Later that evening, Ford gave Holly the rest of the day off. He was bringing Crom to the park with Wade to teach him how to play baseball. Holly went to the General Store to pick out a couple of dresses. She wanted to have a little variety other than the brown coverall dress she currently wore. Besides, it was getting inconvenient to wash it every single day. And she knew better than to ask to borrow one of Iluka's dresses.

Holly looked at the dresses on the rack and was sad to find that most were more than she wanted to spend. Miranda walked up behind her and asked, "How do you like our selection? We have a wide range of sizes and colors."

"You have some beautiful dresses, Miss…." Holly stopped, not knowing her name.

"Miranda, child. What seems to be the problem?" She asked politely.

"Do you happen to have any on sale or clearance? My budget is a bit tight," Holly explained.

"I understand. Clothes are expensive," Miranda replied.

She brought her to a rack in the back of the store, "Let me know if you see anything you like."

Holly found a dark blue floor-length dress and a light blue dress that would work nicely. Both had aprons which would be perfect considering she was chasing after Crom all day. She looked at the prices and smiled, "I will take these two, please."

Miranda smiled and said, "We are running a promotion this week. For every dress you purchase, you get a free hair piece."

Holly looked through the basket excitedly and picked two that she liked, "Thank you, Ms. Miranda."

…

When Ford came home with Crom on his shoulders, he stopped short when he saw a woman bent over pulling cookies out of the oven. Holly's who usually wore her hair down, had her curls pulled up and out of her face. She wore a sapphire-colored dress that made her eyes pop.

"Wow, you look pretty, Ms. Holly," Crom said, struggling to get down from his father's shoulders.

Ford agreed, "You look beautiful…." He then caught himself and asked, "Where's my wife?"

"Thank you…" Holly said awkwardly, knowing Ford said something he wanted to take back, "She left about an hour ago. I'm not sure where she went," Holly answered. She gave him a soft smile to ensure she would not repeat his compliment.

A pained look crossed Ford's face before saying, "Thank you, Holly."

He was about to leave when Holly asked, "Would you like a cookie, Dr. Ford. I made it with apples to make it healthier." He saw her face look hopeful, so Ford took a cookie and thanked her. He was about to leave when Holly asked, "Did you enjoy your lunch the other day?"

Ford paused for a moment before asking, "Do you mean the wrap? Yes, it was delicious. Why didn't you leave me a note? Had I known that you made it for me, I would have thanked you."

Holly looked down in embarrassment and whispered, "I can't read or write, sir. When I am helping Crom with his homework, I can only help with math. Please don't tell anyone. I am a bit embarrassed about it."

Ford nodded and returned to his office. He silently vowed to help educate her when he had a chance. He watched as she gave Crom two cookies before putting the rest away. She knew better than to eat any herself. Regardless, she seemed satisfied that Crom was enjoying them. Ford took a bite and immediately noticed the apple flavor, 'Not bad,' he thought to himself.

…

When Iluka arrived home, she immediately headed upstairs and took a shower. Ford waited for her on the bed. When she came out, she greeted him, "Hello darling, did you have a nice day with Crom?"

"Mostly, but while I was out there, I was approached by Moriyah," he said the rent was unpaid again.

"Darling, I can explain," Iluka replied.

"No, I pawned my grandfather's watch to pay for it. However, I will no longer let you handle our financials when I am away. Any time I have to travel, I will give the cash to Wayne to handle," Ford explained.

"Are you serious?!" Iluka screamed, "You trust that man, a mere postal worker, over your wife!"

"Right now, I trust the local politicians more than you," Ford proclaimed. Iluka slapped him across the face and left for the night. If he wanted to say that she was ruining his finances, then that was exactly what she would do.

She headed over to Lulukoko to invite her lover for a magical night.

…

A few minutes after Iluka left, Holly heard a crash upstairs and ran to see what was happening. She found Ford picking up a broken vase, "I'll get the broom and dustpan," she said.

As Holly swept the broken glass, she saw that Ford was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She looked him in the eyes and said, "Come on, I will put on some tea, and we can talk about it."

…

Meanwhile, Iluka and Ludus went from store to store, putting items on the doctor's tab. They spent thousands on various clothes, jewelry, and other odd things. The final stop was the most expensive hotel in town. Iluka would stay with Ludus in the honeymoon suite for a few days.

…

When Ford sat at the table, Holly remembered what Crom did for her and handed Ford an ice pack. After Ford told her the story, she didn't know what to say. She knew that Ford was a loving and devoted husband. But, Iluka treated him more like a bank, open 24/7. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry, Ford. I don't know what to say."

Ford gave her a weak smile and answered, "The fact that you listened and have been keeping an eye on Crom has been more than enough." He let out a yawn and continued, "Thank you."

