“Thank you, pretty lady,” the young, blushing, bouncing boy said before running out the door with a toy hammer and a cork gun.

Vora straightened out the wad of cash and bits of coins the boy had slapped on the counter and neatly put it in the register.

The woman wore a green and white apron, an orange blouse, and long leggings, and her violet hair was up in a bun.

The store where she worked and lived was named “Bekkan and Snihde.” It was located on the edge of White Hill. O'Landra was far, far away now. It had been a year and a half since Klev and Vora moved there. Vora hadn’t spoken to Maive through that year and a half, not since that day.

Klev went to the entrance and flipped the “open” sign to “closed.” Then grabbed a broom and swept the finished wood floors. Vora ducked and inventoried the medicine they had behind the counter.

Suddenly, she found an opportunity to embarrass Klev. "Darling, could you come over here a moment? I need help with this medicine." When she heard Klev approach, she protruded her butt. She turned her head and held a tiny vial of rainbow liquid over her shoulder. "Prescription or over-the-counter?"

Klev covered his mouth with his hand. "Prescription. That medicine helps the heart but is poisonous if taken over many years. It's rare, and only a few come in for that. Mainly the elderly.”

"Oooh.” She placed the vial in its spot, got up, and rubbed against Klev while squeezing beyond him. “Thanks, darling.” With his face like a strawberry, she mentally declared victory. “I’ll get the rubbish and such. Then I’d like to go to the park. It’s nice, and there’s a faint, cool breeze, and you need a smidge of it in your lungs. You haven’t been outside in three days.”

“I suppose. Just a lot of work around this place, you know?” He rubbed the back of his blonde head. “Trust me, it will never end.”

"And tomorrow, we’ll go out and grab supplies to fix your hat.” Vora picked up a grounded stuffed bear.

"I can just buy a new one. That hat’s very old and has run its course. The supplies will cost more than a replacement. Plus, I already spent a good chunk of money recently," the blondie muttered without Vora's notice, feeling a square lump in his pocket.

"I'm not letting something you cherish fall apart over some Ruthels. Plus, your father would be heartbroken.” Vora unraveled her violet hair, which bounced like a bungee cord. “He’s already had a rough year. I’ll fix it in mere minutes.”

"I-I suppose. But maybe I can—"

"You’ll need to ‘can’ nothing. I’ll…" Vora strode out the back door with rubbish bags. Right before she kicked the door behind her closed with a leg lift, she proclaimed, "Fix it!”

The Burning Bell in the sky grabbed Vora's attention when a glint snuck into her vision. She peered up and frowned. A bump hit her shin, and she was brought back to earth. A wild rubber kickball had hit her. A little girl stood before Vora, and well behind her were four other children goggling shyly Vora’s way.

"You can come and grab it. I won't bite."

"Thanks, lady!" the girl replied while snatching the ball. "Bell bless you."

The children ran off, and Klev popped out of the back door, wiping off his hands. “After we go to the park, how about we go out to eat?”

"Sounds wonderful. I also have something fun for us to do tonight,” Vora grinned seductively. “It’s a bit chillier than I thought. Could you nab my coat? It’s upstairs next to the hamper.”

***

In a town as quaint as White Hill, it was improbable for Vora not to make friends and learn names. Klev would play football with a group of guys every Thursday night, and Vora had a book club with a gaggle of women. Vora was not only the youngest in the group, but she was also the only one who was childless, making her feel removed from specific conversations. Despite that, she felt like a proper adult.

They drove down the red brick roads from their home, waving at an elderly woman watering her tomatoes in a raised bed. Everyone in the neighborhood had raised grey and red brick beds filled with flowers and juicy edible plants. Not too long after, the couple parked their HC and entered the open gates of the park.

As Klev and Vora walked the winding path slithering through the trees of White Hill Park, they ran into a couple resting against a white, mossy birch. One was a brunette woman with a massive stomach, and the other a man with a fine, sharp black beard and equally black eyes.

“Hello, Vora,” the brunette started, huffing a little between words. “Lovely night, for now. The bugs are coming out soon, and they’re going to be thick.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I’m amazed you’re walking,” Vora exclaimed. “Your feet must want to flee from your ankles.”

“That’s what I told her, but she insisted she was fine. Why don’t we head back to the HC, hun? If you push yourself anymore, I’ll have to carry you back. I don’t know if I’ll survive that,” he joked.

The brunette gave her husband a light fist to the arm and reacted, "Shut up." Then she laughed.

“Have you found out what the baby’s going to be?” Vora asked.

“A boy. So excited.”

"Naturally. You could pop any moment now." Vora poked her cheek, then turned to Klev with a grin. "Darling, which would you prefer?"

Klev removed his shoddy hat and covered his face while pretending to check the inside for insects. "I have… no preference," he replied slowly.

"You're a lucky man," the nearly-busting brunette told Klev matter-of-factly. "You should tie her down while you're still young."

"He knows how lucky he is. Fortunately for him, I'm never leaving," Vora teased. She was pleased with more opportunities to make her man blush. Vora swiftly popped candies into the hands of the couple.

