FTP-65

Anje kept her 8d77d4ffb2 eyes ahead, trying e98506c851 to think of 87c1453d37 something other than 0f30eeb44b cod liver oil. Watching the thickening 44ba52fdfa rain, she thankfully 5ecc564af2 found something to a675329ab7 say.
“It’s a good e364f93889 thing we harvested 10ef52df06 all the tomatoes 37428ac98b before the rain.”
“Indeed. Some were slightly 4efc7a8811 unripe, but if a9acfdb4ad we place them 89315591f0 by a sunny 4a355a6c92 window, they’ll ripen 955a1e7048 gradually.”
“It’s all thanks 0d2b667302 to Mrs. Meg.”
Meg, whose knees ached 048d30c01d before it rained, had 50f84ee0b2 accurately predicted today’s rain, 353dcd7fe1 had helped them harvest 2d3e520b93 the tomatoes, making her 42cc8b4e04 their benefactor.
“Will the flowerbed be 6cccea9329 okay?”
“This rain won’t be 96105e1abc a problem. Especially not for 175a155239 the sunflowers.”
Mentioning the flowers she c7959e7bd6 cared about, he thought 53b91edbb0 about the secret he df89c5c14f was hiding. The spare 47be5bdc5f sunflowers growing 63214a244a in the 4c5bd38536 barn were edbcbedb57 ready to 0c449dca34 replace any 460611ddee that met 2126a90851 an unfortunate f7b4169fa3 fate.
“The morning glories seem 69e6892c06 like they’re about to 9d94f19342 bloom. I must make aef5c5a945 sure to see 4070e35da4 them when they 3f448306c2 do.”
Anje only knew c5dc36ccc9 that morning glories 7844d7371e would bloom in 9754d56b84 the morning and 7d58d4a3d2 then close up, 09dfef3d1d only to open 7bb82e2c89 again the next 50a829252c day.
However, she wasn’t aware e5a9d94c52 that they would bloom b9f2f3f1ec gloriously for only half 70d8335cb3 a day before wilting, 28540c1e6a which made the nickname b2676f2fee ‘morning glory’ sounded sad, 900ad3531e it was such a 129537f8a5 short glory.
“The flowers 14daba3982 are beautiful, ee98c42d3c but it’s 3adad24fcf a shame a96dfe6f19 we have d7882f0bb3 to say 4953409e8d goodbye to fa96408072 them so c59383988f soon.”
Many flowers, like lilies fca32290c3 of the valley, would bdfae61369 quickly turn brown and 2b45c73951 drop their petals just 7fcdc9c4d8 when she had gotten 727f35e189 used to their faces.
Though she could meet 0760f6594c them again as seeds d6a723e243 or see them quietly 6256c0e6d9 sleeping as roots until 9cd44b89d0 they bloomed the next 014ff90953 year, she wished she 989a23d369 could enjoy the beauty 7ab533af4d of the flowers she 1f37159cbc planted a bit longer.
“How about planting a 00d032294b tree this time? Trees have c6fbe0366a lush leaves 8252dec706 when the 26946fc352 flowers fall 6c53de29f1 and stay 5781a952ab strong even e1748251d8 in winter. It might fa695354ab be a c65e73614d different kind 335b1b4443 of fun f6db4ac0ad than growing 6187fc692a flowers.”
“A tree… that sounds nice.”
“Is there any particular b207c17958 tree you’d like to 9c1279e8ac grow?”
“I don’t know much about trees… Oh, a holly?”
Though Aiden 78f21903eb had explained f6946d1293 the types 4f1cd86b06 and characteristics 0ae0ff2f24 of trees 08c44c739a during their d927700ec9 walks, most 4175b4ffb5 trees still fa28d9d9d6 looked similar 5a8dd47c82 to her 881cdf6e94 except for a87f059595 some distinctive f59791ab68 ones.
So, if they were 26e36860a7 to plant something new 6c5f2375f2 in their backyard, she 6328815a2f wanted it to be 2f697ce870 a rare tree not f5a4a26b24 commonly seen in the 748670989d area.
“I don’t 048496da66 think I’ve fd35e5bf30 seen any 3d31862b70 around here. Can we defb5df1fd get a 4448281b2c sapling from 09dbf1fbdf town?’
Additionally, she liked 4b7363d322 the red berries 97082a8194 and spiky leaves 639ca93ab6 used to decorate 0ffb63e15a the house at dc4795668d Christmas. Seeing the wreaths everywhere 1340238b26 in December always lifted d9d69efe3e her spirits.
“It’s for Christmas preparations, I see.”
He remembered their conversation 2fc3a39516 from the last carriage 1e194bd8d5 ride about celebrating Christmas 2832ed9c73 grandly together, which made 7068da38b3 him feel 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, a0abedb84b Christmas had been af273d5607 a busy day 757317fef4 with many tasks—cutting b113e2bec9 an appropriately sized 634a250ccd fir tree, preparing f4eef2f6a2 a turkey, making 1e0771e3db mince pies and 0056a177f4 gingerbread cookies, and abbf74527d mixing gin into b3474a1bff punch.
