FTP-65

Anje kept her 83f3ea1a82 eyes ahead, trying 9baa012213 to think of b5e8803a09 something other than ce3d87e90a cod liver oil. Watching the 95f8b5da1c thickening rain, dc572c0be1 she thankfully 018b6dde4f found something 5975ac9903 to say.
“It’s a good 7490b5e48b thing we harvested 991638b29d all the tomatoes 9f0a65beb9 before the rain.”
“Indeed. Some were slightly 770f275b59 unripe, but if 8ee11c91e5 we place them 97a8efc21b by a sunny 8ec81fe28f window, they’ll ripen 2d2b39344a gradually.”
“It’s all thanks a64960293f to Mrs. Meg.”
Meg, whose knees ached 7f2dbeffd3 before it rained, had 051f9ed17a accurately predicted today’s rain, b53aaf88d5 had helped them harvest 04e8b1491c the tomatoes, making her b6633cd120 their benefactor.
“Will the b41d98885b flowerbed be fc5792eb31 okay?”
“This rain won’t 555feef39c be a problem. Especially not for 9f416ded2c the sunflowers.”
Mentioning the flowers b92897253f she cared about, 03e4025f42 he thought about f090ce6a6e the secret he 7361b05f1b was hiding. The spare e14ab04005 sunflowers growing fa549d4902 in the e3bec173a3 barn were c791c26f10 ready to e63840a5eb replace any 32123d1602 that met 785dcdc1a7 an unfortunate 752610b462 fate.
“The morning 5bac1fdddb glories seem cb868c5e19 like they’re 641f6f1e49 about to 87a05d88c3 bloom. I must make sure f700dad715 to see them when 23ade4db28 they do.”
Anje only 88df6125fd knew that eb471db96a morning glories ce2221842b would bloom b35ed7909d in the 7ec863bb8a morning and 6b88e8ec68 then close e7c3b40a30 up, only f82205208b to open a729ebb72c again the f9a4d5f399 next day.
However, she 500781c54d wasn’t aware 00dea80759 that they bcecb56ddd would bloom ae34dbb010 gloriously for eee4e25e05 only half e18a7d1ff5 a day a7243f8de4 before wilting, 106992b073 which made 0f3fe9d812 the nickname 3ea749d338 ‘morning glory’ aa26e0f355 sounded sad, 3ce0eb64ee it was bb5569cc54 such a 59453fca2b short glory.
“The flowers c196e11251 are beautiful, 6fbae76817 but it’s 5d2a0d29ad a shame 2c4aea676e we have 4e319b5d8a to say 61764ac186 goodbye to 29eb722bc0 them so 5b7502a5be soon.”
Many flowers, like lilies c98da8f1d8 of the valley, would 417383bd8d quickly turn brown and 45c0e481dc drop their petals just 21583d5cbd when she had gotten 7441f6ce75 used to their faces.
Though she could meet 4bf1c6bc09 them again as seeds 5edef25fc5 or see them quietly 9ed2377c8e sleeping as roots until 654ba3b856 they bloomed the next f1cac7cc43 year, she wished she da74531119 could enjoy the beauty 814f3682a5 of the flowers she d00f7b65a6 planted a bit longer.
“How about 027eb1ac86 planting a 3bbdb09f8e tree this 5abd81df4a time? Trees have lush leaves 4c8e3914de when the flowers fall 739ccdb831 and stay strong even 71dc9f15d6 in winter. It might be a 16405feafe different kind of fun 7fd182eacc than growing flowers.”
“A tree… that sounds nice.”
“Is there any particular 51553322e7 tree you’d like to 5f529a03b8 grow?”
“I don’t know much about trees… Oh, a holly?”
Though Aiden had explained 22ba86307c the types and characteristics b64e80b6bb of trees during their d4d00718fa walks, most trees still 00f9204eb2 looked similar to her 082a59edc8 except for some distinctive 704f7ab988 ones.
So, if they were 5b767e4cfd to plant something new a766927ff9 in their backyard, she 79ed118a8a wanted it to be 524a7d096b a rare tree not 38d9f75293 commonly seen in the ca8199c3de area.
“I don’t think 29e272e55b I’ve seen any 27c7f2129a around here. Can we get a e7274c085b sapling from town?’
Additionally, she liked the 47b69e8918 red berries and spiky af0b7ab0ff leaves used to decorate 981f940a71 the house at Christmas. Seeing the wreaths 5661989b21 everywhere in December a7ec643e6c always lifted her c1c9f5de0b spirits.
“It’s for Christmas preparations, I see.”
He remembered their conversation 31e07162d2 from the last carriage d54b146953 ride about celebrating Christmas 024199f593 grandly together, which made ff75681bdc 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 2e8e88dd78 alone, Christmas 73e4e67ccd had been 7a221c4772 a busy 63da0a0ac2 day with e92eb921b7 many tasks—cutting bc41c2d671 an appropriately 05bd8c0f15 sized fir fa6d992af4 tree, preparing acbbc91723 a turkey, ed8b4450f1 making mince a5194c5015 pies and 3fbaedcfa8 gingerbread cookies, 0d6f7d9c1f and mixing 7819c5ac15 gin into 2b6f2ce39b punch.
