There was an awkward silence as Saibara's clattering geta blended back in with the busy crowd.
"Well, I suppose it's time to cash these in, eh?" Karen fussed with the numbered bamboo stick in her hands and looked over at the priest, who shot her a genial smile. The friends followed suit as Carter exchanged their sticks for coordinating fortunes rolled into a small scroll and tied with a ribbon. The bows themselves were a little clumsy, the loops on them far too large to be practical.
"This looks like May's handiwork," Cliff commented with a soft chuckle.
"You know how it can be," Carter replied. "She can't help herself when she sees someone working on something. She has to help."
While Mary and Ann quietly cooed at how cute May's sentiment was, Claire found herself unable to forget the stubborn fits her own little brothers would throw if she wouldn't let them help her with something. When they insisted on helping her with cooking, they would stealthily eat the ingredients as she prepared them, often leaving her with very little filling for her crepes or omelettes. Moreover, there was the slight frustration that while achieving the very best was an expectation in the Dumont household, her younger brothers could get extremely stubborn about making the food look perfect, spending a lot of time tweaking it while causing other parts of the meal to go cold. Sometimes it was easier to do things herself, but she often received a scolding if she excluded her brothers when they asked to help.
"I know what that can be like," Claire chimed in quietly with a slight giggle, unable to keep from feeling a little nostalgic once more.
Cliff recalled assisting in cutting the paper for the fortunes a few weeks ago. He had a feeling that May's volunteerism was appreciated and that he would have been recruited himself if he hadn't been busy catching and smoking fish for Kai during the day and scouting the woods at night. Still, he knew that working alone with the children could prove to be daunting. "May can get pretty angry if she isn't allowed to help," Cliff murmured quietly. "We always make sure to add oil to the lamps in the church or light candles when she is not around. She gets very adamant about helping and can even throw tantrums. Stu, on the other hand, is usually fine with no responsibilities."
There was a small hint of bitterness in Rick's laughter. "He should ride that out as long as he can. I would give anything for a carefree summer."
"Carefree summers don't exist in farm country," Karen pointed out, giving her boyfriend a playful jab in the ribs.
"I think I remember a certain group of teenagers playing kick the can over by Mayor Thomas's house and awarding extra points if you could hit a window," Carter chuckled, handing Rick his fortune with a laugh. "If that's not carefree, I don't know what is."
Rick shook his head emphatically. "W-well, that was before I knew any better…"
"Yeah, right!" Ann cackled. "We weren't that young! Besides, we used to see how far we could push it because we knew that his face would get all red and he'd flare his nostrils. I could've sworn I saw him blow steam from them once like a tank engine!"
Rick's serious expression broke as he burst into laughter. "You always said you could see his brain up there!"
"Well, you kinda could!" Ann nodded emphatically as Karen's knees went weak with mirth.
Karen leaned on her boyfriend, her hearty laughter absorbed by his shoulder. "R-remember, we used to call him booger-brain when he did that? Not to his face, of course!"
A snicker overcame Ann once more and she laughed into his other arm, the trio howling with laughter at a memory only the three of them could fully understand.
Claire still found herself giggling; she liked to think that she had gotten close enough with some of the people in this town that she could have an inside joke like that. Her eyes moved from the three of them and she realized with a start that Mary had been watching her. The young woman played with the ebony braid draped across her shoulder and gave her a warm smile.
Claire's stomach lurched. Their last interaction had been her late library stay, and she was certain that she had come off as rude to her. This didn't seem to be the case, as Mary's sincere gaze seemed to say "I hope we can be like them someday". The light hand on her shoulder seemed to further illustrate this sentiment. "I love your combination of wild phlox and anemones." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Claire's mind immediately drifted to underwater creatures and the baby sea turtles returned to her thoughts. She thought of Cliff's eager face hovering above the pool of turtles and found a grin crossing her lips. She looked at Mary with a bit of confusion and she stifled a smirk at Claire's bafflement.
"Those are the flowers you are wearing in your hair."
It was only natural that Mary would be able to easily identify the blossoms strewn throughout her locks, being the daughter of a botanist and an avid learner. "Ah, of course!" Claire giggled a little too loudly in response, forgetting that the sea creatures and flowers shared a name. She had completely forgotten that she was in any attire rather than her usual clothing, but the compliment was still appreciated. "Thank you."
