Visitors to the Valley

Leah gently tapped the chisel into the hardwood with her hammer, shaping the piece to match the vision of her sculpture in her mind's eye. This was the most delicate part of the process now that she was getting into the finer details, and she held her breath between each strike.

Inhaling deeply, Leah made sure her body was completely relaxed and flicked her wrist to adjust the angle. As she swung her hammer, a knock at the door jolted her out of her artistic focus. There was now a small chip missing from her sculpture. Leah cursed under her breath but went to see who came by to see her so early.

"Can I sleep here for a few hours?" the blonde moaned pitifully as Leah opened the door. Without waiting for a response, Haley poured in like a river over a recently broken dam, kicked off her shoes, and climbed into Leah's bed. The photographer was quickly swallowed up by the enormous beige coverlet and she nestled into the downy layers of warmth.

Leah figured she should be used to this kind of behavior from Haley by now, but the artist was still in a kind of social shock. "I guess your bed isn't available right now?"

An irritated grunt, though muffled, was audible through the thick blanket. "I could hear Shane and Emily last night!" Haley complained. "And I never wanted to know that my sister is a screamer. Ugh!"

"And the oversharing continues…" Leah replied with a hint of awkward sarcasm. "Thanks for that."

Haley, oblivious to Leah's discomfort, shot up into a sitting position, throwing the sheets off herself as the desire to rant about her frustrations overtook the blonde's exhausted body. "And that's not even the worst part!"

Do I want to know? Leah thought to herself. But Haley did not give her the option. "They're getting married Sunday morning!" the younger woman cried, balling her fists, and punching the bed beside her. "Where am I going to live?"

Leah pulled a chair up next to the bed and tried to console her friend. "Haley, I don't think your sister is going to kick you out of the house." Haley claimed that even if she was not formally asked to move, she would not be able to handle the way Shane and Emily "humped like gorillas" on the living room sofa when Shane was able to get it up because of his anti-depression meds. All way too much information for Leah's liking.

Still, Leah knew she had to try to facilitate processing Haley's emotions, or the younger woman would just keep moping in bed all day. "Well, if Shane moves into your house, that leaves his current place at Violet's farm open, doesn't it?" Leah hoped pointing out this face would allow Haley to realize she had options.

But Haley's lower lip quivered as Leah spoke. "Living in that tiny man cave would be worse!" she bawled, lowering her face into her hands. The artist was not sure how to handle Haley in this state, though it was clear that the photographer's puffy eyes were watching her hopefully for some sort of feedback.

Though Leah was not sure how she could help, she was determined to do her best. Haley helped her with Kel and her failed art show, not to mention they had been hanging out a lot more since then. The redhead wanted to be as good a friend as Haley had been to her lately. "I'm sure you all can work something out," Leah said soothingly. "But you should really go talk to Emily about living arrangements and expectations after their wedding."

Haley nodded, clearly drained from the lack of sleep and the emotional outburst. "Okay," she agreed meekly. Her bloodshot eyes glanced up at Leah. "But can I please take a nap here first?"

The artist grinned. "Sure, so long as you stay quiet." Leah tilted her head back toward her work in progress. "I'm sculpting and I need to concentrate."

"Oh!" the curly-haired woman exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Leah. I didn't disturb you. I can leave right now if you want. I actually feel a little better after talking about it with someone."

Leah shook her head, thankful that Haley at least acknowledged the inconvenience. Not that it mattered much now. What was done was done and it showed that Haley was becoming slightly more aware of herself, which was personal growth on her part. "No, it's fine. But you're going to hear some light tapping until you fall asleep."

The blonde rolled her eyes as she mocked her sister in falsetto, "Anything is better than 'Oh, Shane!' right now, trust me." Haley ceremoniously flopped back onto the bed and buried herself in the blankets. "Wake me up in a few hours. I don't want to sleep the whole day away and ruin my beauty routine, you know?"

Chuckling under her breath, Leah promised to do just that. The artist took up her chisel and hammer once again and it was not long before she could tell Haley had fallen asleep after all. She really was tired, Leah reflected silently. Her neighbor had not even bothered to put on her usual makeup that morning, but she still looked amazing.

Leah turned to see that Haley had not stayed under the covers. Her head lay against the pillow, her golden hair splayed out behind her in a curtain of curls. Haley's lips were slightly parted, giving her a pouty expression, even in her sleep. Leah blushed when she caught herself staring.

