CHAPTER TWO- "Welcome Home, Dear!"

Koudelka turned to her daughter, breaking out of the kiss and the hug.
"Jealia, honey, this is your father: Edward J. Plunkett."

"Mommy, I thought he was dead."

Koudelka looked at Edward, "I thought he might have been, knowing what
he does for a living."

Edward chuckled. He ducked down and gave his daughter a hug. "You're
such a doll."

Koudelka laughed, "I hope you don't mean like Vigna and Valna!"

"No, Jealia's too grown up to be like them. Koudy, can I talk to you
for a minute in private?"

'A... petname?' Koudelka thought. She replied to him, "Yes. Jealia,
please wait on tables six through ten."

"Aww, mommy."

Koudelka smiled and ducked down to Jealia's height.. "We'll go to the
candy store after we're done here, all right?"

"YAY!" Jealia ran off as Koudelka got up and smiled at Edward.

"Come here, Edward." She led him to the third floor of the majestic
restaurant, which was locked tightly. Koudelka opened the door with
a key. "This is our home."

And what a home at that. It was only one floor, due to the fact that
two floors were used for the restaurant below it, but its beauty was a
sight to behold. It was a Victorian setting, with much velvet used in
the decor. Now Edward confirmed what Koudelka's favorite fabric is.

Edward said, mouth wide open, "This is wonderful, Koudelka."

Koudelka walked into the lavish living room. "Take a seat on the couch,
Edward."

They both sat down, and Edward asked, "What happened?"

Koudelka smirked, "Remember about ten years ago- the night we finally
saved the monestary?"

"Yes."

"Well, as you might remember...." Koudelka relayed the story to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
James died as Elaine carried him to heaven. Koudelka and Edward had at
first despised him for his bishop ways, but learned to sympathize with
him, especially his love for Elaine Heyworth, who had died years ago
when the thieves knifed her. He finally reunited with his love, but
paid a price. Koudelka and Edward had no time to mourn, though; the
rooftop was about to collapse. Edward held Koudelka horizontally in
his arms as he made a leap of faith to the ground. They were safe, and
so was Roger Bacon, thankfully; he wouldn't die if he was hanged. Roger,
Koudelka, and Edward set up camp in front of the monestary that night:
Roger in one tent, and Koudelka and Edward in the other. Roger was too
old to care that the two had secret feelings for each other. Even
though Koudelka and Edward were exhausted from their journey, they
talked through the night, in their separate sleeping bags.

"Edward?" Koudelka spoke as she looked at the canvas on the roof of the
tent.

Edward turned to face her, "Yes, Koudelka?"

"T, t, thanks for saving me today."

"What did I do?"

"You carried me off of the roof. I probably would've died if you weren't
there, with my nice high-heeled shoes and all."

"It was nothing. Your gypsy magic would have protected you, anyway."

Koudelka looked at Edward, ignoring his plagarized joke, "But, it was
nice of you to do that."

"Chivalry hasn't died yet, sweetie."

Koudelka looked down at her chest. "Edward, have you ever loved a woman?"

Edward sat up. "W-what do you mean?"

"I was just wondering."

"Women are wonderful. They're smart and beautiful. Especially ones
like the one that's shivering- or is she just nervous?- right next to
me."

"Edward, please don't laugh at this, but I... really care for you. You've
changed on this adventure- we've both changed." Koudelka laughed.
"Remember when you called me an angel, when we first met?"

"Yep."

"I-I-I want to be your angel."

Edward crawled out of his sleeping bag, sat her up, and put her in his
arms. "Koudelka...."

She gave him a kiss and whispered in his ear, "Edward, I love you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, Edward, you do remember what happened next, right?"

"Yeah, we---"

"Mommy, mommy!" Jealia was at the door.

Koudelka was startled. "Jealia? Did you hear all that?"

"No, mommy," Jealia cried convincingly. "I just walked in."

"Jealia, honey, please. Daddy and I need some privacy."

"Okay!" Jealia went back downstairs and shut the door on her way down.

"Daddy, huh?" Edward looked at Koudelka.

Koudelka blushed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. You can leave
right now if you want. You don't have to be in Jealia's life."

Edward held her hand. "I want to be with you and our daughter."

Koudelka hugged Edward and continued the story. "After we said goodbye
at the monestary, I stayed there for a while. Once Roger found out that
I was pregnant, he insisted on taking care of me. I guess you could say
he was the, um, 'resident midwife.'"

Edward laughed. "That must've been a sight. When did you leave the
abbey?"

"About a month after Jealia was born. Roger gave me some of the
monestary's valuables so I could have a good life for the first time by
selling them. And so I started a restaurant, named after Elaine Heywo,
I mean, O'Flaherty. And so here I am today, Edward."

Edward looked into her eyes and smiled. "I'm curious, why isn't Jealia's
last name Iasant?"

"Roger knew that you were the only one who could be the father. He
suggested it to honor you."

"You honor me every day by just living."

Koudelka pulled back. "Huh?"

"It means that I love you, Koudelka."