"I hear you're very busy on the farm right now, but once things slow down a bit… I-I'd love to hunt for flowers with you…" Mary fussed with the ribbon tied around the small scroll in her hands, her face flushing. "There are some really pretty varieties that show up on Mother's Hill in the fall. We actually get Himalayan Blue Poppies out here and the locals call them magic flowers because they're typically very hard to grow. They are a very temperamental plant that gardeners the world over envy. For some reason, they really like the soil here. My father's been studying them for years… Oh, and sometimes, red mutations of them pop up and those are even rarer!" Her eyes glowed at the thought. "It must be magic, right?"
"It must be the Harvest Goddess," Claire realized. "I've never seen so many green things growing in my life before I moved here. Then again, I did live in a busy city…"
"The mountain guardians must help, too," Cliff chimed in and surprised them both a bit. "The Goddess is definitely running the show, but she gets help from the tengu that live up there."
Mary nodded with agreement. "My father is very scientific with his research, but he agrees that there is definitely a supernatural element at play here. He has traveled a lot for his studies and he is always saying how unique and tranquil Mother's Hill is and that there is almost an otherworldly quality to it. It draws people in from all around."
"I know exactly what he is talking about," Cliff replied earnestly, a dreamy look in his eyes. "It… actually reminds me a lot of home. My home village was protected by the Hunting Goddess. I'm starting to think that might be the reason why they have a similar feel to them."
Claire's ears perked up at his mention of home, but Karen's sudden laugh caught her off guard.
"I say we go down the row and reach each of ours aloud!"
She suddenly remembered the small scroll in her hands and watched as Karen untied the flimsy bow, unrolling the small piece of paper importantly. She cleared her throat. "You will be a pillar of strength for those you love… Alright, I can live with that! Luck: Fair… Well, that wasn't too shabby!" Karen rolled back up her paper. "At least I didn't get a curse, huh?" She looked expectantly at Rick, who was next down the row.
He opened his fortune and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Hmmm… There is wisdom in looking at the larger picture. Luck: Bad. What?!" Rick groaned. He couldn't even manage to catch a break on his days off; he let out an exasperated sigh.
He received an elbow to the arm. "Don't get so worked up over it," Ann snorted. It was her turn and she nearly ripped her paper in her excitement. "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. Luck: Fair. What is that supposed to mean?! Hey, Carter, I thought these were fortunes, not proverbs! And they're really short, too!" She pouted at him as she put her hands on her hips.
It was true that he had begun writing random things after a while. Between watching the children during the day and preparing his sermons, there hadn't been much time to devote to writing out his fortunes. "I had to come up with so many," Carter laughed nervously. His eyes darted to Cliff; surely he understood his plight, as they had brainstormed over ideas together in the earlier bits of summer. They had spent hours into the evening before he began working with Kai, the two of them laughing as they jotted down fortunes together, fueled by tea and biscuits. While he was glad that Cliff was spending more time with his friends and making an income, he would be lying if he said he didn't miss his company a bit.
"You're the one who said not to get worked up over it," Rick retorted to Ann with a smug look. She simply stuck out her tongue at him in response.
Mary unrolled her scroll next and immediately turned red, holding the paper to her chest.
"What does it say?" Ann peered over her shoulder curiously.
She cleared her throat as she nervously adjusted her glasses. She really didn't want to read it aloud, but the fact that the entire group was staring at her left her with little choice. "You will have good fortune in… r-romance… Luck: Great." Her mouth felt dry as she avoided Claire's gaze. She was starting to feel like there were also supernatural forces determined to keep her from growing closer to the young woman.
Carter laughed softly congratulated her a with kind smile. "Ah, the coveted fortune! Well done, Mary!"
The group immediately burst into giggles and gossiping. Karen teased that Ann needed that fortune for her and Harris while she swiftly retorted that Rick would need all the luck he could get with Karen.
Images of Mary and Gray passionately kissing filled Claire's head and she quickly shook them away. She was determined not to get emotional over something as silly as a fortune. Cliff placed a warm hand on her forearm and she instantly mellowed out, giving Mary a small smile. At the librarian's shiny eyes and trembling, Claire realized with a wave of guilt that she had felt ashamed of reading her fortune aloud, and it was likely because of her fear of any awkwardness it would cause between the two of them. She put a hand on her shoulder and was startled at how distraught Mary looked.