Refocusing her efforts, Leah assessed the damage to her sculpture, and visualized how best to fix it. The artist closed her eyes and heard Haley's slow, steady breath and it brought to mind the gentle curve of the blonde's face. Placing the chisel against the wood, Leah got to work. Perhaps the "mistake" Haley caused would work out for the better.

Zach parked his sleek black car in the gravel along the road, well away from that death trap this town called public transportation and stepped out of the vehicle. The quaint little town was so much quieter in Winter and the lawyer could not decide if that was an improvement. At the corner of his eye, the blond detected movement and spied his sister and the new mayor of Pelican Town walking his way.

"Right on time!" he called with a smirk, knowing full well the comment would provoke Violet. His sister always had trouble with punctuality growing up, though in hindsight Zach deliberated that it may have been an act of childish rebellion against their parents.

But rather than getting defensive, Violet thanked him for coming on such short notice and Shane chimed in to reiterate the appreciation. "We're lucky you already planned on coming down for a few days," the dark-haired man stated. The guy had not slept much last night, that much Zach could tell from the bags under his eyes.

Zach sniffed in amusement as he opened his truck and threw his bag over his shoulder. "Save that appreciation until I get this whole demolition debacle wrapped up," the lawyer insisted. Slamming the back of his car shut, he locked it and tucked the keys into his coat pocket. The blond man turned to his sister, "So I guess I'm stuck staying at your house."

Violet was unusually demure. "Yeah, Robin put the new barn on hold to work on your guest house," she confirmed. "I need to meet with her after this to help with some supplies."

Shane appeared uncomfortable. "I uh… I can move out of my house for a while if you need it. My old room back at Marnie's is empty and with the wedding coming up, Emily and I are negotiating new living arrangements anyway."

Violet's eyes flickered toward the mayor. "Wedding?" Zach noticed the expression on her face as his sister processed the information in her mind. She gasped audibly. "You and Emily are engaged?!" Violet shrieked. Zach automatically exaggerated his disgusted expression at the high pitch of her voice, as was his duty as an older brother.

Shane glanced between the siblings sheepishly. "Uh, yeah… We're hoping to get married Sunday, but with everything going on, I don't know if it'll work out."

While the mayor likely did not mean for his statement to pose a challenge for the lawyer, Zach took it upon himself to accept. The blond clapped the shorter man on the shoulder and congratulated him on the upcoming nuptials. "Congrats, mister mayor," he cackled. Then with a teasing wink, Zach added, "And here I was thinking you'd lost sleep over all the legal troubles."

The new client flushed noticeably and fumbled for an excuse, but Zach cut him off. "No worries," the lawyer assured Shane with a wink, "Everyone's entitled to their own private lives outside of work."

"Quit harassing Shane," Violet scolded her brother. "I need to talk to Robin before she leaves for the day, so let's hurry up and get you settled in."

There we go! Zach thought, catching the glimpse of his sister acting as she normally did. He worried that since Kyle showed up, Violet might be feeling down about herself. That little asshole always had a talent for saying just the right thing to make his sister feel like shit.

But Zach needed to collect the facts of the case first, so the trio returned to the farmhouse to discuss what they knew. Over the course of the conversation, the lawyer quickly discovered that Shane already suspected Morris, the manager of the local Joja Mart. Morris had refused to provide any commentary when the mayor Shane questioned him about the bulldozer the previous day. The manager's name sounded familiar, and the blond's focus fell on his younger sister as he pondered the detail. "Is this the same guy that-"

Violet's sigh cut him off. "Yeah, the Morris from my stint at Joja Corp."

That detail caught Shane's attention. "Wait, really?"

Zach's sister rolled her eyes. "Morris isn't my only reason for supporting local business, but he is a big one." Shane and Violet seemed to share a mutually unspoken understanding, having both worked under the manager's overly watchful gaze.

"Does Morris know that you used to work for him, Vi?" Zach interjected. This could be useful information to have regarding their case.

Violet shook her head. "I don't think so," she answered confidently. "I refused to step foot into any Joja franchise since I quit at the corporate office in NuNu and the one time I encountered Morris in the wild, he didn't seem to recognize me."

Zach frowned. "We'll keep that information close to our chest in case it comes in handy later," the lawyer decided. He pulled out a notebook from his bag and set it on the kitchen table for both Shane and Violet to see.

