen, "someone is here to see you."

"Hold on, " Porcia wiped her hands off quickly and followed him out. There a young woman waited; oddly, the first thing that struck Porcia was how much the girl looked like her own father. The girl was taller than her so she had to crane her neck slightly to see her face. But then, the little matron was a little on the short side herself.

"Porcia?" She inquired meekly.

"That's me, yes." Upon hearing that, the girl literally picked Porcia up off the ground in a bear hug.

"Uh..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I'm so very sorry." She tucked a piece of wavy brown hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry, you're...?"

"Porcia. Call me Porcia. Or better yet, call me Secunda, so we won't get each other mixed up." She laughed, a not altogether unpleasant sound.

"Uh..." Porcia was reduced to saying, not knowing whether this girl was serious or not. Apparently she was. "Come - come in. We were just fixing lunch."

"Good! You know, Porcia, you're not the easiest person to find in this city! It sounds so weird meeting someone with the same name. Well, you know, except Aunt Porcia. But I haven't seen her in such a long time!"

"Um, right..."