"You're allowed to feel happy about it… After all… I-I'm allowing myself to be happy, too…" he stammered, unsure if Mary even understood what she meant. While she had used that phrase around Cliff, it was Mary who was adept with words; would she think that their mantra sounded foolish?
A pair of mocha brown eyes flicked between the blonde and her male companion who was watching her affectionately, his face immediately flooding with color. Mary's lips turned upward again as she let the words soak in. It seemed in the time between Gray's rejection and now she had made some positive changes in her life and she was surrounding herself with people who were helping her not only heal, but thrive. "I'm glad." She leaned in and caught Claire in a warm hug, burying her face in her shoulder.
Claire was stunned, but she felt a heavy weight lift off of her chest. She was reminded how Mary's hair always smelled of sweet roses, how her very presence seemed to be a sort of relaxant.
Mary couldn't stand it anymore. "Come to my house tomorrow night, Claire! I'll make us some tea and snacks!" There was a playful light in her eyes she had only seen her use when interacting with Gray.
Claire nodded dumbly in response – this was all happening so fast. "Alright. I'll be available." Even if she didn't want to spend time with Mary, those brown orbs shining with supplication left her unable to answer any other way.
"What did you get for your fortune?" Mary asked loudly enough so that the crowd stopped talking.
Claire unrolled the slip of paper with shaking hands. She never put much stock into fortunes, but she found that she was trembling with anticipation to read it. "Stop searching… Happiness is right beside you… Luck: Fair." She let out a sigh of relief, but was still a little disappointed she hadn't drawn Mary's number. Still, she ended up chuckling softly, grateful that her fortune had been something benign.
"Hey, that's a good one!" Rick beamed at her. "Wanna trade with me?"
"Hey, I'm right here beside you! You don't need a fortune for that!" Karen teased, ruffling his hair.
"The offer still stands!" Rick couldn't resist adding, stifling a laugh as his girlfriend playfully attempted to get him in a headlock. Claire wouldn't be surprised if the two had partaken in a few alcoholic beverages while the group was separated.
Claire looked around her and shook her head, laughing. She was surrounded by smiling friends. Her heart suddenly felt very full and she could feel a lump in her throat.
"Yeah… It is a really good one," she agreed, holding the scroll over her heart. It was a silly slip of paper, yet it felt so precious, almost like a prophecy. It filled her with a wave of deep joy and she felt her heart pound with giddiness. She carefully tucked into her obi and turned toward Cliff, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. "What did you get?"
He unrolled his fortune. "Faith and patience will be your greatest allies… Luck: Good." He looked rather pleased. Seeing him smile made her happy – Claire grinned so much her cheeks ached a bit.
The loud, irregular clopping of geta interrupted the action. Claire took note that Gray had a slightly uneven gait as he jogged, and it was amplified with the noisy footwear. She watched him curiously; surprised she had never noticed this small detail about him before. She suddenly realized there were probably a lot of things about him she didn't know. He donned a black and white striped yukata and while he had complained earlier about having to change, he didn't look awkward in it at all.
"Alright, alright, I'm back." Gray grumbled, catching his breath as he dropped some coins in the box and drew his number before anyone could comment on his attire. Carter handed him a scroll and gave him a lighthearted wink. "Okay…" He read the paper silently, turned his head toward Cliff, and the color drained from his face. He promptly crumpled the paper.
"What's wrong?" Mary looked over at him, her braid softly swaying as she leaned forward to get a better look at him.
"Carter…" Gray's voice was low, but Claire noticed the veins sticking out on his clenched fists.
"Oh, my…" The priest wasn't threatened by the young man, but rather slightly confused. Carter gave him an apologetic look, realizing immediately what he must have selected.
"What did you get?" Cliff asked.
"Yeah, we've all been reading them aloud!" Ann informed him, walking over to him to catch a peek at his slip of paper.
Gray couldn't meet Cliff's gaze and his cheeks blazed as he shook his head. "N-nothing… I want a different fortune." Gray glared at the priest as if it was his fault that he had selected what he did.
"It can't be that bad." Cliff saw his opening and skillfully pried the crumpled slip of paper out of his hand. Gray seized him by the wrist, shaking his head emphatically and Claire stiffened, fearful that he was going to harm him for a brief moment. "I won't read it aloud. I promise," Cliff murmured.