The legal expert began to break down a few simple details for his client. "Typically, when public land like this is sold, a few base requirements need to be met." Zach wrote down a few words in bold black ink. "The most common you'll see in small towns like this are that the sale needs to be approved by a group of locals after a public forum, and that the sale cannot directly benefit the mayor or any members of local government in a private capacity."

The blond man wrote those down in shorthand to make sure the other two could see. "Now, clearly there was not a public hearing about it, so that's already in our favor," Zach pointed out to his client. Shane nodded to signal his comprehension.

"And if there isn't a local law in place that outlines requirements for this type of sale," he pointed to his previous line, "such as a public hearing, the stipulation goes into effect due to the federal law." Zach leaned back into his chair and loosely capped his pen. "So, the burden of proof will fall onto whoever hired the demolition team to demonstrate they went through the proper legal channels on this alleged sale."

Shane's jaw clenched. "I still have my money on Morris," he declared firmly.

"But he couldn't have worked alone," Violet reasoned with a contemplative frown. "Someone would have had to 'sell' him the land that includes the Community Center. And Lewis is the only one who mentioned selling to Joja as a possibility…"

Zach grinned. "We have another person potentially involved…" He jotted down Lewis' name. "I'll need to have a chat with my favorite ex-mayor," the blond man stated with sarcastic glee. He knew that showing up at the old man's doorstep would put the fear of Yoba into Lewis and Zach relished the idea.

The legal professional rose to his feet. "Well, I've got some legwork to do, so I'll be on my way," Zach announced to the mayor. "I'll keep you updated, Shane."

Bobbing his head appreciatively, Shane stood up and left the farmhouse to work on wedding planning with his fiancée. There was a lot to do to prepare for the big day and if Zach intended to have this case wrapped up by then, the lawyer had his work cut out for him.

Zach turned to his sister. "Are you going to be okay going to see Kyle by yourself today? I'll need to make headway on these leads today."

His sister scowled. "Robin hasn't left the property yet, she's still working on your cabin," Violet corrected Zach. "I'm just going to step out and talk to her before she goes home to play host to that obnoxious, self-centered prick. Besides, he said he didn't want me anywhere near him after what happened."

The blond cackled. "Glad to hear there's no chance of you two getting back together," Zach asserted with an amused smirk. The NuNu lawyer held no desire for social contact with the spawn of one of his most hated enemies. Besides, it would be a waste of all the time and effort he put into saving Violet's ass from the stupid situation she got herself in a few years back if she willingly repeated the mistake. Blood only went so far, and Zach was convinced you could not save idiots from themselves.

"Less than zero," Violet drilled the point home. "Robin told me he was a perfectly polite houseguest, but then again, Kyle's a great actor."

Zach shrugged. "As long as he isn't creating any additional problems for us." There was one more lingering detail that needed to be addressed. "So, if Kyle came to try and win you back, why doesn't he want you around?"

Violet's eye twitched slightly, which was her tell for any upcoming lies. "You know he was hiding out in the Community Center when the bulldozer rammed into it," she answered. "I'm sure he blames me for the pipe that fell on him, even though it wasn't my fault."

His green eyes narrowed suspiciously, but Zach knew he had time to suss it out of her. The blond made a mental note to return to the topic when Violet did not have her guard up so high.

"Fine, kid," Zach shrugged. "I'll take your word for it." He opened the fridge to see what his sister had stocked. To his surprise, Violet was not as destitute as he anticipated. Zach turned to his sibling. "Meals are included in my fees, you know. If you want to save your town some money, make sure you've got some meals prepped in here for me."

Violet snarled in annoyance but muttered a reluctant agreement. She grabbed her coat and headed out to the door to speak to the carpenter. "I'll have dinner ready by the time you get back," she promised him, disappearing outside with Bruno hot on her heels.

Penny fidgeted in the empty waiting room of the clinic, anxious to see her best friend. Maru had been busy with a mysterious patient the last few days, but luckily, she was able to keep the schoolteacher's usual appointment for an annual checkup.

Honestly, the brunette did not have any physical concerns. Penny hoped that she could use the time together to speak with Maru about other, more pressing matters. But would Maru care? The woman wondered if her best friend feigned interest in her love life, since Maru did not seem to talk about Alex in the same way.

