FTP-72

Chapter: FTP-72cb6ef1cb327b9fc8

Anje poked Aiden’s dimpled 323ce0b822 cheek with her finger. She, too, was smiling d11818eea1 faintly like him.
“A good husband? For example, you?”
“Or how to avoid 1708d0d132 a husband like me.”
Anje laughed bc1c3dbe1e out loud a0a282fc98 and poked 6a58ac6209 his cheek 1c07fb7f58 again.
“What’s wrong 0991c91733 with you? You’re a decent da13a24573 husband, after all.”
Aiden lowered his da0d95db60 voice, trying not b95fc87ad2 to show how 87a1ece243 pleased he was.
“Decent? Not good?”
“Oh, fine. Yes, good. Let’s say you’re 78780436a8 good.”
“There’s a 2f8cdccb6b big difference ae3c295716 between ‘let’s 7ec6d40f71 say I’m aac41d7e3c good’ and 00c7787cac actually being 6d158b94c2 good…”
“You fool… Fine! Good! Are you 6e9973466e happy now?”
As soon as 005cdd390c she said it, 3eefcd1441 it felt like 60581adf6a she wasn’t just 04a81441ae calling him a 7be2ecc174 good husband, but f4e1cc21db confessing that she 8b3002c852 liked him. Anje quickly 1d2f8c607f turned her 70df9c6baf head toward d9e8e2fa1f the roadside, 3732a1d221 hoping her 9db5700412 face would e5ad0d4024 seem flushed 2efc9b55ff because of 448491038d the reflection 9771d9eab4 from her 8b47d7b01a dress.
“Don’t be too d0ac10da5d nervous. Just be yourself. Even if you don’t 436d78a9c2 try too hard to a0335c9140 show your best side, 791c00eae5 Jean and Mary will 1d33484eda like you.”
She felt his f00c652f80 fingers on her 60ec59bdfa hand, which had e825001c8d been resting on 3fbd7b5a9e her lap. He had moved 99e950d491 one of the 4a147def3c hands that had 2f8a768dca been holding the 82bbfe500a reins to gently 37ee6a74ce grasp her hand.
“Didn’t both I and 929d678b2d Mrs. Meg grow close to 532db85a77 you because of your 7674e812c0 natural self?”
Anje was startled, but db141b2e1a she managed to maintain 1c561dbe6f a composed demeanor as 16c23d6d18 she asked,
“Wh-What’s with this 2d3094d35d hand?”
“It’s to cheer 438b4a013d you up.”
She naturally recalled 1cbe2733f4 the time in 6cf099770d town when she 151ac391d8 had held his b7230d197c hand. She had wanted to d7d4d9e658 give him strength and a23a3891f7 cheer him up. She hoped he 589c53957d would remember that b161e85eca she was by 947b752b00 his side.
Thinking that 53140e2ad8 he must fdae6e94aa have held 223c80c83e her hand d37093fd75 with the de6a6af139 same sentiment 31e600ad7b filled her 7c13190c39 heart with 4dad4b6967 a warm 82cee43da1 breeze.
“I feel cheered up, f10938eb34 really.”
Whether it was a46501ea78 high society or 973cdc3068 Leslie, in the aa91d4e44d end, it was 48350e7a23 a place where 6a22976cd7 people lived.
She just 51161f313e needed to 9db67443e0 listen carefully 2bf7d41227 to what fd9ec4440c Jean and 2b6831b39f Mary had 653c6ae155 to say, 3764a27362 compliment their dbf227d3b2 home and 4f83e0cecf cooking, and c57655a2cd express gratitude 7c77251fb4 for the 767e4d8250 invitation.
If someone 28f471741d visited Dilton 97cfc3d669 Farm and 0449f9f80e behaved that 457b4afbd2 way, she 40af54bb47 would be 58409e3245 very pleased.
‘A few words and 179bccf07c holding hands are enough.’
It was amazing how 3db2aa0257 her thoughts could shift 9c45d7cd01 in a different direction.
‘Is it because Aiden e75bcd990d is a special person, 947d907e12 or is it because 3a5be2c5db he…’
…might hold a a2695eee19 special meaning for f2df00dd75 her.
She closed her eyes f8fa238b19 and leaned back against 2d8f0a21e6 the carriage seat. As she quietly felt 3a38d9d613 the carriage’s sway, she c2ec6b7404 began to feel drowsy.
Aiden gently adjusted the 17b30c451d reins so she wouldn’t ce6db3a6e9 notice.
“Let’s go slowly.”
