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She passed her hand quickly over the orb, and the blue glow faded back to silver

"Aldrec, I'm so sorry, but I have to cut this short," Mericlou said, hurriedly stuffing the ether link back into the hip satchel "I just forgot soain soon?"

Aldrec s of golden cider from the carafe the waiter had left at the table "Do you have any days off?"

"Believe it or not, today was supposed to be my day off," Mericlou said as she stood up, "but we had some … ah … probleh; I proht then How about we ood time for you?"

"The flower shop will be wonderful," Mericlou replied, "but it'll have to be after lunch I tend to let er than I need" She started to back away, glancing at her watch "Well anyway, it was nice to have met you, Aldrec, and I'll see you … tomorrow, hopefully?"

"Until tomorrow," Aldrec said as Mericlou turned and walked off "Oh, by the way, you dropped this earlier"

Mericlou turned, and saw the bouquet of flowers she had bought and dropped before chasing after the purse-snatcher, now clutched in Aldrec's hand It had to have beenwith her to the garden

"Oh, thank you soa brief otten!"

"Of course," Aldrec said with a polite nod

"Well, I'll see you toain

"Divine willing," Aldrec said with a wave

"Goodbye!"

Aldrec waved until she disappeared behind the hedges and pavilions in the distance He took one last draft of his cider and then put down his tip

Well, he thought, mildly bewildered at the day's recent events, you really can never knohat one day will bring

The re floral scent of Mericlou's perfu walk ho for tomorrow to be now