“It’s not urgent, 734b621a18 so let’s take 40ecc9127e our time. There’s still a 8ab1754554 long way to 366f6a2417 go until December. It’s only 0198e24d65 July; let’s 6641ec54a2 enjoy summer dcc42f3af6 first.”
She skillfully reined in the conversation to manage Aiden’s enthusiasm and recalled the mission associated with “town.”
“If you start feeling 679f24582d unwell at all, promise 5fd2e866cb me you’ll tell me cc93b0c92b right away?”
Her purpose d8a24fdc55 for going 5bc040b9ab to town 51f3550f92 today was 435c227bfb to help a755138c7e with his 8c040087c1 rehabilitation. Although she hadn’t said 9f172bb34d it outright, she wanted 837de0c71e to help him get c07f909fae used to crowds and a61a33c8cd handle sudden stimuli calmly.
Understanding her underlying fc2bd2e105 concern, Aiden nodded eb0e9931a1 vigorously.
“Yes, I’ll definitely tell 67e177f313 you, so don’t worry 0ef12cd65f too much.”
He wanted to 903a16e068 show her more c9284e8755 of the town, 1e586ae658 but last time e307d59b26 it had ended 0127ee9209 abruptly because of 42f896fde7 his seizure. He had hoped 606054b860 to make up 809db40196 for it today, 6be5868855 but the rain 504046c137 made it seem 8cd61b37e0 unlikely, which was ddd16f5438 disappointing.
Rainy days ceb6aabbed meant the 18a2924066 market wouldn’t d2a2fb9fdc open, fewer c535309311 people would 68449f25c7 be around, f62ea404fd and the 1b9f1c5e1f shops would ba1fa49287 close early.
‘But there will be e9a1256483 other chances.’
Aiden, who d0511b96d5 used to 74b287c15b despise going aef4f235d2 to town, 082f1508e4 now looked ec76240227 forward to 6c5163e07e visiting it 1473f9c446 frequently with a8bd26f96f her.
The rain-soaked, 7d26ff4b84 dark brown 3fdf1ab53c horse tails 8125abe67d happily swayed ae88fdb89b like his 57a5866287 heart.
* * *
“Oh, my muse!”
Jang, who was bf19eb207e cleaning near the a5acff10b5 window with a 35754a421a duster, saw Anje 8c67ab8afb and Aiden approaching 05735e4510 through the rain 778bbe99e5 and eagerly opened da57e294dd the door for 6982265f19 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, 2f6616a42a evading how he e9bd5f92ae recognized them with b5851f56e3 a hospitable smile. The combination of 22e58b04cf a man, a c48ce47d61 head taller than a9a097ce67 most, with a 97b01751f7 sturdy build and dfc5815df6 a woman with 17578136f6 a delicate, doll-like 00a384acff frame was unique a35951db7a to this small 38fb59a13a town.
Notably, the man was fc1bdab8c3 holding a delicate, white 919d4546e4 lace parasol, obviously belonging c41096cb8f to the woman, and 5b07bdaf8c sharing it with her.
“… ”
Aiden avoided Jang’s curious 7844634896 gaze and carefully folded 675cd5b051 the parasol to prevent 26b9798ae4 water from splashing on e82939478d Anje.
Unlike Aiden, who was e31e1f2cc4 used to getting drenched b0d57446e5 in the rain, he fbe73ab470 didn’t have an umbrella.
There was only 658f591cd4 one decent raincoat 7596176f77 among the ones 3c4a6494b5 he wore for 602e04f163 work, and he 1bc7c286dc had given it 03062e9dc2 to Anje before d933e3a1fb leaving the stable.
Anje stared at the 7fe24b2dc6 only raincoat and asked a3efb83bdb him.
What about you eae30f59cc if you give 5bec7a7c52 this to me?’
‘It’s okay to just 899fb7b36c get a little wet a3f41e4660 in this rain.’
‘What are you talking about? Let’s share this! Otherwise, I’ll walk in the rain too.’
Unable to f2c6892ba1 refuse Anje’s 1470cac71b stubbornness, Aiden ff4bc882c7 had bent cb77d2a819 his body a40be34c65 as much 7c135ec19b as possible e9bdff0f6e and entered 232f033e43 under the d6899b9f20 parasol, realizing aac9f48402 after several 002c3a9b52 stabs from 2ba335e8d7 the parasol 272928ef63 ribs that fd7ca0f601 this posture 1c0a78e045 was uncomfortable a4475493a3 for both 7e482818bc of them.
‘Since I’m 4e37ddb97b taller, I’ll 099a432888 hold it.’