Then again, Maru had a very distinct way of thinking - more cerebral than emotionally motivated. That did not mean that her best friend was a robot, like the ones Maru made as a hobby, but Penny understood that their ways of thinking were fundamentally different.

It made her worry at times that Maru considered her a foolish, simple woman. But still, Penny hoped that she would be once again proven wrong by her best friend's kindness. The brunette was self-aware of her insecurities - she was a poor woman who grew up in a single-parent household and lived in a dirty trailer with her alcoholic mother. There were so many potential angles from which another person might choose to look down upon her. But Maru had not cared about any of those things from the start - even if it seemed that Demetrius had been less inclined to approve of their friendship at first.

While Penny treasured her friendship with Maru, she was overjoyed when Elliott appeared to accept her humble upbringings as well. At least, that's what Penny believed at first when he presented himself as a suitor. They shared a magical moment together the last day of Fall when he took her on that boat ride, and she accidentally fell into the water. Elliott had been so gentlemanly and attentive that day, but since then, it was as if he were avoiding her.

Penny feared that her boyfriend had changed his mind about their relationship. Perhaps Elliott did not mean it when he revealed that he hoped they would share a wedding night in the future. The young woman's heart ached at the idea of being deceived in the same manner as her mother all those years ago. The only difference was that Penny had not given herself to Elliott physically.

It was that very fact that made Penny consider herself morally superior to her mother. And yet, her resolve in that belief had weakened since she fell in love with Elliott. A growing part of her could understand how anyone could get swept up in the blissful thrill of romance and it made Penny ashamed to admit that if Elliott had made an amorous move on her after their romantic excursion on the rowboat, she recognized she would have consented without hesitation. The apple did not fall far from the tree after all.

Not that it mattered now anyway. Elliott had not spoken to her since the start of Winter. Penny knew that her boyfriend was avoiding her because he spent time in the library the last few days while she was teaching Vincent and Jas. However, every time she tried to speak with him, Elliott would dart away and hide among the bookshelves. Why else would the handsome man avoid her unless he no longer intended to court her? The possibility depressed Penny.

The educator was so lost in her contemplation that she did not hear Maru call out to her for the appointment to begin.

"Penny?" Maru's hands waved in front of Penny's face, plucking her out of the mire of inner turmoil. "Is everything alright?"

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "No, Maru!" Penny wept pitifully. "I think I must have done something wrong…"

Haley woke, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day. She sat up and discovered that Leah was nowhere to be found. Swinging her feet out of bed, the blonde planned to poke her head around the corner to see if Leah was working at the table instead. But when the sculpture caught Haley's eye, something about it seemed oddly familiar. The blonde's gaze fixated on the wood grain, wondering if she saw a pattern easily recognized in the fashion world, but even that was not the case. Haley stepped back to get a better view of the sculpture overall.

The shape was vaguely like a person, but the face was far more defined than the rest of the body. It was a woman Haley recognized but could not instantly identify. The longer she stared at it, the more frustrated the curly-haired woman became. Growling in frustration, Haley grabbed her shoes and pulled them on to go home, muttering to herself as she laced them up.

As she finished, there was a knock on the door. Haley assumed that Leah just stepped out and accidentally locked herself out, so the blonde opened the door and came face-to-face with a stranger.

The woman seemed a bit younger than her, with sleek black hair cut short just past her ears and eyes that matched the midnight black of her perfect cat's eye mascara. A bit of silver on her nose alerted Haley that the woman had a septum piercing, which was not the usual simple hoop, but bore a pattern of tiny twists of metal that reminded her of delicate lace. Her oversized sweater was a deep plum color that complemented her figure and fell just past her hips while thick black leggings covered her long legs.

Was this another of Leah's ex-girlfriends? Kel had potential but dressed so plainly and did not maintain a proper beauty routine, so the blonde felt insecure thinking that Leah had been with a woman as beautiful as this new stranger.

The dark-haired visitor laughed, and Haley felt her heart flutter involuntarily. "You're not my brother!" the stranger said apologetically. "Sorry to disturb you, Aunt Marnie told me that Shane lives in the little house nearby and I thought this was it." She removed her gloves and offered a hand to Haley, as her full lips stretched into a friendly smile.

"I'm Samantha," the woman introduced herself. Wordlessly, Haley took the woman's outstretched hand in her own. It was soft and warm.

Haley was not sure how long she awkwardly stared at Samantha, but eventually the newcomer waved a hand in front of the blonde's face. "Earth to gorgeous blonde!" she chuckled.

