FTP-65

Anje kept her eyes d4b8333dde ahead, trying to think 2fc85a9d3e of something other than bc34571f55 cod liver oil. Watching the thickening d721c7060e rain, she thankfully 77f9192905 found something to f4a07b801a say.
“It’s a 6788c1df1a good thing 98ec4a46c2 we harvested e97c49511c all the b960a87a73 tomatoes before 129f992816 the rain.”
“Indeed. Some were 7bbdb58e4a slightly unripe, 45fdd66eee but if 8590c57009 we place daeaa2e58e them by 8135c0a8d3 a sunny 8d9f78bf1e window, they’ll 14307fc0d6 ripen gradually.”
“It’s all 5a48dd8189 thanks to 0e166dbf73 Mrs. Meg.”
Meg, whose 42f1435166 knees ached a77ea3d436 before it 19b78665ec rained, had 789c3770da accurately predicted bf800f144f today’s rain, 7d7c159d22 had helped d3ff933ad2 them harvest afb60579c0 the tomatoes, d7330b7a97 making her 6e4bc4531d their benefactor.
“Will the flowerbed a2dfa0b9d7 be okay?”
“This rain b1efd51815 won’t be 742c82754c a problem. Especially not for the cb49ebfcbc sunflowers.”
Mentioning the 8771b6b905 flowers she d1f9e99cc1 cared about, 9d9b5b3dad he thought 2c6c17c4e9 about the 327d4e082f secret he 403022153a was hiding. The spare sunflowers growing eef1fc4563 in the barn were a6b0b7caf4 ready to replace any 2b2b423d0d that met an unfortunate 2563efdf35 fate.
“The morning glories a91b745b0d seem like they’re 684b22f666 about to bloom. I must make 5b07571a3b sure to see fbf1f71d9c them when they e68aa1950c do.”
Anje only knew 0e80555d38 that morning glories 5dfe764753 would bloom in 1d288ebeda the morning and 3b2a54fd7a then close up, 07636411d7 only to open a448f3f09b again the next f6d75544e3 day.
However, she wasn’t aware d60cb9a469 that they would bloom 3c33928370 gloriously for only half 3d9210c727 a day before wilting, 129a0ed4e9 which made the nickname ec3f001aa8 ‘morning glory’ sounded sad, d8e67d340c it was such a 3d1c35d06f short glory.
“The flowers 426ab9bc87 are beautiful, d9ca0034ce but it’s 0bde4905d0 a shame db49f607f0 we have 82ccccdcb5 to say 65c4f09eca goodbye to 1238adfcee them so 0171c1c1d7 soon.”
Many flowers, like c9137c36da lilies of the 24f7b3375d valley, would quickly 50e3837569 turn brown and 5e99d90913 drop their petals 84a81acc10 just when she 43a00ab9c9 had gotten used 93306de122 to their faces.
Though she could afb3a024e9 meet them again 78aa220180 as seeds or b6fda1b573 see them quietly 79d122001d sleeping as roots d2ba06bd1c until they bloomed 6629aae1bd the next year, dcf8ed2aa7 she wished she 85d0360565 could enjoy the a976a03c78 beauty of the 600c02c277 flowers she planted c579355bf4 a bit longer.
“How about a5225c69a7 planting a e1a471dc46 tree this be6ee7cf6a time? Trees have lush aa7d50adb1 leaves when the f1faa64657 flowers fall and ab55977d0b stay strong even 345fb33d0e in winter. It might be a 80e2e986b6 different kind of fun 4011eebe0f than growing flowers.”
“A tree… that sounds nice.”
“Is there any cf42eccc8b particular tree you’d 01de4243d6 like to grow?”
“I don’t know much about trees… Oh, a holly?”
Though Aiden 31a32b72e8 had explained fa120d0a29 the types 589fa894a6 and characteristics 4fd7e534b6 of trees 753dc7fa3f during their 93191b10f3 walks, most 3aa936135b trees still 44c331ca3c looked similar fb3aa50149 to her 14cd54e9d2 except for 1fd594ad5a some distinctive f2e3b657be ones.