Holly gave him a weak smile and answered, "You're welcome."

…

When Iluka didn't come home the following day, he worried but didn't bother to look for her, figuring she was with Ludus. He opened his clinic and got to work. But that was when things started getting strange. A messenger from Lulukoko came with a hefty bill for purchases made at the clothing store. It was followed by several other messages notifying Ford of other purchases. Ford paid as many as he could, but after the first two bills. He had run out of money.

It wasn't long after Moriya came to the door. Ford knew he was being sent to the debtor's prison. To get out of a debtor prison, one must either find someone to pay the debt on his behalf or work off the debt and costs of incarceration. Since Moriya had known Ford for a long time, he allowed Ford to write a note to his wife before he left. He handed the letter to Holly and instructed, "please give this to Iluka for me."

…

Iluka didn't come home until several days later. Holly immediately handed the note to her, not knowing what the message said but knowing its importance.

Iluka opened the envelope and read:

"Iluka,

I am currently in debtor's prison. If there was ever a time, even in its smallest measure, that you loved me, please come get me. The total is 40,000 G.

Ford

To Holly's surprise, Iluka started laughing, "That old fool thinks I am going to bail him out? He must be dreaming. She then looked at Holly and said, "Go to Lulukoko and get Ludus. Tell him that it is an emergency."

Holly was furious, but she thought if she played along, she might be able to find a way to help Ford.

…

When Ludus arrived, Holly gave Crom his toy doctor's set and sneaked upstairs to listen in. She peaked through a crack in the door and saw Iluka explaining Ford's situation.

"The doctor is no longer our concern, and better yet…." She walked over to her dresser and pulled a wooden lockbox out of her bottom drawer. "Every time Ford went abroad, I stored any money he gave me away rather than pay the bills. I have more than enough money for us to run away and start a new life together. So let's pack our bags and leave tomorrow night."

"What about Crom?" Ludus asked.

"What about him. I never wanted that boy in the first place. Besides, he looks too much like his father….poor child.," Iluka concluded. She then locked the box and sat the key inside a book.

"I say we go out to eat, to celebrate. How does the Seaside Café sound?" Ludus asked.

Holly tiptoed down the stairs to not be caught eavesdropping.

…

When they came downstairs, they saw Holly playing with Crom. Iluka and Ludus didn't even bother to say a word to either of them. When Holly was certain they were gone, she ran upstairs and grabbed the key, throwing open the lockbox. She let out a breath of relief. The money was there. She locked the box and shoved it into a bag. She then ran downstairs and picked up Crom, "Come on, we are going pay Uncle Wayne a visit."

…

Holly ran to the post office with Crom and banged on the door. Wayne opened the door in his pajamas and sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Wayne, I need your help. Please read this letter to me."

Wayne looked at her funny but did what she asked, "Iluka, I am currently in debtor's prison. If there was ever a time, even in its smallest measure, that you loved me, please come get me. The total is 40,000 G. Ford."

Holly then stepped inside with Crom and opened the lockbox. She started to count the money. As soon as she hit 40,000 G, she stopped. She looked at Wayne and said, "I need you to look after Crom, while I go get Ford. Can I borrow your horse?"

"Of course, to get to the prison, you must go to Tsuyukusa. It is the going to be the furthest house on the left-hand side," He explained.

"Thank you. I will be back soon." She said as he helped her up on the horse.

…

Holly found the building. It was in a dark sketchy part of town. She got off her horse and tied it to the front of the building before heading inside. She saw the man who arrested Ford and called out to him, "Mr. Moriya, please, I am here to see Dr. Ford."

"Come back when we are open," he shouted.

"I have the money to pay his debt," she replied.

Moriya stopped short and said, "Well, that's different then. Please follow me."

Ford was lying in a cold cell, staring up at the ceiling. His body ached from the hard labor he was forced to do to work for his freedom. He heard someone call his name, "Dr. Ford."

He looked up and saw Holly standing there, "Holly, what are you doing in a terrible place like this?"

She said, "Please don't be mad at me, but I took this from your wife tonight. She's been pocketing all the money you give her to pay the bills when you travel. It's all in here."

Ford opened the box and found several thousand G inside. "Why did she hide this from me? I gave her everything she wanted," Ford asked in disbelief.

Holly's eyes filled with tears and continued, "I don't know, but Ford, there's more. She plans on taking the money and running off with Ludus tomorrow evening."

"She can't leave, not with my child," he growled.

Holly looked down and added, "She doesn't want Crom."

Ford's emotions were a mixture of heartbreak and anger. He dug through the box and found enough jewelry to pay for a king's ransom. He then opened some of the letters and quickly read through them. The affair was happening long before they were even wed.

Ford counted out the 40,000 G and handed it to Moriya. He then said, "Let's go, Holly. We have much work to do."