Awkwardly, Haley pulled her hand away. "I-I'm Haley," she finally answered, flustered by the woman's bold compliment. "I can't really invite you inside," the older woman explained. "This is my friend Leah's house and she's out at the moment." She saw the disappointment on Samantha's face and quickly followed up her statement. "But I can help you find whoever you're looking for…"

Samantha's dark eyes brightened at the offer. "That would be great!" she exclaimed.

Haley blinked, studying Samantha's face more closely. It was as if her brain were finally beginning to process the woman's words and Haley slowly put the information together. Aunt Marnie, her brother… The deep hue of her eyes that perfectly matched her black hair was oddly familiar. Then suddenly, it clicked. "You're Shane's sister, aren't you?!"

The younger woman startled slightly at the outburst but confirmed Haley's assumption. "Yeah, are you two friends?"

Without thinking, Haley gagged slightly. "'Friends' is a strong word," the blond groaned, "but my sister wants to marry his stupid face."

"I guess that means we'll be family soon?" Samantha noted aloud, eyeing Haley in a way that made the photographer a bit self-conscious. "At least Shane didn't snatch you up, I would have had to try and steal you from him!"

Haley flushed, thrown off-guard by how casually Samantha showered her with compliments. But Samantha quickly caught on to her body language and apologized. "Sorry," the dark-haired woman addressed the situation. "I'm only joking! Not about you being pretty, of course - but I make silly jokes like that when I'm nervous meeting new people." She put her gloves back on her hands and rubbed them together to warm them. "It's part of my charm, or so I'm told," Samantha shared with a wink.

Part of Haley was disappointed that Samantha backed off so quickly. The blonde had forgotten what it was like to have someone clearly into her. And never had she been hit on by another woman who could probably hold her own in a conversation about makeup and the latest fashions. But the local beauty could not dwell on her disappointment when Samantha pointed out the obvious. "Shouldn't we close your friend's door, so we don't let all the hot air out of her house?"

"Oh, right!" Haley snapped out of it and grabbed her coat, closing the thick wooden door to Leah's cottage shut behind her. "I'll take you to Shane's house. It's just a bit north of here."

Samantha clapped her gloved hands together, though the sound was muffled by the fabric. "Awesome!" Her dark eyes turned to Haley. "I haven't seen Shane in a long time, so I need to do some major catching up with him, but maybe we could hang out later?"

Haley was not prepared for how nervous the idea made her, but she accepted the proposal. Samantha immediately took out her phone. "What's your number? I'll text you."

Elliott scanned the highest shelf for a collection of poems to help him work through his current predicament. Countless men before him were afflicted by such a terrible curse, the author was sure of it. Now Elliott only needed to seek their advice, though the long-haired man was doing everything in his power to avoid speaking to his father about it. Even if he was the source, Elliott knew that his father would give lewd, unwelcome advice.

So how best to cure himself so that he might face Miss Penelope again and be unafraid of the consequences? He could not stop thinking of the warmth of her beside him in his bed, her eyes glinting seductively in the firelight from his wood burning stove. Elliott was captivated by Miss Penelope's beauty again and again each time he closed his eyes and the memory of the moment projected itself onto the back of his eyelids.

Elliott had even dreamt of his beloved the past several nights. In ways most unbefitting a gentleman, yet alarmingly convincing in their vivid details. The way Miss Penelope bare skin felt beneath him, how soft her lips were as he claimed them in a passionate kiss, her sighs of pleasure. It was rapturous - and wrong. He could not stand before Miss Penelope and look her in the eye with a clear conscience while his head was flooded with carnal desire. But surely if he found a way to put these urges into written word, he could expel them from his mind.

Never had his blood run so hot in his body. It alarmed Elliott. Had he gone mad in some manner? Perhaps he should visit the clinic just to ensure he had not fallen ill. Yes, the voice of reason within the poet agreed. I shall do just that.

It did not take long for him to reach the clinic once Elliott had made the decision to go. However, when he entered the local health center, he immediately appreciated his error in judgment. Miss Penelope was already here, weeping openly in the waiting room while Maru consoled her dear friend.

For a moment, Elliott forgot his current affliction and rushed to his beloved's side. "Miss Penelope, whatever is the matter?" he cooed soothingly, trying to calm her.