So, if they 25eb12080a were to plant 289dd75e72 something new in 8da5d7e80e their backyard, she e791d18a40 wanted it to aba82eaaf9 be a rare 8781dbfe52 tree not commonly ae69a06a1a seen in the f779579549 area.
“I don’t think 054c7ff7ee I’ve seen any 1db42a3e4a around here. Can we get a 9a06949dce sapling from town?’
Additionally, she liked 3a6e5d4cf8 the red berries 1b9cb9a771 and spiky leaves 5944744cba used to decorate afb13a7c47 the house at c27912e9f8 Christmas. Seeing the wreaths everywhere 6977ddd56f in December always lifted 6629a429a4 her spirits.
“It’s for Christmas preparations, I see.”
He remembered 537001cf50 their conversation 443a4d4037 from the 2b02d23ac5 last carriage 02d45eec66 ride about 66de57f878 celebrating Christmas 745f493e01 grandly together, bffb53b64c which made d57950af61 him feel c71fa8a727 excited.
“When we get to town, we can stop by the draper’s store and then look for a store that sells saplings. Or maybe we can get some from someone who grows them.”
Having lived alone, a4898a1781 Christmas had been de100bb5e4 a busy day 61daa19dad with many tasks—cutting 67a50ee210 an appropriately sized 1eec726dc5 fir tree, preparing 8cd6bf65f8 a turkey, making 8e41ec571d mince pies and 212048648b gingerbread cookies, and aca1c7ada1 mixing gin into 08e78f0b89 punch.
“It’s not urgent, beff1d9b88 so let’s take ac04e929fb our time. There’s still a long 4310bff51a way to go until 33ed971b62 December. It’s only 6891896b42 July; let’s a330bb1571 enjoy summer 139d670dda first.”
She skillfully reined in the conversation to manage Aiden’s enthusiasm and recalled the mission associated with “town.”
“If you start 837c61be5d feeling unwell at a7ee862dfe all, promise me 160c882b96 you’ll tell me 88544bee38 right away?”
Her purpose for going 1db12b2967 to town today was a24a5ae643 to help with his a96f39b0c6 rehabilitation. Although she hadn’t 85f0fece44 said it outright, c087e53865 she wanted to 542c06325e help him get ee21348327 used to crowds 3d082aaf11 and handle sudden 564329752a stimuli calmly.
Understanding her underlying concern, da5c71481b Aiden nodded vigorously.
“Yes, I’ll definitely ffc93d2812 tell you, so 566a47b8bd don’t worry too e0b45d3c46 much.”
He wanted to 0e9fc4987b show her more 659c57a4df of the town, 746d56f872 but last time 08aa8aae7a it had ended 9f8b39ad6b abruptly because of a9154941ed his seizure. He had hoped dff39b8ff9 to make up 213b51b5e3 for it today, fbaced0ad5 but the rain f5523c6368 made it seem 865878e7aa unlikely, which was b181a74288 disappointing.
Rainy days meant the 095a7ed240 market wouldn’t open, fewer c6d30206d3 people would be around, 2f5f6190ac and the shops would 1a88fa53ea close early.
‘But there will 2ff62c3fec be other chances.’
Aiden, who used 0427062412 to despise going f9d1949f7e to town, now 34f1fd3368 looked forward to 6c1849e27d visiting it frequently 2e77ca6c11 with her.
The rain-soaked, dark brown 00ad4bbab3 horse tails happily swayed ae3a33d076 like his heart.
* * *
“Oh, my muse!”
Jang, who was cleaning 2b1136ed96 near the window with 6f834ba6e0 a duster, saw Anje 6445c7e61b and Aiden approaching through f2f31c4db4 the rain and eagerly 8be8e0f731 opened the door for 10af753a3a them.