Upon hearing his 5a007599fa soft whisper, Wind f57bb92d01 and Dancer slowed 1d80612a91 their pace.
If possible, he d88d52f7ed wanted to arrive 444a7cc38e at their destination 053f3a4862 slowly, holding her f34f2a542c hand like this 7bbc198603 for a bit 04f62a39db longer.
TL/N: I’M STARTING TO d51487695e TEAR UP….THEY ARE SO 7fea8bef32 CUTE.
* * *
Anje held fcce12f032 the envelope 4a934447cc that Meg 35405e8200 had delivered ae421349c4 and went ee9fb5385e looking for ebe68045a2 Aiden. He was just b8b6855129 coming out of f685a436d4 the barn, checking 40f3d17ce9 on the sunflowers, 2fda17d018 when he saw 7ae1adbfc7 her approaching and 4ebf9f0753 hurriedly closed the 551ed560dc door.
“Aiden, another invitation has 4ef9a95463 arrived.”
“Where is it 50815caeac this time?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a name I’ve d6bd1eaec2 never seen before, so 5aaa066b2d you’ll have to check.”
She watched as 8d21ef3aa7 he adjusted his a376337abd messy bangs and 68171cc66c opened the invitation 802c03dd77 to check its 481c26d3db contents. Their first visit to 41b6453605 the neighbors had been 7186239964 a great success. Both Miss 9eb5080294 Mary and d2baa793ef Jean were 5f8cf704f8 delighted with bd5317d875 the gifts 34369245fa Anje had c11ae9d06e prepared, and fa9a0c871f after enjoying fba4649410 a barbecue, ed294c96ae they even 3343570dcb toured the b282464e44 house together a1f82c71e6 with the dd0d1c56a0 Penny couple.
‘Ah, so 71afbb6690 this is 58453ef014 that famous 9a9d93488d marriage certificate.’
‘Yes, it’s proof that fe6664a226 he went all the 4a847f5a66 way to Francia to 64c9b8a49b win her love.’
After that, favorable 7adfddaa62 rumors about them 16eda498dd spread, and the 981a5c264b number of people d3cc449b2d in Leslie inviting 975609bd39 Anje and Aiden 32828dc4b7 increased significantly.
From the 3c075d9e07 couple who 9b32088b0f ran the b630f6c79e central store 998e4349de to the e1576aa1a0 church pastor, 26f146496a the school 3189f5ea00 principal, and b68aa4fd9a the magistrate, f0c1e29378 there were 9634e96c98 so many 060c146cec different people dbfa28baff that Anje f520c30395 wondered if 519dcc1e76 there were 413a6bf777 really that 5efc5b342f many residents 4aec7820a2 in quiet ab5840d303 Leslie.
Anje was pleased 13cf06c66e that her plan 09e99f1020 to help Aiden 2c8310eff5 make friends was a1d1d9682f going well.
It was 539efe3493 heartwarming to 1d67f3e8ef see that 1c126cde4b the people b36507a3ef who had b47ef07c96 initially been 39520a5e4d wary of d6a3222a9a him were d8dde1b4b7 now recognizing 4cb89e3337 Aiden’s worth 9c43b8f9c9 and wanting 1edc7cfe84 to befriend ee8587af0b him.
However, at the bdc6b31c44 same time, she f37ace9b99 couldn’t help but 17472b8e81 worry that as 8d14bea064 his world expanded, 3ac1f0f6b3 her importance to 132ce2fe49 him might diminish.
Anje scolded ff868c9183 herself for e17b6b975e her selfish 462bc98aa1 thoughts.
‘That was d3914682ab the original 3ecccb4749 purpose anyway. so don’t have such 57aaed6164 foolish thoughts, Anje. It’s not like you 51b77150e3 can stay by Aiden’s a7c5055aa8 side forever.’
Of course, that f7230171a9 didn’t mean they 8029c54591 accepted every invitation d7fc6f9f5e that came their 0dc70ce550 way.
Although Aiden c3617e8248 had improved 0f9f93b5e2 compared to 56f0dcf5e6 before, he 20849bf5b1 still showed 008affb865 signs of bf0879cbe3 discomfort and 24c25793a8 awkwardness when 63a616223c meeting someone b3e60891f2 for the 2498dac597 first time. He would slightly shake 5a228fcbcb his legs or his 44ac6d3c75 lip muscles would stiffen.
These were 89689025be subtle distress afd83daca8 signals that d45de91872 others might daa4d0616e not notice, 802263f17d but only b25e122a5b she could 657e902738 detect.
