After returning home, Arielle and Ashley headed over to Maya's place as per their daily routine. Nathan left and went to attend Rune Crafting school in a hurry. Patrick and Harold were not yet back from work, and Thomas went to a martial arts school to practice his combat skills.

Maya and Chana were home. As Maya opened the door with a warm smile, she welcomed them, "Arielle, Ashley, come on in!"

Maya continued as the girls took off their slippers, "We didn't get many weaving orders today. So, we’d probably be done in an hour."

A series of devastating natural disasters the previous year had severely impacted the region's cotton production. Until recently, they had been working on a backlog of orders using leftover cotton from the year before. However, once those backlogs were finished, this year's orders couldn't keep up with the number of weavers. So, many weavers were underworked. Thanks to Patrick's ample preparations, the families were fortunate enough to own their home outright, thus eliminating the burden of a monthly rent. Furthermore, Thomas and Chana were enrolled in a nearby public school, enjoying free tuition. Therefore, Maya did not have the pressure to find more work.

As they worked, the ladies munched on an assortment of sweet and savory snacks. Once the weaving work was done, Maya let Chana, Arielle and Ashley play while she tackled the housekeeping chores. "Don't forget your jackets, girls; it's very cold outside." Maya said, reminding them.

The three girls headed to the backyard after they put on their jackets. The two families’ backyards were originally separated by a wooden fence when they bought the two-family house. Since then, the fences had been taken down by Patrick and Harold so that the children could enjoy a bigger backyard and play with each other. However, as Patrick and Harold's demanding work schedules often left them with little time for gardening, Maya was the one who decorated the backyard. With her meticulous care, the backyard had blossomed into a serene oasis.

After several months of work, a flower garden now surrounded the backyard doors of both houses with a fully bloomed cherry blossom tree planted in the middle. The two families' backyard doors were linked by a path paved with natural stone tiles. Pink fallen petals from the cherry blossom decorated the path to the playground as the girls excitedly skipped through.

The playground was nestled among the bushes. It had a wooden swing and slide set. A tall tree, left behind by the previous owner, stood on the side of the playground, with a half-finished treehouse perched on it. Patrick and Harold had been building it whenever they had time on Sunday. It was reminiscent of the treehouse Arielle and Ashley had left behind in their original home.

"Push me!" Ashley exclaimed, running to one of the two swings and pouncing onto it.

"Okay!" Chana started pushing her. "Higher! Higher!" Ashley shrieked, her laughter echoing through the air.

After playing on the swing and slide, the girls also played in the sand pool located on the side of the playground. Roughly an hour and a half later, Maya stepped out, her voice carrying across the yard as she called out, "Girls, time's up! Let's get cleaned up for dinner."

At around 8 pm, the gentlemen returned home for dinner. The eight of them enjoyed a delicious dinner of corn tortillas, salsa, guacamole, grilled tilapia and grilled vegetables.

After dinner, the light at the dining room suddenly went out. Ashley’s eyes widened in fear, and she clung to her grandfather.

As the room fell dark, Ashley's eyes adjusted, and she caught sight of a warm, golden glow spilling from the kitchen, illuminating Nathan's beaming face as he entered with a birthday cake, its candle aglow.

Then, as everyone sang, a joyful, harmonious melody filled the living room.

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday dear Ashley,

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Happy birthday to you.

As the applause erupted, Nathan beamed with a smile, "Make a wish, Ashley!"

Ashley crossed her fingers and closed her eyes. In a moment, she opened her eyes and blew the candle. "Yay!" Everyone applauded enthusiastically. Then, Nathan cut the strawberry cake into eight portions and everyone savored a slice of the cake.

As they enjoyed Ashley's birthday cake, the family chatted with each other.

"How was your day at the clinic?" Maya asked Harold.

"It was peaceful. No highway accidents today." Harold said. "I just packed flu medicine for a whole day. I am so tired."

Patrick's clinic was easily accessible from the highway. While adventurers who got injured in the field would be carried to the hospital closer to the East Gate, those who suffered minor injuries from traffic accidents typically visited Patrick's for convenience.

