This chapter contains lots of foreshadowing to not just future plot, but also to one of my MTM books. As always, thanks so much to those who reviewed. I ADORE reviews. Please don't read without reviewing. Please?

--Starry

CHAPTER SIX: Foreshadows

And then she was gone. Jack blinked furiously and just stood looking at the trail where she left, waiting to see if she, by chance, might return. Minutes passed, then an hour and still she did not come back. The boy scratched his arm and turned around jerkily. It was official…he was never going to see Nami again! Unsure of what to do now, he ran off to his farm and shut himself in with Bessie. After getting a hoof in the gut, he ran off to his house instead.

Life continued on as usual in the valley in Nami's absence. Lumina cried bitterly when Jack brought her the news of the redhead's flight. Celia and Muffy sighed, Marlin scowled, Rock gasped dramatically and Gustafa looked skyward with a face full of regret. It was his fault after all, thought Jack to himself. He's the one who rejected her. What a stupid thing to do! Ruby took great pains to clean Nami's room well, as if washing the taint of her away.

A week later, Jack was eating Wheatie-Os and watching the morning news when the station made an interesting announcement. The main news anchor declared that the old weather reporter was retiring. "We will mourn the loss of our dear Mr. Bryce, but to take his place is another girl fresh from the country! Let's give a warm welcome to Flowerbud Village's new Miss Nami! Welcome! The weather is all yours."

"No way!" The farmer screeched as the screen switched to an overview of Flowerbud Village, Forget-Me-Not Valley, Amarillo Bay and Mineral Town with Nami in front. She looked surly as usual, but was wearing a flattering blue skirt suit instead of her regular mismatched outfit.

"Thank you, Don," She said with a happy note in her voice. "Let's see where the weather finds us today. Flowerbud Village should be unseasonably warm today, with temperatures in the fifties until nightfall. Amarillo Bay will be even warmer, but that's only natural with the high pressure system hovering most of the area. The high should be 62, the low fifty-one. Mineral Town will be getting snow today with temperatures in the twenties. That's good for any kids wanting to sled down Mother's Hill. Last but not least…Forget-Me-Not Valley will experience a cold and dry day with temperatures ranging from the high thirties to the mid twenties. Thank you all for welcoming me, back to you, Don." She managed a smile before the camera returned to the reporter. Having spilt a lot of milk on the rug, Jack ran into the kitchen to grab some paper towels to sop up the soggy carpet.

Ruby was most displeased to hear Nami's voice over the radio as she mopped the floor. Someway or another that girl was bound and determined to bother her. In a sudden fit of temper, she threw the radio on the floor and began to beat it with the mop, sending rivulets of water all over the walls and stove. Rock chose that moment to step into the kitchen and request a glass of juice. That was too much for the corpulent chef. She grabbed her son's collar and dragged him out of the Inn.

"And stay out! From now on you won't be allowed back in until you have a job," She yelled. "A job that pays. Don't bother crying, Mommy's not listening!" He just sat there, worried about the dust all over his pants as she stalked back inside. When his sadly slow brain realized that he'd been kicked out, he gasped.

"I didn't even have time to grab my mirror," He squeaked. "What if she messed up my amazing hair? I should go ask Muffy." He carefully dusted himself off and scampered to the Blue Bar.

Muffy was cleaning a tumbler when the blonde boy burst into the room and demanded to know how his hair looked. She scrutinized it with a practiced eye before announcing that he needed to tuck a strand behind his ear, but otherwise it was fine. He sighed with relief and immediately remedied the un-tucked hair. "So, what's new, Rock?" The waitress asked, batting her long mascara-coated eyelashes.

"Nothing much, babe. Mom just kicked me out, that's all."

Muffy grabbed his shoulders. "What? Did you grab your mirror?" Obviously her priorities were in the same book as his.

"No, I didn't," He said sadly. "That's why I had to ask your expert advice. Thanks, Muff."

"It's no problem," She crooned. "You ask me anytime you feel like it. I should get you a drink for being so brave and surviving a kick-out! Did you get dirt on your clothes?" Rock nodded morosely and she began pouring something orange into a glass.