“It’s raining heavily, and yet you still came! It’s an honor. Please, come in.”
“Nice to see you, Mr. Pierre. Even with an umbrella, you recognized us.”
“Well, that’s…”
Jang trailed off, dc6b0b0aba evading how he e25f672a85 recognized them with eacc68f93b a hospitable smile. The combination of 0f85c0355d a man, a 99cd2d321c head taller than cf7b5c853c most, with a ff418389ae sturdy build and f233e1f1cb a woman with efa0df976b a delicate, doll-like b11df6359b frame was unique abff7b089d to this small 76d6805d3b town.
Notably, the 60155a14bd man was 63c1a9d14c holding a 90c9215b67 delicate, white a2254c0931 lace parasol, c8d21ed91c obviously belonging 1cbf83897d to the ae8ae7c53c woman, and 6f9f498aeb sharing it 64e388e1d1 with her.
“… ”
Aiden avoided Jang’s c1dfe8a4ce curious gaze and 3bf1363628 carefully folded the 7244a32567 parasol to prevent 58c9847454 water from splashing afcb9ba4d3 on Anje.
Unlike Aiden, 20f00220ef who was daf2c25341 used to 9a62d4d3fa getting drenched adeda00cb4 in the 70033a32d0 rain, he 3d9d064238 didn’t have b54b4e5211 an umbrella.
There was 0e1f6240ef only one 9015a59027 decent raincoat 52bc767dcc among the 98382cd36d ones he cd6899a7eb wore for df85236cc4 work, and fdbdc2f71a he had f13d150012 given it 470577dff4 to Anje 005593d066 before leaving 8591a03e20 the stable.
Anje stared b98f2ade14 at the d23feb178a only raincoat e0f4b1cc28 and asked a0c13bc67d him.
What about 100d7e6d2e you if 7c6b0fb4a4 you give 0f17abf818 this to 26b0389567 me?’
‘It’s okay to ed9c63d463 just get a 0b4567c167 little wet in 1b61bfb455 this rain.’
‘What are you talking about? Let’s share this! Otherwise, I’ll walk in the rain too.’
Unable to refuse Anje’s 606cc56bd0 stubbornness, Aiden had bent aaed23fcb2 his body as much 372ca92c49 as possible and entered 182350c3ec under the parasol, realizing f573565507 after several stabs from 2fee5377f1 the parasol ribs that d4b2621869 this posture was uncomfortable 63ab3ec988 for both of them.
‘Since I’m taller, a69bf17562 I’ll hold it.’
Thanks to holding be7f9404e9 the parasol himself, 6300dbf4fb he realized that 252ddc36ed people they passed 04186ff873 were giving him 17cdcc5d50 very, very uncomfortable 6b632f98b0 looks.
‘Anje… how about we visit a store before going to the draper’s store?’
Whether it was a raincoat or an umbrella, they would probably be selling it now that it was raining. He felt a bit wasteful spending money on something he didn’t use often, but it was better than having people stare at him with wide eyes.
‘I like sharing b092e30a36 it like this. Are you uncomfortable?’
It was actually fcebead33a a joke because 72ec1303aa she enjoyed seeing 723e8d64ad him embarrassed, but 564666d552 Aiden took her 4f87d1beb4 words seriously and f8278e174c stammered.
‘N-No! Of course not. I also… like it b2de260b23 very much this way.’
He couldn’t dare 6d42610ea8 refuse her statement bc485a9278 that she wanted f31618bb7e to stay in 19ed0599ed this small space ff0da05383 with him.
Thus, under such a deep and sorrowful circumstance, Aiden appeared at the entrance of the draper’s store, holding a white parasol.
Since he and 3faceea279 Jean Pierre weren’t a00975b2c0 close enough to f8a2c83ec3 discuss such matters a377a131a9 in detail, he 37a678a84c simply made his eb81f74328 request sternly, trying aa10010865 to maintain his 7fac85eacf usual dignity.
