Magni's own thought process is rather simple: wife! Wife is back! Wife is back on birthday! Must make birthday perfect for wife! Hooray wife! And other similarly enthusiastic variations. When she looks up to Lakshmi there is a warm smile tugging the corners of her mouth, even with her attempt at discretion, gaze flickering past the friends and family waiting to announce themselves.

And then—

Oh, no.

She opens her mouth to reply, and is silent. Frankly she's quite taken aback. This was not a turn she had anticipated. Her brow is furrowed, and she looks to the book, and then back to Lakshmi, and tries to decide what the correct response might be, what will be soothing.

So, basically, she says nothing. Which is bound to help.