By Friday the house was finished, and on Saturday Mai spoiled herself by hiring a trailer from the village and driving an hour out to the nearest city to shop for everything from kitchen gear to cabinets and bedside tables. It certainly wasn't the kind of shopping she was used to, and Mai loved every minute of it.

She wasn't back home till five, and by that point she was thoroughly exhausted and satisfied. After hauling everything inside, positioning it, returning the trailer and grabbing dinner on the way, Mai took a long bath and wrapped herself up lightly and relaxed back in her new deck chair to watch the sunset.

Not a bad day at all, She thought with a yawn. Now the place was finally finished, she felt a little lost. But that would soon pass. And she would be gone soon too. She'd already made arrangements with her neighbours for them to keep an eye on the place, and Lila to look after it while she was away. Next week Wednesday she'd move off to compete in a series of three tournaments. Always on the move, aren't I? Mai thought with a sigh. I just can't sit still or stay in one spot for very long. She ran a hand through her hair, and let it fall any which way it pleased. She wasn't looking forward to leaving her new home, but she was looking forward to duelling and seeing Vivian again. Win some, loose some.

Vivian had conceded that maybe Mai knew what she was doing when she came from China two weeks after Mai'd bought the place. She'd stayed for three weeks, mainly painting rooms-not anything with a hammer, which everyone had found out quickly she was hopeless with. She'd left last week to go to a tournament for duelists with mainly earth monster in their deck-which Mai wasn't one of. So Vivian had gone and Mai had stayed to finish up the house, and Mai missed her terribly already. Sometimes her friend drove her up the wall, but they always ended up laughing about it later.

Mai rubbed a hand over her face and looked down the lane, then frowned. She didn't recognise the person walking towards her down it, but then, they were still far away. Mai narrowed her eyes; there was something familiar about the way they walked though...

***

Joey glanced down the houses along the country lane. There were only four that he could see. One was on the left side, at the end of a long driveway-a real farmhouse. One was behind him and the lady at the grocery store said it was the third on the right. So that'll be the one, Joey looked over at a flat driveway flanked by small bushes running up to a medium sized home. It looked well kept, but then, the lady said it had just finished being renovated.

Joey ruffled his hair as a way to give his hands something to do. When the lady at the store had said there was another duelist living in the area, Joey had been interested enough to ask after a name. The lady had told him her name alright, but Joey had already guessed it after the woman proudly stated she was the Queen of games. She then proceeded to ask if Joey was alright, because he had gone pale with shock.

Joey asked if Mai knew he was in town, the lady said yes, but she recalled she hadn't given Mai his name. With some quick directions to Mai's place, Joey had dumped his shopping at his hotel, and raced over here as fast as he could. He respected Mai enough to let her come to him when she was ready, but judging by the invitation the lady had given him to a Sunday barbeque, he would see her soon anyway, and better alone than having them both trying to compose themselves in front of strangers for him and neighbours for her.

So here he was. Joey glanced down at the bunch of irises in his arms. He had wanted to give her something more special but there hadn't been enough time, and he would only embarrass both of them more. So flowers it was and he thought she would appreciate irises more than red roses, they would be a good housewarming gift too.

He glanced back up and this time he saw the figure sitting upright on a deck chair. Joey took one look at her blond hair and felt his heart melt in relief at seeing her again. There had been times he thought he never would. As he started towards the house again, the figure slowly got up, then practically ran down the driveway to the gate.

Joey reached it first, and Mai stopped a few metres away, staring at Joey in a stunned silence. Her heart thumped uncomfortably in her throat and she stared at him with wide eyes, hardly able to believe she was seeing him.