“I would like to 40f36538c8 see the clothes I 64ad5368ac left, Mr. Pierre.”
“Oui, Monsieur, I have 5e4b49620e them ready right here.”
Jang brought c3948985ec out a dc1af01adc handful of 9bfb8c8921 clothes from afd0e1c573 the back 47767706ec of the 9c79aaeacd store and ca141c712a lifted his 266e721ade chin. His pride in the 43a465b993 clothes he had painstakingly 679652d7aa made was evident on 4fa7771824 his face.
“You’ll try ea8286a556 them on 874e86a06f in the 0f62132061 store before f0c7979244 taking them, 05d53d78af right? Marie, come here. The whales— I mean, 8204340000 Sir Aiden and his 62b4a18479 wife are here!”
At the phrase “Sir 6b02a6e436 Aiden and his wife,” 94a065f7ed Aiden and Anje looked e37c3139e0 at each other simultaneously, 253fcae267 then flinched and turned 72dcb8ada1 their heads in opposite f294f83d0c directions. Being publicly called 8525147316 husband and wife 34395ae8ee by others was 1d0bb6da95 still a strange ef5f07f8c7 feeling.
“Welcome, both of you. You look much more vibrant than last time. Newlywed life must be treating you well.”
Mary, who had her 2782831481 hair roughly tied up, 8f43d3e25e greeted them cheerfully.
At the word fbb34f9868 “newlywed life,” Aiden 91b52262e6 cleared his throat, c0b6dba360 and Anje bit b7f88923cf her lip. Anyway, like twins, both 374b1967ff of them had an 83ff41a6f6 exceptional talent for making 2c71743cce people embarrassed.
“I’ll help you try 97550787ab on the clothes, madam.”
Mary playfully 66f9e2671f smacked Jang’s 8817e9bfdb butt, who 462808dcc7 had almost 9bd57d1cca openly called 87f7a2c019 their important 46134ea8b6 clients “whales,” 1bc82d5abd and started aa1ad23ea0 helping Anje 474a90c0be with a 1b12d6b390 bright smile.
“Um, Mary? There seem 5a932d121e to be bdf0aa2cc5 too many d9d0a3b6e4 clothes…”
Anje asked bcfa50b64b Mary in ec918a8286 an uneasy c99b75b772 voice as 3b67d238bf she hung 8c3bb0375f a lot 5a59332bab of clothes 115602c9d1 on the 83c3279d33 wall. She had cb19a409de ordered quite 119c1c4a01 a few 93468e03e7 last time, a4c98f9589 but it 4f9ba31057 didn’t seem 1da2513904 to be af9e885b97 this much.
“Hohoho, our fool— e98cc7d0e0 I mean, my e367fd743e brother got a bd0f375dec little carried away— 6d6deeea6a I mean, too 7e863b63fe passionate while making e7e158fea7 clothes. Feel free to ac5b0db04d try them on 637da92348 and choose the ccf7031497 ones you like.”
It seemed like 1cf2c719f5 a vein briefly 723451e68b appeared on Mary’s 51e0676809 forehead as she 3058dcae65 said the words 5017878306 “fool” and “carried 895fb021ae away,” but she 1168a864bd regained her poker 33b2dd517d face and began d407b08733 to help Anje. The rustling sound 2937b6c1a7 of changing clothes 4fa54505d6 briefly dominated the 810047bb08 space.
“How is it? Do you like 856ef6c83f it?”
Anje looked 4f2e7220b7 at herself dcb8e8cbcc in the 76feba10f8 mirror inside 88462a4351 the fitting 1e1617e1e0 room and 73295db3ae nodded with 6c613f6617 a silly e88b0765eb smile. She couldn’t 8443d8a389 hide the d8f063e83e corners of 848b91b81f her mouth 08dfacdbfc that were 6d607aa30a twitching with c44d26555d joy.
“Yes, it’s really beautiful.”6206755df4f3bb60