Speaking of dirt on clothes, Celia was in the midst of smacking the mud off of her favorite skirt into the Goddess Pond next to the old oak tree. She coughed and scrubbed it against a rock; streams of mud running into the water. Suddenly the pond began to bubble in the middle. The girl snatched her skirt out of the water and watched as light shone from underneath and a head covered with green braids popped out, followed by a slim, muscular body. The figure wore a stiff blue bikini top with flowy green sleeves and a dress bottom of silky blues and greens.

"Celia, dear," She said in a bossy but sweet tone. "Why are you washing your clothes in my pond? Did you know that mud makes my skin itch?"

Celia gaped. "N-no, I didn't. Er…sorry. How did you know my name?"

"I am a goddess," The Goddess said with a flourish. "I specialize in harvesting, beauty and love matters. Of course I know your name."

"Oh! Hello! You specialize in love matters? Who have you helped before? I've never seen you." Celia said with wide eyes.

The Goddess thought for a moment. "I helped Sabastian get his position in Romana's villa, I brought Nami to this valley, I made Ruby kick Rock out, I brought Marlin to Vesta's and I'm in the progress of moving a family with a little girl next to Hugh. That's about it for this area."

"You did all of those things? What about Lumina? Does she have a match? Have you worked in other places?"

"Oh yes, I have. Not too long ago I brought Joe and Katie together in Flowerbud Village. Mineral Town has always held my interest--so many delicious emotions running wild. Three years ago I had to give a dear girl named Popuri some advice about running out on her own wedding! Poor thing…and you can't forget Claire and Gray, or Karen and Rick…or the rest of the couples. There are rather a lot of them. The only trouble I've had is with Mary." She paused to arrange her skirt. "And Lumina. Most problematic."

"What's wrong with Mary and Lumina?" Celia asked, curious.

"Nothing's wrong with Mary, she's just hard to work with sometimes. I can't help Lumina, but I do feel sorry for her." The Goddess's face made an odd expression.

The farmhand was full of questions. "Why can't you help Lumina?"

"I can't help her because Miss Wi--because I just can't. It's not allowed. End of story. But is there any advice I can give you? I'm in a good mood. Three questions is all that I'll answer."

"Do I have a match?" Celia asked immediately, intrigued by the mystery and the given information.

"Yes, naturally."

"Do I know him?'

"Another yes. One more question."

The brunette considered for a moment. "Does he love me now? At this moment?"

"Well," The Goddess began sinking back into the pond. "He did once…but you're losing him day by day. That's all for now. Ta ta!" A few bubbles later, the water was still once more and you would never have known that a supernatural creature had sat astride it only seconds before. Her answer had confused Celia greatly. Someone had been in love with her before? But who? Why was he slipping away? She remembered the remark the Goddess had made about mud and draped her skirt over her arm for the return trip to Vesta's. So what if it was still dirty? 'A little dirt don't hurt.' As her redneck employer would say.

When night fell and Griffin informed Rock that the Blue Bar was closing, the blonde realized that he really didn't have a place to stay. Who could he go to? Who was one person that would always be his friend no matter what happened?

"Jack!" He yelled a few minutes later. He had knocked on the door multiple times and the farmer still hadn't answered. "Are you there? I need to talk to you! Don't be frightened of my manliness! Just open the door! There aren't any girls around for you to look bad next to me with!" Jack himself was hiding in the kitchen trying to ignore the sounds coming from his door. He wasn't in the mood to answer fashion questions, look at hair arrangements or let him borrow his hand mirror. Rock finally gave up knocking and loped off to the barn. It was warm in there and his friend surely wouldn't mind a buddy camping out for a little while.

Meanwhile, Nami was settling into her comfortable hotel room, paid for by the news station. She had tacked her maps, harp chord charts and posters of Famous Dark Ages Weapons all over the walls, making the atmosphere feel more…homey…in a way. There was a spicy smell in the air, bringing memories of Ruby's cooking, Rock's attempted jokes and Celia and Muffy's warmth. Nami laid on her bed and thought of Lumina's endearing scowl, Jack's sunny grin and his big, gloved hands…Gustafa's--no! There was no room for crazy, silly sentiments! She was never going to set foot in Forget-Me-Not Valley again. Ever.

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