"And how about you?" Harold asked. "How are the weaving orders coming along?"

"Work’s been slow lately, and the girls might take a while to rank up." Maya said.

Patrick’s eyes sparkled with ambition as he thought about his grandchildren’s future; he hoped they would one day attend the prestigious Bluefield College, which meant they would have to rank up quickly. Anticipating Patrick's concern, Maya added, "It's just a cycle. Things will pick up next year."

"Did you have fun today, Ashley?" Patrick said with warm smile as he turned to Ashley.

Ashley’s face lit up, and she bounced up and down in her seat. "Yes! Arielle and Chana played with me! We had so much fun!"

Patrick’s smile broadened. "That’s wonderful to hear, sweetie. I’m so glad you had a great time."

Patrick patted on Ashley's head before turning to Nathan and asked, "How was school today, Nathan, and how's your Rune Crafting class?"

"It was good. I helped with glyph repairs on fans and light bulbs, as usual." Nathan replied, a hint of a smile on his face. "Master Shirley told us there will be another class about fundamental concepts in electricity next week."

"Nice," Patrick said, seemingly satisfied with Nathan's response. "Electricity is all around us, so I'm sure that class will capture your interest."

Meanwhile, Harold began chatting with Thomas.

"Dad, can I get my own bow?" Thomas asked.

"Why?" Harold asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Yes, but in archery club, all the other kids have their own bows," Thomas explained, his voice laced with a hint of longing.

"Okay, let's head downtown this Sunday and check it out," Harold said, smiling warmly.

"Thanks, Dad!" Thomas exclaimed, his voice full of excitement.

"You’re welcome."

Patrick, Harold, and Maya chatted about the latest news, including the crown prince's recent engagement to the Redcliff Duchy in a political marriage, with the crown princess consort being around Nathan's and Chana's ages. Thomas and Nathan discussed their school experiences with each other. In the meantime, the girls talked with each other.

"You have such a nice older brother, Ashley." Chana said. "He remembered your birthday."

"Yes, he is always taking care of me." Ashley said, smiling proudly.

"What about Thomas? He seems good at taking care of you too," Arielle asked with curiosity.

"He's alright. He picks on me sometimes. I wish he were more like Nathan," Chana commented with a straight face.

"Right, Nathan never picks on us," Arielle said. "But he's too quiet and always studying. He's boring. Thomas seems more fun to play with."

"I know. He's like an adult sometimes, and he's smart and hardworking." Chana smiled as she complimented Nathan.

"Yeah, Nathan is smart," Ashley said, nodding in agreement. "He always aced his tests and exams back home."

"Exactly, I'm sure Nathan will catch up in school in no time," Arielle said. With a determined look in her eyes, she added, "I need to work harder too."

As the evening drew to a close, the lively chatter gradually subsided, and Patrick, Nathan, Arielle, and Ashley bid their goodbyes, crossing over to their own cozy home next door.

With their teeth brushed and pajamas on, Arielle and Ashley began to wind down for the night, their eyelids growing heavy. Nathan was studying at the dining table, and Patrick was reading today’s newspaper in the living room.

Before settling into her bed, Ashley came down from the second floor, holding her teddy bear, and said, "I want a goodnight kiss."

"Okay," Patrick and Nathan answered together. "Which one of us?" Nathan asked.

Ashley's big eyes rolled up and gazed at the ceiling for a second before coming back down as she exclaimed, "Both!" She scampered back to her room and climbed into the lower bunk. With gentle smiles, Patrick and Nathan bestowed upon Ashley a tender goodnight kiss, their voices low and soothing as they whispered, "Good night, Ashley, sleep tight."

Seeing that, Arielle demanded from the upper bunk, "Me too! I want a goodnight kiss!"

Patrick and Nathan then planted a warm smooch on Arielle's cheeks. As they left and closed the bedroom door, they bade the girls a final good night. From that day forward, the goodnight kiss became a cherished bedtime tradition, wrapping Arielle and Ashley in a sense of comfort and security that ensured a peaceful night's sleep.