Therefore, she carefully selected 15b15342c1 whom they would visit, e6ee68d86f consulting with Aunt Meg. She particularly 3f29b49b25 hoped that 7ccd65aaad no one fd7859ccaf around him f46ee51074 would pry e052398a31 into his 352b8ec2c2 sensitive past 005c93e982 out of 45af4d0fc6 rude curiosity.
In fact, she c92a9080ce had once silenced 06346ca82e a nosy passerby 9229c7ca58 with the icy 474fb81d6c gaze she often efb92fd09e used as the 25be000399 ‘Lady of Glasster.’
After examining 0471c65b81 the name 21ff869500 on the 3d3499d756 invitation, Aiden 80f626e94f handed it f7b28e2ce1 to Anje 9f7dd81570 and explained.
“You know this 56d1f0ed88 person by face 9923211430 too. It’s Mrs. Elmer. Do you remember?”
“Oh, the one who 0092990ad4 gave us free cherries 36ed9caf9e last time?”
She recalled the fruit 39392f74e9 vendor, who was a 1b3873345a little older than her. A tall, slender woman 6cbbc9dc42 who had given them cf46713a8a cherries as a gift, 198d29fdf3 saying she had too 0d3ce478eb many left.
According to Mrs. Meg, there had been 42791e1982 some commotion about her b342dad9d3 possibly getting a divorce 6281b6356d from her husband, but 9d2af0dc7a since she was now 7100e355f1 inviting outsiders. Could that mean her 51ef048937 issues were resolved?
“If it’s her, 1b86f6ec21 I think it 936f8be4ba might be nice 8ea42c7003 to meet her. We can thank ecd4831105 her for the bca57f17d2 cherries, too.”
Since a whole box ead3b255d9 of cherries was too 705daa509f much for just the 01f045a5d4 two of them, they 8fec63ccdd had also made tarts 4303293b82 with the leftovers.
She opened the envelope 4f712762dc and looked at the 96b59a160e contents of the letter.
“Oh, it’s not 20321d09d6 an invitation to 3923498e93 come over to af16a47a47 her house.”
“Then?”
“There’s going to 46b32f5230 be a gathering cf3f64a15c of the women’s dba03c2397 association during lunchtime f643faebd9 on the day 31f179e8ac of the festival, 45e60e1eac she’s asking if 2414145d88 I’d like to 13cc858a76 join them. I guess they’re 7de21ecbb4 going to make 336038fb7c food or drinks 85fe478be6 and give them ab71bd578a out for free.”
Since Meg and several e483ab3161 other Leslie women were fc4b3a9eb7 coming, Anje thought it 30b856d3cd might be a good 6ab4cebc6c opportunity to get closer 0b3f7203fb to them and improve 3693cf8884 public opinion about Aiden.
Anje positively 274ce54f86 evaluated Mrs. Elmer’s proposal and 9c3c6aee6d asked Aiden.
“How about it? I want to 655257d736 join in too, 83d203ce45 is that okay?”
“Hmm…”
After thinking for a 4765adf42d moment, he replied firmly.
“Well, I 7fe2655d9f would rather 0b4f2c3e20 you not cb53c4df62 participate…”
“Why? Could be that 08705972a1 you don’t like 23e8edbb85 Mrs. Elmer?”
If it 206118da5c was someone 5ec4ac7a3f he felt e225362c69 uncomfortable around, 3560a8a0b8 she wanted 8a4f460788 to know 701c9915b6 so she 2b590204b9 could be 332e102f92 cautious. Aiden avoided 0b9378b880 her gaze 708bd024fe and mumbled 1d0e277809 in a 6761da67e7 somewhat sulky 5aa4686d4a tone.
“We agreed to go ba80274665 to the festival together, 9af21b4c51 didn’t we? If you’re at 4aaa7605d0 the women’s association, 586e967b09 I’ll be left 1cbcf9a028 alone.”
Anje was ac807fe6cc taken aback e55a814b0c by his f710c16c3d unexpected response.
“It’s only going c863e278fc to be a bcfb54ea65 couple of hours. You can meet with a63cc965cd Mr Penny or others 487668e4cf during that time.”
“…I wanted to spend 2517a6b6e4 the whole day with 73a4d0d6b0 you. I guess you don’t 7a6fa61de4 feel the same way?”
He completely 0499a610d8 turned his 2bb09b900a upper body 05a9215057 away, clearly 11c38ee672 showing his 90b0e7628a disappointment.