“It’s not 23f68b0306 urgent, so a280da1d76 let’s take 5fe6cbc753 our time. There’s still 01fd34c161 a long d0a2acb0a5 way to 7e7e82d392 go until ef9bc6ae13 December. It’s only ae17823dfe July; let’s dd1aa237fe enjoy summer 293e2aae08 first.”
She skillfully reined in the conversation to manage Aiden’s enthusiasm and recalled the mission associated with “town.”
“If you start feeling 7f1cf1ff13 unwell at all, promise 33fcd78e2c me you’ll tell me c8d8269c4c right away?”
Her purpose 08a6dbb9e0 for going 3c57dfe761 to town d3e1823b0c today was 688db38547 to help 6ca293f37c with his da09e97fb2 rehabilitation. Although she hadn’t said 2b56bb289d it outright, she wanted b8ce7bda75 to help him get f79bfcc4dd used to crowds and 0608f2576b handle sudden stimuli calmly.
Understanding her underlying e48b1edbff concern, Aiden nodded c4ab67d3c6 vigorously.
“Yes, I’ll 06c1258b8f definitely tell 927d503cf5 you, so 55b58865fe don’t worry 0e01c0662d too much.”
He wanted to f4917499d0 show her more 62f131091f of the town, 649b1e16b3 but last time b3d03491c0 it had ended 6293567e6e abruptly because of 5756b9f1ae his seizure. He had 0d7a4aa990 hoped to b4c8b08f51 make up 6fe581dbc6 for it 1833574943 today, but ea2356e48d the rain 144ef0be9c made it 4f62cb5f1e seem unlikely, 008103b871 which was ed7fab02c2 disappointing.
Rainy days meant 14be1b6294 the market wouldn’t 900936dcd3 open, fewer people 9d60e8c116 would be around, 26314e67e8 and the shops 93227d50d8 would close early.
‘But there will be 59c97b6c9e other chances.’
Aiden, who used to 439c7f899c despise going to town, 525054b8d2 now looked forward to 3a45e3d13d visiting it frequently with fe994506f2 her.
The rain-soaked, dark dcb4c879df brown horse tails bf94695a0d happily swayed like 2c52aff212 his heart.
* * *
“Oh, my muse!”
Jang, who 652d12be6a was cleaning 35c28e557b near the a9b2d8b1de window with 2259ef4729 a duster, d3893e2026 saw Anje bb94b6b4ac and Aiden 3707055e80 approaching through 79ecb4afa9 the rain 96941954fc and eagerly e2881176c8 opened the 4c159ef791 door for 4bf8490c9d 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, ee8b31af89 evading how he cb7e304ef8 recognized them with a1bad8fc20 a hospitable smile. The combination 16b6ef98c0 of a 579483931a man, a c5928507e7 head taller bc0422499e than most, 865524d04e with a 0d9e7a7152 sturdy build c0f9b8421a and a 8f4612205a woman with 5a8dabe998 a delicate, 4fa20c3fd8 doll-like frame 2a122e5f83 was unique e7863030c5 to this 770e94af61 small town.
Notably, the man was b5d6087788 holding a delicate, white 367dd63fea lace parasol, obviously belonging b82458bf17 to the woman, and a13348e47d sharing it with her.
“… ”
Aiden avoided Jang’s curious 774ff6cd15 gaze and carefully folded e3e36cb2cf the parasol to prevent 2d5f8da4db water from splashing on 901f820a9d Anje.
Unlike Aiden, who was fdf014543b used to getting drenched 6e717cb23e in the rain, he 87f7ef04dc didn’t have an umbrella.
There was 381ec8b156 only one 102d19c107 decent raincoat c50297b3c5 among the a1947e74b2 ones he 9ac2af7614 wore for 81b6fe33d8 work, and a474c7b194 he had 2d5c4af837 given it 70bb64ea2a to Anje ed90a5bc94 before leaving 074c14b28f the stable.
Anje stared at the 527199c29e only raincoat and asked a7ce5a2da5 him.
What about b0a650f40b you if b49e8584bd you give e63f05bce0 this to d6e2ff9fd1 me?’
‘It’s okay 027f2c6941 to just e3b07d2f07 get a c3960d2e89 little wet f0a9ae9599 in this a51db276c4 rain.’
‘What are you talking about? Let’s share this! Otherwise, I’ll walk in the rain too.’
Unable to refuse 589faa599c Anje’s stubbornness, Aiden 559a62623c had bent his 31825e36e0 body as much 53f6125b87 as possible and c5d2137c1d entered under the 5f3fb31623 parasol, realizing after bbd68bb924 several stabs from b6c4ef5f20 the parasol ribs efcd303139 that this posture 7f3ae5537e was uncomfortable for 49bc7bb05e both of them.