A Chime, who had been watching them from afar, approached. He was tall, in thin robes, and had displeasure in his eyes. "I ask you not to block the path for more than a minute. You're preventing others' pleasantries. Sinful behavior.”

The couple chatting with Vora and Klev apologized, but the purple woman soured. Before she could provoke anything, Klev grabbed her upper arm to calm her down.

"Sorry about that," Klev replied with a gentle wave, pulling Vora along. "We'll be on our way."

***

While driving through the main street, Vora glared out the window with a frumpy look. Her bottom lip protruded. Klev adjusted the mirror to get a second look at a fluffy dog someone walked.

"The gall of that Chime treating us like that. They're not as invincible as they think. They are all up their own out here."

"We're not in O'Landra anymore. The Maiden has no influence, so the rules are different here. Call us fortunate if a needless confrontation like that is as bad as it gets. Some of them here are nice; you just haven't met them yet."

“I could have put him down in a sneeze with Eoa. I know, I know, normal life,” she added after receiving a concerned look from the blonde man.

"You’ve spent so long being free of that curse. It's your dream accomplished. Put that world behind you. I’d rather not think of you suffering again.”

"You're right. I'll just focus on supper. It's not even late, and I'm getting sleepy." She rested her head against Klev's shoulder and rubbed the smooth cloth of his long sleeve until they arrived.

The two entered the restaurant and planted their butts at a table. After they folded their menus and declared their orders, they discussed the store, evaluating what they should restock.

"I think we should cut back on the number of magazines we have. There's too many, and the rack takes up a ton of space."

"What? No. There are so many good reads about fashion, and health, oh, and fishing too," Vora countered.

"You like fishing?"

"I did it once. Darcie and her sister took me with them when I was little. I cried when I caught one and didn't stop until Darcie threw it back. It was fun."

"Your definition of fun is… odd. Anyways, you are the only one who reads most of the stuff like that. We don't even have a lake or river nearby."

"Fine," Vora sighed. "Mmmm!" She gave the table a love tap and exclaimed, "We should get more toys and a larger variety of them. The number of little ones here keeps rising."

"Agreed. Oh, it’s here.” Klev and Vora received their food and began eating. Halfway through the meal, Klev became sweaty, and his color faded as he suggested, “I was thinking that we, you know, change the store’s name.”

"Hmm? What for? And what would it be?” Vora stirred her soup, looking expectantly at her man.

"Well, to better represent… you and me. We, uh. We should shorten it to 'Bekkans.'"

"Just 'Bekkan’s'? Ah, shortening the name would make it easier to remember. So many trade secrets bundled up inside you, darling. Very well."

Klev had a square-shaped lump in his pocket. He reached inwards, gulped, and said, "No, I mean, uh…." Vora's chocolate gaze drained the remainder of his nerves. "We should get—”

"Awww, look at the puppy,” Vora gushed at the dog pressed against the large restaurant window next to them. “Adorable. What were you saying, darling?”

Klev escaped his pocket empty-handed. "I was saying we should get a new sign underway.”

Klev was quiet and reserved for the remainder of the dinner. Vora was confused and even baffled.

***

Klev removed his tie and hung it over a chair in the master bedroom. He put his worn hat on the closet handle. He gave it a small smile at the thought of it being repaired. He rolled onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering how his father was doing. Thoughts of his father blasted into atoms when he cranked his neck forward to see Vora in an alluring nightgown.

The purple-haired woman in red nightwear jumped on top of Klev and straddled his legs. She hunched over, embraced his neck, and performed a deep kiss. Violet threads veiled Klev's vision.

"Hun, I have something I need to ask you," he announced. He tried to stay serious but was increasingly becoming hot and bothered.

“Mmmm?” she hummed. Her seductive, sparkling brown eyes announced her single-mindedness.

Klev never finished what he wanted to say.

***

Vora fixed her image via her silvery doppelganger on the wall. She'd just come out of the shower and was wrapped in a yellow, flowery towel and brushing her teeth. She broke down last night while lifting her lip and picking between her perfect teeth.

I wonder what he was on about. Changing the store name to Bekkans. Wouldn’t make sense being plural. Wait. The realization slapped her like a checkered football on the cheek. Did he mean…?”

Vora frantically made her way downstairs, emerging directly behind Klev. He was at the counter with cash, about to gently place it into the open register.

“Did you just propose to me!?” Vora asked, her voice two pitches higher.

Vora then realized that it wasn’t just them in the store. The elderly women Klev was attending to pointed and whispered about their own beautiful youth. A mother covered her daughter's eyes, but the little one peeked through. A middle-aged man turned from sad to very happy in an instant. Vora looked down at herself, entirely exposed save for her towel and Klev’s body.

Klev glanced over his shoulder, mouth agape. “Not at this moment. But, yes, I tried to. Last night. I just failed to get it across. I'm sorry…"

"The answer is yes. I love you. Bye!” She spoke like lightning and returned upstairs just as fast.