"I'm Demetrius. My wife Robin told me about you. Are you settling in well?"

Robin bristled when she heard the conversation going on right outside her door. The farmer wanted to introduce herself to the other villagers, and was just making her way into Robin's shop when she was caught in the doorway by her husband. The older woman was irked at how she was labelled. Demetrius' wife. It was like he was staking his claim. Like his wife was all she would ever be. She knew that she couldn't keep the fact that she was married a secret, and she wasn't trying to. But the way the farmer had looked at her the day before, sizing her up like she was figuring out how best to make a move, it made Robin feel desirable for the first time in years. She wanted to keep the fantasy of being unattached for a little while longer.

So much for that.

"Robin has a hot temper," Demetrius was saying from outside, clearly trying to keep his voice low but not seeing much success. "It's better to stay on her good side. Don't tell her I said that."

'A hot temper' my ass, she thought, her anger flaring. He had no right to be telling the new farmer these things. She'd barely been here a day. She could make her own judgement as the two of them got to know each other better. How dare he badmouth his own wife like that? And no, this wasn't me having a hot temper, Robin reasoned. She only lost her temper with people who deserved it. Like husbands who got under her skin. The farmer didn't need to walk on eggshells around her just because of something he said, and Robin sincerely hoped she wouldn't.

"How was your first night?" she asked once Demetrius had gone off to do some field work by the lake and the farmer had a chance to come in. Her blood was just beginning to cool now that the idle chit chat outside had concluded.

"It was so quiet!" she exclaimed, a big smile on her face. Thankfully, Demetrius' comment didn't seem to be resonating. "I'm used to constant noise. Cars or sirens or nightclubs or crowds… I love how peaceful it is here."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Robin chuckled.

"Waking up to the sound of songbirds is really something I missed. I would sometimes spend summers here with my grandpa when I was a little kid, but I haven't been out of the city in ages." The farmer continued to gush, all the while Robin nodded along with an amused grin on her face. She found it endearing how excited she was.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it here. I guess it's safe to say you'll be sticking around then?"

"Definitely." The farmer's eyes then darted towards the door and back to Robin. "So…" she began, rocking back on her heels. "I didn't realise you were married."

"O-oh." She stumbled over her words. "Yes. I have two kids. Sebastian is probably still asleep downstairs but you'll be able to find Maru in town somewhere."

"And um," She glanced at Robin's hand on the counter." Are wedding rings not a thing here, or…?"

"Oh, no. Pelican Town is… quirky." Robin always kept her mermaid's pendant tucked underneath the collar of her shirt – she'd never been a fan of visible jewellery to begin with, even before the tension in her marriage – but she pulled it out for the farmer to see. "You buy it from an old mariner who shows up on the beach when it rains."

The farmer blinked. "Quirky is one way to put it."

Robin gave her a tight smile before tucking her pendant in its rightful place. She felt better when it was hidden. "Anyway, did you want to pick anything up?" she asked, eager to move the conversation swiftly away from her marital status.

"Nah, I just came by to say hi. Money's a little tight right now but Mayor Lewis left me some seeds to get me started. I was just on my way to the general store and figured I'd take the long route to… see… you." The farmer's cheeks reddened with those last words. "And to give you this!" She awkwardly thrust a daffodil at her. "There's a lovely patch of wild forage growing on my farm. I didn't want them to go to waste and thought you would like them. And some of the other people in town too!" she added as an afterthought.

"That's so sweet of you! I'm sure the other townsfolk will appreciate it." Robin took the flower and held it close, determined not to think too deeply about what it meant. "How's farm cleanup going?"

"I cleared out a small area from crops this morning but I'm far from done."

"There's no rush, but I'm looking forward to seeing your produce in Pierre's store when you're ready. Actually…" Robin paused to get something from behind the counter. "Here, take this, and no, don't try to pay for it!" she exclaimed the second she saw the farmer reach for her wallet. "It's just something small. Take it as a welcome gift. It's a Pelican Town calendar which has everyone's birthdays as well as all the events we have going on. You might be able to plan your year better with one of these."

The farmer took the gift with uncertainty. "Robin, are you sure? I could pay for it later in the season when I start making more–"

Robin waved her off. "Don't even mention it. Besides, take this as an investment on my part. Into helping the farm get up and running. I'm sure you and I will be doing much more business in the future once you find your footing here."

She smiled, and genuine as it was on the surface, Robin couldn't shake the feeling that the expression had more to it than she let on. "Yes, I'm sure we will."

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