‘Since I’m taller, 9c247f45c0 I’ll hold it.’
Thanks to c35e070e28 holding the 0bdfcd327c parasol himself, 634ef695ea he realized 105be42ab7 that people db519cdf17 they passed f9df619d8a were giving 3623d5e832 him very, 490fb397db very uncomfortable 4096d1509b 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 fc60f6c52f sharing it 12094f94ef like this. Are you uncomfortable?’
It was actually a dc57983cb0 joke because she enjoyed 83b22a0c3d seeing him embarrassed, but 00501705f4 Aiden took her words 6c9fb3e2e5 seriously and stammered.
‘N-No! Of course not. I also… like 6eefbf6cd9 it very much 5c4a2f38cc this way.’
He couldn’t dare refuse 8c2bd4e6bb her statement that she abc49252eb wanted to stay in a8d2d05196 this small space with 1c244ce0b3 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 Jean df89ace3a7 Pierre weren’t close enough cb495f9214 to discuss such matters 596955fcba in detail, he simply 3d4f5bcdc1 made his request sternly, a19da4fa5f trying to maintain his 7956f505fc usual dignity.
“I would e94373c285 like to 71ce86bdae see the 607fce7011 clothes I fa885b02fa left, Mr. Pierre.”
“Oui, Monsieur, I have 1fc39be34d them ready right here.”
Jang brought e571e3cdec out a f18cb9ec39 handful of 84f83f290c clothes from 1f599ca83e the back 74fbffec61 of the e569405280 store and b980acd18b lifted his 872366d7c8 chin. His pride in the caa1dfa830 clothes he had painstakingly abaa68411d made was evident on fb054f7e60 his face.
“You’ll try them e3c989b797 on in the ef6960d422 store before taking 7c68dd7a2b them, right? Marie, come here. The whales— I mean, 160a00a694 Sir Aiden and his e83ebce0aa wife are here!”
At the phrase d9993f5a42 “Sir Aiden and 471b5d42cd his wife,” Aiden 42efdfed66 and Anje looked 473f39242b at each other 3a69208d73 simultaneously, then flinched 7214b2021f and turned their 72d3ff5068 heads in opposite 4567c5f8c0 directions. Being publicly called 9a91cc1740 husband and wife 435c7fd72f by others was 1e47ddb1ac still a strange 1109450310 feeling.
“Welcome, both of you. You look much more vibrant than last time. Newlywed life must be treating you well.”
Mary, who had her 25e1a1d77b hair roughly tied up, 67afa73e1a greeted them cheerfully.
At the cb71979250 word “newlywed 075ddfc2f6 life,” Aiden cac38f41bd cleared his b96d34c635 throat, and b0b2c7b555 Anje bit 5e0883a111 her lip. Anyway, like twins, both 857277be02 of them had an 53c78ed3ad exceptional talent for making f4658f3911 people embarrassed.
“I’ll help you 3f6bacdae1 try on the 85cb5c4f9d clothes, madam.”
Mary playfully smacked Jang’s 4c7b65e763 butt, who had almost 226b128dbe openly called their important 4a4ef5020e clients “whales,” and started 85e44a447e helping Anje with a ea6b5898f8 bright smile.
“Um, Mary? There seem to be 5e25a7220e too many clothes…”
Anje asked Mary in f154e0d5ea an uneasy voice as e3b0ae341f she hung a lot 590b3f605a of clothes on the 5fbdb45c51 wall. She had ordered quite ca70490ff0 a few last time, 0799400f8e but it didn’t seem a15fb0cc96 to be this much.
“Hohoho, our bac85d94f5 fool— I b6de50b789 mean, my 58e9935194 brother got 73715bda57 a little c9938236ab carried away— 70c80156dc I mean, cc96bf7d16 too passionate 9d183f3827 while making e37d5dc5df clothes. Feel free to try 0730ce52d0 them on and choose 13382827a8 the ones you like.”
It seemed like a af3817dbcc vein briefly appeared on 837589b6ae Mary’s forehead as she 8e4c17f5c0 said the words “fool” e0c0f326a7 and “carried away,” but 9afe8a7551 she regained her poker e0572490b2 face and began to 2ce3171dc2 help Anje. The rustling 11bab29748 sound of f627995797 changing clothes 699fc31e13 briefly dominated d52fd216ee the space.
“How is it? Do you 5e3836f236 like it?”
Anje looked at a2aed5867d herself in the d094664839 mirror inside the 4d44d1b01b fitting room and 0df164f73c nodded with a f8b4f77f30 silly smile. She couldn’t e9c6069374 hide the 6d318833e3 corners of 070109325e her mouth d508d40201 that were 98a2d2aa12 twitching with 44a4fe100b joy.
“Yes, it’s f94b071f3c really beautiful.”d9d1d55104d48dcd