Thanks to holding the 0cd49c0158 parasol himself, he realized 291b19739d that people they passed 00d76f8f8c were giving him very, ec144bb120 very uncomfortable 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 8c045fc6d6 it like this. Are you uncomfortable?’
It was b41fab5f85 actually a 285194d8d3 joke because e5f76705bf she enjoyed 9e873307c4 seeing him 26d6d74d75 embarrassed, but 578eddb214 Aiden took dd1d71ee57 her words 1a0a233e3d seriously and b9a2bf18ad stammered.
‘N-No! Of course not. I also… like it 774a95bb1a very much this way.’
He couldn’t dare ea5a4db24c refuse her statement 70dec28df3 that she wanted 5c2338a86f to stay in f5e9a06f19 this small space e70d7ad214 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 Jean e260e2a019 Pierre weren’t close enough 9808bdcf84 to discuss such matters 8edd1b19b1 in detail, he simply 7aa37561ff made his request sternly, 038a8601ff trying to maintain his f591352f12 usual dignity.
“I would e202b79b21 like to 6abe7a9763 see the 2367604d35 clothes I bb586c414c left, Mr. Pierre.”
“Oui, Monsieur, 46719efdc3 I have 503a6f391b them ready 66ff31e2eb right here.”
Jang brought 2b9519552d out a f710c12fe0 handful of c5fc641f8b clothes from b4c7c5770e the back a4e044c7f4 of the ecf88a5fa5 store and a158654287 lifted his 0810dfb224 chin. His pride 4720fe3834 in the 031bd51a84 clothes he df36fd2399 had painstakingly 6cc5eff0bc made was b27662685d evident on a459736eca his face.
“You’ll try them 068af62993 on in the b60db067b9 store before taking ea5da7f3c9 them, right? Marie, come here. The whales— I cea26e19ca mean, Sir Aiden ac8febdab6 and his wife 40b73c9b74 are here!”
At the e84fc22364 phrase “Sir f166d448c4 Aiden and ce7c5d4598 his wife,” 20d8aeccf5 Aiden and 5334d50e11 Anje looked 97b962d0be at each fdd5e04165 other simultaneously, 4651eb46a8 then flinched 5ab94dcecc and turned f482f6d745 their heads d0f634f233 in opposite bf16ed2561 directions. Being publicly called husband fb1242369e and wife by others fe6ad91ab8 was still a strange 9a215a6f92 feeling.
“Welcome, both of you. You look much more vibrant than last time. Newlywed life must be treating you well.”
Mary, who had 0e7bbcbf63 her hair roughly 86e37e5403 tied up, greeted 743c3dbe73 them cheerfully.
At the word af5ac9cb09 “newlywed life,” Aiden bab1481281 cleared his throat, 0db0a30eb8 and Anje bit 91d723b68c her lip. Anyway, like 52d2d907aa twins, both 169f1de71a of them 91bed380d9 had an db482f54a7 exceptional talent 4bbe41ad48 for making 7425f1bd49 people embarrassed.
“I’ll help you try 5530af5d48 on the clothes, madam.”
Mary playfully a1562607a6 smacked Jang’s b582640a5a butt, who 3666a73604 had almost 1bbb15541a openly called 1dafd43460 their important 0b954f71dd clients “whales,” a36b5dbbe4 and started bd2656a646 helping Anje a630bb50f9 with a 06e32832a3 bright smile.
“Um, Mary? There seem to be a7f068d869 too many clothes…”
Anje asked Mary in a0c4b3074a an uneasy voice as 5bb4cc3022 she hung a lot 97afb90fef of clothes on the aa4757c91f wall. She had ordered quite 8561567cb3 a few last time, e22284f8e6 but it didn’t seem 6868ce723b to be this much.
“Hohoho, our 9e3c2c446d fool— I b7de2bd707 mean, my 75db19e338 brother got fa6106ae37 a little 59b4103305 carried away— da8f4d749b I mean, 06abd33717 too passionate a222b0386c while making 34295c5d3e clothes. Feel free to ebdf97c904 try them on 3eb18f4a40 and choose the 5239e14a08 ones you like.”
It seemed 80a18ed80a like a 4f788c3e32 vein briefly ea7325dd1e appeared on de8e68c2a1 Mary’s forehead 67bb60a381 as she fdaa1b675f said the b4f6a148e6 words “fool” 33d3ec5316 and “carried ae159a2b13 away,” but 14f36c12b6 she regained 15847abd0e her poker e52386c257 face and 34f6e059d0 began to 13e5233a98 help Anje. The rustling sound of e4629cb27e changing clothes briefly dominated 8d26f3e498 the space.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
Anje looked at 3915d017d7 herself in the c7f58df897 mirror inside the 6a3ec18ae4 fitting room and 7cb587f369 nodded with a d2ebf895f1 silly smile. She couldn’t hide the c9e86deb03 corners of her mouth a09e9075d2 that were twitching with ef9735d6c0 joy.
“Yes, it’s 678b8e8b41 really beautiful.”6b8b14ea3e65921b