"Janie! Janie, come here!" an old woman shouted out the back door, shooting an almost-blind glance about the wide yard. Soon a young woman trotted into view, arms full of wood and skirt covered with sawdust and wood chips.

"Janie!" a young man slipped past the old woman and took the load, shooting a displeased look at the young woman. "You shouldn't be chopping wood. You know I can take care of that for you!"
The young woman shook out her skirts and smiled. "You worry too much. Besides, Maria wanted to start lunch and you don't usually come until noon." She shot a curious blue look at him and the young man blushed. She really was a beautiful girl. Bright blue eyes, a ready smile, and long golden hair put up in a braided pattern that kept it out of the way while she worked and thoroughly complimented her fresh, pretty features. "Why did you come early?"
The young man licked his lips nervously and arranged the new wood on a small pile by the door. "You said it yourself – Maria wanted an early start. She asked me to come by early when I was here yesterday."
"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," the old woman glared at him from her thousands of wrinkles.
The young woman laughed and kissed several wrinkles on the old, withered cheek, surprising and pleasing the old lady. "Of course, dear Maria."
And yet, there was something different about her. A girl that chopped wood and came out of nowhere -- no one had ever seen her before, but she had just shown up in town almost a year ago with nothing but herself and an old yellow dress on. Not even a pair of shoes or a hair tie. Wild, some people thought. Others speculated that she had run from some disgrace – but as her stomach remained flat and no angry husbands came to drag her back, rumors died down and the quiet, sunny girl slipped into town life – if not with complete ease, then only she knew of the difficulties.
"Are you going to the festival tomorrow?" the young man asked, tossing pale hair nervously from his eyes. The young woman looked at him fondly, reminiscing a little in his uncanny resemblance to a young soldier she had known on Venus.
"Yes," she smiled softly and turned to go in, sweeping by the old woman.
The young man wistfully watched her go.
"You're quite dumb," the old woman pinched her mouth at him.
"What?" he asked, startled.
"You're dumb. I know you like the girl, everyone knows you like the girl, but you just stand there gaping instead of doing anything about it!" The old woman banged her hand against the doorframe in annoyance and waved him sharply in. "Fine, fine, get in there, dumb one."
"Well what do you suggest I do?" he asked, a little annoyed but more embarrassed.
"There's going to be games at the festival. Pick the one that seems to impress her the most and win it for her." The little old woman smiled to herself as his eyes brightened in interest.
Later that day, Minako was in the town store, floating gracefully down the rough-shelved aisles, looking at the items and humming cheerfully to herself. The sunlight sifted in the windows and glinted gold off her hair – the storekeeper, the same young man from earlier, watched her nervously from behind the counter.
A group of twittering women came in, ranging from a little below Minako's age to women greying through their tightly coiled hair.
"Janie," one of the girls approached Minako, whose smile brightened at the address. "What are you doing here?"
"Maria forgot to ask for more flour earlier, so she sent me out to get some," Minako beamed. She liked the full, healthy, homey scent of the store. It reminded her of when Makoto would take over the kitchens and cook all day and night.
Minako's eyes flashed sadness at the reminder of home, turning away so that the girl would not notice her pain, and reminded herself, again, that she would return to them.
But not yet.
No, no, the sting of her memories was still too fresh.
"Are you going to the festival tomorrow?"
"Yes, of course," Minako smiled sunnily, pushing the unhappy thoughts to the back of her mind. "It should be fun."
"Uh huh," another girl came up, smiling in fierce cheer. "And I hear that some devilishly handsome men will be there."
"Ooh!" the first girl squealed, "maybe we'll be able to find a man for you, Janie!"
Minako laughed, throwing her head back in honest amusement, and the girls smiled at her. "Oh, I'm sure that's okay, thanks," she said, still smiling. The young man behind the counter had become pensive, nervously rearranging some items on display.
"I bet she has a man somewhere," one of the older women winked, "back in the city or something, a trail of broken hearts!"
There were chuckles all around, but Minako only shook her head amiably, going over and lifting a bag of flour from the corner. "I'll take this, Jezibiah," she smiled and the young man flushed wildly, fumbling with the money box.
"Do you have a man, Janie?" a younger girl asked curiously.
Minako's eyes took on a far-off look. She shrugged and drudged up a bright smile that did not quite erase the lingering sadness in her gaze. "I used to."
"What was he like?!"
Minako laughed at the girl's exuberance and the sorrow did leave her face. "That is none of your business," she smiled, paid for the flour, and walked out, ignoring the loud protests behind her. The sunlight hit her face and hair; she hefted the flour further onto her hip and looked up, greeting the light with refreshed cheer.
It was going to be a beautiful day.

Minako was dreaming of a great dark place – smooth black floor and an ebony sky. Her arms were grasped by warm, rough hands and she turned to face a man she hadn't seen in years.

"Ace," she murmured, and his lips descended to hers.
"Janie? Janie! Girl!" Minako felt someone shaking her and she broke from Ace reluctantly. She opened her eyes – and was looking at Maria standing over her bed in the darkness. "Janie, what's wrong?" she squinted down at Minako.
"Wrong?" she murmured, her voice sleep-laden.
"You were thrashing around so bad, you woke me up." She paused. "Bad dream?"
Minako sat up and put a hand to her head. "Yeah, I guess," she murmured. She frowned. "I don't really remember it."
Maria patted her hand. "That's okay. Go on back to sleep – we're going to the festival early tomorrow and you'll need your rest."
Minako smiled and did as she was told. She didn't dream again that night.