Gray let go and Cliff smoothed out and unrolled the piece of paper, looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. He read it silently and froze, all of the emotion vanishing from his facial expression. "I told you not to include this one, Carter." His voice was matching in character.
Carter responded with a shrug. "I didn't imagine this situation happening."
"Let him pick another," Cliff replied.
Carter reached for the box of bamboo sticks. "It's a shame it's going to waste."
"What does it say?" Ann persisted, struggling to crane her neck over his shoulder. "Now we have to know!"
Gray shot him a death glare and Cliff shook his head. "I already promised him I wouldn't. It's nothing. He's getting a new one."
Ann squeezed between Claire and Cliff and gave his ponytail a sharp tug, stealing the fortune while he was startled. His eyes widened as hand flew to the back of his head. He scowled at her as she stuck her tongue at him; Claire got the feeling that this happened regularly at the inn.
"Ann." Gray and Cliff firmly warned in unison.
Ann smoothed out the fortune and read it silently, stifling a giggle. She read aloud with a grand flourish. "Cliff promised he wouldn't read it, but I didn't! It says, Give a kiss to the person standing next to you! Luck: Fantastic!" A devilish grin spread across her lips as her eyes moved back and forth between Gray and Cliff.
Gray folded his arms across his chest as he muttered something unintelligible under his breath, all the while his face turning redder by the second. "I... I already have someone..." Averting his eyes, his voice trailed off.
Karen said nothing, but cocked an eyebrow, resting an arm on a blushing Mary's shoulder.
Gray's face had turned burgundy, a light sheen of perspiration glowing under the lanterns. Claire frowned as she felt his discomfort.
Gray's voice surprised them all. "This is stupid. I-I mean… if none of you are going to let it go, I guess a small peck on the cheek wouldn't kill us... I mean, hell, I could use some luck... I mean, Karen kisses everyone. But I..." His voice was low as he stared at the ground, nervously rubbing the back of his neck as he took a small step toward Cliff and nervously looking back at Mary.
Cliff blinked in surprise that Gray seemed intent on following through with it despite his obvious discomfort. As far as Cliff was concerned, there were far more embarrassing things in life than getting a peck on the cheek from someone he saw as a good friend. Still, he would much rather be paired with Claire, he realized, his cheeks glowing at the very thought.
Carter had begun to realize the potential trouble he had caused by adding that specific fortune to the mix. "I was imagining a pair of lovers picking that one," he lamented wistfully.
Claire couldn't hold back anymore. "Y-you know, there's no rule that says you have to do it," she said a little more loudly than she meant to. She felt a little intimidated for a moment when the group fell silent and stared at her. She waited for someone to chide her for being a killjoy or having no sense of humor. At seeing Cliff slouch a little less, her confidence returned to her. These were her friends and there was no reason to be afraid to speak. "Tonight is about having fun. There's no need to stress out over a silly piece of paper."
Gray's pale blue eyes reflected relief as he shot Claire a grateful look. "You're right. I make my own luck, and I sure as hell am not going to let a piece of paper decide my fate!"
Cliff rolled his eyes at his friend's statement, but he was glad that the drama was over.
Ann handed the slip of paper to Mary, a smirk forming on her lips. "Looks like these fortunes coordinate. Save it for later; I doubt Cliff's feelings will be hurt," she whispered loudly, winking at her.
"Thanks." Mary's flushed cheeks matched her smiling lips.
Claire had heard the exchange and frowned. While the reminder that the two were dating didn't feel like a living nightmare anymore, the implication that they would be kissing in the near future made her heart ache a bit.
"So, now that the let's see what Cliff gave you to wear." Karen walked over to Gray, circling him.
Gray rolled his eyes. Being the center of attention hadn't appealed to him since he was a very young child. "Well, you're looking at it…" He never wore anything but his work clothes as an adult living in the city. He could never look as comfortable or attractive as Cliff did in such clothing, he thought with an inward sigh. While he liked the way yukatas looked, Gray was certain he was awkward in one. He looked up at Cliff and gave him a crooked smile, hoping he gave off an air of indifference. "I don't look like an idiot? I can't pull off this look like you can."
Gray had left the inn, dismissing the offered outfit as stupid. Cliff had known him long enough to not take it personally. He had seen the way he carefully inspected the garment before rejecting it. Surprised at Gray admitting his insecurities, Cliff shook his head. "You look fine."