The stunning brunette sat upright and blinked at him, her emerald irises contrasting the crimson on the whites of her eyes. Miss Penelope must have been in the throes of sorrow to have such a visible sign of her distress. "E-Elliott, what are you doing here?" the young woman responded, her voice shaking. "I thought…" Miss Penelope's voice faded mid-sentence, leaving the author in suspense, but Maru chimed in with helpful details.

"Penny thought you changed your mind about dating and were avoiding her," the brilliant nurse informed Elliott. She continued with an astute observation. "But judging from your reaction just now, that doesn't appear to be the case."

Elliott paled as Miss Penelope's attention shifted toward the floor. While the poet had technically been avoiding his dearest lately, it was not due to a desire to discontinue their courtship. "Oh, I have made a fool of myself and upset you, my dear Penelope…" Elliott stated apologetically.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Miss Penelope lay her hands in her lap. "Y-you still want to be together?"

Elliott pulled her hands into his grasp and kissed them. "I will acknowledge that I was avoiding you, Miss Penelope, but not for the reasons you suspected."

A sigh of relief escaped from his girlfriend's slight frame. But the confusion his actions caused could not go without answer. "Then why…?"

The poet cleared his throat and averted his gaze. "I… uh, how shall I put this delicately?" Elliott was rarely lost for words, but this was one such occasion. "My mother warned me of a family curse and at first I did not believe it to be true, as I had never experienced the symptoms firsthand," he elucidated, tucking his hair behind his ear. "But recently I began to show such signs and I grew concerned that I would tarnish your good name and our courtship."

Elliott did not expect Maru to interject. "What kind of curse?" the bespectacled woman asked inquisitively.

He was humiliated to admit such a thing in front of others, but he owed it to Miss Penelope to tell the truth and Maru had been made to comfort her due to his actions. Elliott spoke quietly. "My mother informed me that the men of my family tend to have…" he could feel the heat rise in his face from sheer mortification, "an insatiable appetite."

"So, you've started eating more?" Maru posed a clarifying question, obviously confused by Elliott's purposefully vague answer. "Why would you avoid Penny because of that?"

Elliott conceded that being too vague would only cause more hurt and confusion. He locked eyes with Miss Penelope, hoping that seeing her would give him strength. "As we discussed after our romantic ride out at sea," the long-locked man began tentatively, "It is my utmost desire to be a man of honor and preserve the paramount of physical intimacy until after matrimony."

Miss Penelope's cheeks flushed, but she nodded her head to indicate her understanding thus far. Elliott took that as his cue to continue. "After the incident that occurred, I am afraid I have found myself in a state of constant…" he lowered his voice, "lust."

He barreled forward, hoping to overcome his embarrassment. "I have never experienced such passion, even when I was engaged to be married to Cassandra," Elliott professed sheepishly. "I worried that my newly awakened sexual appetite would frighten you and give you the impression that I am nothing more than a beast. In avoiding you, Miss Penelope, it was my sincere wish to prevent any situation in which I might make you uncomfortable."

His beloved shielded her face behind her dainty hands, but she did respond to his confession sincerely. "I wish you would have told me instead."

Maru once again interrupted, her furrowed brows emphasizing the disconnect in Elliott's account of events. "What does sexual attraction have to do with a curse?"

Elliott twiddled his thumbs anxiously. "It seems my father has a reputation for frequent, vigorous love-making…" he muttered, shamefaced by the knowledge. "My mother likened his behavior to a kind of insatiable thirst that only she could quench."

Penny's face was now crimson, and Elliott imagined his was much the same. However, Maru regarded him with interest. "Well, I see nothing wrong with that so long as both people involved are consenting adults," she assured the two of them. "But if you both want to wait for marriage, that's also fine. Just make sure you two are on the same page. Remember, 'no' means no, and consent can be withdrawn at any time."

After thoroughly adding to the couples' mortified expressions, Maru's warm eyes flickered toward Miss Penelope. "Shall we start your check-up now?"

Elliott realized that he was no longer needed. "Ah, yes," he stated apologetically. "I did not mean to intrude on your appointment." He turned on his heels to exit the building, but Miss Penelope's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Will I see you again later today?" she inquired. Elliott was relieved to hear that she sounded eager to forgive him for his folly.

He turned and presented his most charming smile. "Of course, my dear. I shall wait for you as long as you need." Elliott wondered if Miss Penelope would discern that he meant that with every fiber of his being.