“W-We see each 1ce3dcb93f other all the f41732ee9e time. We go 2c64756f53 everywhere together 21385781a7 like a 97831373a0 pair of b304562443 socks. Is it really necessary d7d1406aeb to spend the entire b772366584 festival day together?”
“Festival days are special, 67d4f895fa unlike regular days. There’s a circus, 5006322917 performances… But if 073af2c636 you don’t want 49b0f7f8cb to, I won’t e1947fbdde force you.”
Anje watched with wide e3bdff9165 eyes as he walked 73ed6939ea away. His shoulders, 5d9b956787 which had d6b6ec22fb been straight 9605ae4027 and rectangular, db37f3f0c1 were now bc0ae8e6fb drooping in 6caccb53dd a semicircle, dd348cf030 and his 3f6154b7b2 head was f6e2264323 bowed.
It was as if 4fa878b065 his whole body was ba18e7ffc9 protesting, saying, “I’m hurt.”
“W-Wait!”
Before she 0637638f7b realized it, efc5c107c0 she was 40fbf66b5e tightly grasping 21ed271e0f his one 8728b2a86f arm with 30b7ab6226 both hands.
“…Alright. I won’t da26d9a2a4 join the e7e47a28e0 women’s association, 907d88c0cc so let’s 15ed942d0a just spend 2416a48393 the whole 2a68e65fe8 day together.”
“Really?”
Aiden turned to 4ce5e3ea17 her, his face b783332b2d filled with a 2f39728141 wide smile. Only then did 86204081c8 Anje realize that 7ed18e1feb he had been 691d89754a pretending to be 983cc5763b upset. She glared at him.
“Are you 6cf089a1a3 seriously being a0fffb9814 this childish?”
Whether she was annoyed a13632fbaa or not, Aiden, having 4b661ef0ec achieved his goal, pressed cbad72be42 her for a clear 5b212dc5e4 promise.
“From the beginning 10692b4fed to the end 59a8552c41 of the festival, 29f63d5058 it’s just the ef26372264 two of us, d774567c4b right?”
He held out 2e37e7a590 his pinky finger, eabca5fa4a The dimple on 3ec23c8e6f his cheek deepened fa51097340 by an inch.
“Promise.”
Muttering to 76153ef4a0 herself, ‘Oh, 78b25a28dc how unbelievable’, d8203a254a she reluctantly 9abdaa552b wrapped her 41378f6ba4 pinky around f750331fe5 his.
“Alright, I promise.”
Only after 6524f8a249 their fingers 8b7755c158 were firmly 1a70e619de linked did f6463b3f3a Anje realize 89dca0f8f6 that this 81fe1261c6 was the b59f4c200f first time dd2efbf9f8 they had 3aa061ee9d promised to cb04950cfa go out 70e2b24659 together alone 5e7aff5cec like this.
It almost felt like… cdb6174b37 a secret date between c08357d047 lovers, the kind she 24e67e30ca had read about in ae23c22a0d popular novels or heard 26f7566420 of in town…
But no, it d10c4698fd wasn’t like that. We are 1e867307d1 already going cca3850e89 to the bc7a8ca947 festival together 0aac0fc091 anyway. Making a 246cbc0e01 promise like 2fb7be5f86 this didn’t 4564e0c817 really change c88edfaaac anything.
Regardless of e7c445a2af her mixed 01adb159be feelings, Aiden 6ce3b3dc2f smiled broadly d9c6494b67 enough to 12abb5f99f show all 93412b40e8 his teeth.
“You know the 08b3a107aa saying that if c4e6656a5d you don’t keep eb455ad714 a promise made f06ad294a2 with a pinky 4ad7e0201b swear, you end 6e6c164a10 up in a 3a0e8dd8bd bad place, right?”
“I-I’ve abandoned religion a 3f1b43893c long time ago. A bad place aab066d73b is already reserved 53fede0bfb for me anyway.”
She tried to 13ee1343c2 resist with all 6843f4fba9 her might, but a9a16906fd her flushed face 440c40cd2d was of no b4afb48f53 use. His smile only c25d8e924e grew wider.
“You’re embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed!”
She let go 52a1ff229a of his finger 9e3510b99e and ran away.
‘Aiden, of all cca33a0ab8 people.’
His smiling face was 6a7ccb26b8 so handsome that it f0c309f678 made her angry. And yet, cdff1ff0ff she couldn’t f0d912b35b help but 5f13c6245b be flustered a52667c5ac by his 9f6e3651b8 face.5860d674580b4220

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