"You looked more out of place earlier," Ann said with a laugh, rolling up her sleeves. She scowled at her own outfit and whispered threats at the fabric that refused to cooperate with her.
Mary walked over to Gray, inspecting him. He felt himself struggling to maintain his cool composure. "It suits you." She shyly patted his arm, admiring the striped cotton. Her dark eyes traveled up to his flushed face and finally rested on the rusty colored locks that were so often hidden from the world. "No hat." She wore a playful smirk. "Y-you look great," she whispered, giving him a hug.
Gray looked over his girlfriend's shoulder and smiled at Cliff. Thank you, he mouthed, raising his eyebrows in earnest.
Cliff grinned and gave his friend a thumbs-up. He almost laughed aloud when they pulled away and Mary turned around, mouthing the very same phrase to him.
"Well, now that everyone is here, I do have a story I've been saving for the occasion." Carter cleared his throat and dusted off his robes importantly. "Earlier, Mary was right… There truly is something lurking within man that would frighten the faint of heart. Firm and unyielding, it resides within each of us. Those who are blessed by the gods may never see it try to escape from the prison of your flesh, but those who do can tell you of the excruciating pain it causes when it breaks free."
Ann's eyes grew to the size of saucers. She gulped. "In each of us? You mean an embodiment of your fighting spirit… like a stand?"
Gray grumbled and folded his arms across his chest. "Now I know where that missing comic book went. I told you to let me know before you borrow something! You can't just go snooping through my stuff!"
Mary cocked an eyebrow at her boyfriend and smirked before turning toward her. "Ann, please take good care of my things. I have the next few volumes if you're interested."
Claire was a bit surprised to hear that the librarian read comic books, and she almost commented aloud on it before she closed her mouth. She, too ,had picked up a couple new hobbies since she moved here, she realized with a smile. Hiking in the mountains and playing with her animals were the main ones, but she had also been eager to build a campfire and relax around it with her friends and she was a bit shy to ask Cliff about seeing Cain again.
Carter shrugged at Ann's suggestion. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, but no one is without one of these things, I'm afraid."
A chill ran down Ann's spine. Even Carter had one of these mysterious things? She wasn't sure what his life was like before he was a priest, but she had assumed he had been granted immunity to being possessed. "But this is just a silly story," she giggled, waving her hands as if to shoo away whatever was trying to take over her body. She turned toward Claire, who gave her a nod and worried smile, and she still found herself shaking a bit.
"Oh, no…" Carter looked at the group solemnly. "I'm afraid you can't simply will this tale into not being true. It is, in fact, very real." His words suggested any debating this fact was futile.
Claire was reminded of those late summer nights, reading aloud a book of fairy tales. Her younger brothers wanted ghost stories but she refused to read them, for fear of nightmares. The teenager was embarrassed to admit this, so she insisted that it was either the fairy book or bed. Byron had found a loophole, begging for her to read the tale where a princess tricked an ogre couple into eating their own young and a scene where a tree bled when cut. The story was now etched into her memory and still gave her a bit of a chill when she thought about it. It was still better than the tale involving a juniper tree… Maybe fairy tales were even scarier than ghost stories…
Ann wrung her hands and wedged herself between Claire and Cliff, clutching an arm of each friend as she trembled. Hearing these words from a priest frightened her; she didn't know much about supernatural matters and she was rather afraid to learn. She preferred solid, hard evidence for describing her world and spiritual things outside of basic worship of the gods made her uncomfortable. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, she believed.
Carter was delighted to see that someone had taken his story seriously. His voice began to quaver as he dramatically pointed a shaking finger at her. "As a matter of fact, I can see evidence of one inside of you, Ann!"
Gray and Karen bit back smirks and chuckles as they took in the pastor's overly grave demeanor. Ann let out a tiny squeak, looking at her friends with a nervous laugh.
"Wha-?!" She broke into a cold sweat.
Surely this is punishment for not wanting to go to church.
I can't believe how stupid I was for not realizing this sooner!
Her heart pounded in her chest and she clutched Cliff's shoulder. "I promise I'll come to church next week! Cliff, you'll take me, right? I'll be good, I swear! I-I'll even go to confession!" She'd have to think of a list of her misdoings, but her head was too muddled at the moment to begin sifting through them.
At this point her friend was struggling to maintain a straight face. As one who took confession nearly daily, he found that he looked forward to the one-on-one time chatting with Carter, even if began the conversation with listing off his transgressions once again from his past. He was in a constant battle with his own selfishness, but he had found that he was not expressing the old jealousy he had for others and their ability to fit in. "I'm afraid not even the church's walls will save you from your fate, Ann…" he replied with an emotionless voice, shaking his head.
Carter bit back a grin; Cliff had played his part well. "There's no easy way to say this, Ann… There's a skeleton inside of you!" His eyes widened as he said this.
The thought of the undead residing in her own flesh was too much for her to bear; she squeezed her friends and let out a strangled cry. Surely an exorcism could be performed. "You're a priest, aren't you? Get it out of me!" She was on the verge of hysterics.
Gray couldn't stand it anymore; his laugh came out as a loud snort. Rick and Karen joined in shortly and Ann was horrified to hear Cliff laugh and Claire stifle a giggle. Even Mary had a smile on her face.
"You!" Ann's blue eyes whirled around her wildly and her face was redder than her hair. "All of you are terrible! You're mocking me!"
To her surprise, everyone burst into laughter even harder.
Claire was a little shocked that her friend hadn't gotten the joke yet. "Ann, think about it," she said softly.
The pout on her face faded. "You could all have them, too! Oh…" She closed her mouth and her cheeks went from red to burgundy. She had expected Claire to fall for a trick like that – not herself! "Th-That was mean, Carter!" She balled up her fists.
Cliff gave her a friendly clap on the shoulder. "Hey, now, don't be like that. It was all in good fun."
"And you helped him!" The tone of betrayal was pronounced in her voice as she shrugged off his hand. She bit her lip and shot him a menacing glance before moving to the other side of Claire in a huff.
"Oh, come on! That wasn't even scary!" Karen sighed. "If you want scary, I could tell you about that figure I saw out in the middle of Kappa Lake when I was a kid. It looked like a hunched over man with a huge nose, almost like a beak! It was muttering something that didn't sound like human language…"
"I'm not listening~!" Ann sang, sticking out her tongue at her.
"Well, I guess that's enough for scary stories tonight," Mary spoke up, much to everyone's surprise. "Speaking of scary, did anyone see the huge ice cream cones Kai was selling? They looked like they were going to topple over. I think I saw one with five scoops!"
"You did. It was delicious." Ann grinned at the very memory. She caught Harris in the corner of her eye and bounced on her geta. "Oh, hey, I saw Kathy and Griffin earlier. I think I'm off for some more snacks. I'm done with tricks – it's time for treats!"
"A drink does sound nice," Karen replied, finishing her lemonade.
"And what would you say you're doing right now?" Carter quipped from his seat at the tent.
She wagged her finger at him and Claire was surprised how candid she was with the priest. "Oh, Carter, we both know there's a huge difference. It's not like you can substitute lemonade for tequila."
"Oh, I suppose not." If that were true, he would have had a lot more sugar crashes and fewer hangovers in his younger adult years. "Hmmm… I'm in the mood for something dark and earthy. I don't care for pale ales." The priest didn't break his innocent smile and Claire was a little surprised when she realized he was asking her to bring him a drink from the stand.
"I saw a place selling crepes." Mary's voice had distracted her. Claire expected her to walk off with her date, but she was given a shy smile. "They come every year and they're really good. They sell all different kinds of flavors. Would you be interested, Claire?"
She had been both dreading and looking forward to some time with her for a while. Having Cliff at her side would make socializing with Gray a breeze, she told herself with a smile.
"Want to swing by Kai's? I feel a little bad he has to work today." Gray gave Cliff a hearty thump on the back.
"You only want to stop by because you know he's selling roasted corn," he laughed in response, receiving a playful punch on the shoulder in response.
"Catch you later." Gray gave his girlfriend a quick wave and went to tip his cap in farewell, forgetting that he wasn't wearing it. He turned the hand motion as a clumsy salute and Mary giggled in response, shyly waving back.
"See y'all in a bit," Cliff responded quickly, reaching for Claire's hand and giving it a friendly squeeze before following his friend.
She nodded mutely in response, waving goodbye to them with the other hand. Mary watched the blonde with a smile, wondering if she was aware of the way she held her hand over her heart.