The pre-lunch crowd is thin today, so that Quinn and Ranit are able to manage things on their own, while Bessy tends the kitchen and watches the three grandchildren. So when Anisa, Ben, Royce and Aaron arrive, things are relatively calm.

The Snowshoe daughter walks through the front door, heading towards the kitchen entrance. "We usually eat back in the kitchen," she says to the buck following her, "but sometimes when it's slow like this, we eat out front. Just follow me."

Aaron nods and follows after Anisa, trying to look less nervous than he feels.

"I hope it's not leftovers again," says Ben, who rubs his stomach. "I'm starved after all that work."

Abram settles down in his seat at the head of the table while Beatrice sets places at the table. "You'll eat what we serve and like it, young man," the matron Snowshoe says with a grin as she tucks a napkin under her husband's chin. "We've got some leftover bread from breakfast, but Bessy's also made a rather nice stew. Please have a seat, boys."

Royce and Ben find their seats, while Aaron holds out Anisa's for her.

Abram patiently allows himself to be fussed over. He may be at the head of the table, but it's obvious who runs the show at mealtimes. "So what have you been up to this morning with your brothers, Cristina?" He nods to Aaron. "And good morning to you, Mister Lightfoot. Nice to see you again. I hope you'll be joining us?"

Aaron nods to the patriarch. "If it's alright, sir. Anisa invited me."

Anisa makes a quick trip to the sink, ruffling her father's ears as she passes by, then goes to take her seat. She grins, arching a brow at Aaron's politeness. "Thank you, good sah! It's nice to meet a guy with manners for a change." The doe takes her seat, and places her napkin in her lap. "We moved heavy heavy stuff, and I think my back's angry at me for it." The white rabbit pops her back against the chair to emphasize the point. "They did a good job, though."

Finding his own seat, Aaron agrees. "They were all a big help."

"My boys always do." Beatrice beams, but winces slightly at the back-cracking. "We're quite happy to have an extra guest, Mister Lightfoot. Every Lapi is a family member in some manner or another."

Ben tries to pop his back too, since he strained himself a little trying to lift a barrel of sand, but only manages to tweak his own tail.

"Or at least they would be, if my parents had their way," Anisa loudly whispers to Aaron in a playful manner.

Aaron smiles to Beatrice. "Thank you, ma'am. It's been nearly a year since I've had the chance to sit with family for a meal, and I appreciate it."

The mother rabbit gives Anisa an obvious "you'd do well not to lose this one" look as she sets a platter of muffins down on the table.

Anisa rolls her eyes, and takes a muffin from the platter. "So how was business today, nice and slow?" The Lapi takes a bite into the confection.

Royce takes two muffins, and hands one to Ben so the younger brother doesn't have to reach.

"Slow enough, although we're expecting it to pick up in the evening. Three passenger airships are scheduled to arrive from Abu-Dhabi and Olympia." Abram idly butters a muffin. "I expect that after a long trip, they'll be desperate for a home cooked meal."

Beatrice vanishes into the kitchen to fetch the rest of lunch, her apron swishing noisily as she pops through the swinging doors.

"Joy oh joy," mutters the younger doe. "Be glad you don't work in the food industry, Aaron. It's enough to make hunting for spices in cannibal-infested jungles look appealing." The young Lapine butters her muffin as well.

"Well, I imagine people are more grateful for a good meal after eating airship food than they are for a bar of scented soap," Aaron says with a grin, and takes a muffin as well.

Abram smiles at his daughter. "It puts food on the table, and our family has never had to go hungry. I'm content with that."

"Cannibals?" Ben and Royce chorus, the former looking towards Anisa and the latter towards Aaron.

Anisa nods with a shrug, taking another bite of her muffin. "I'll take the soap, personally. Those airships get smelly." Anisa looks to her brothers. "Don't worry, they only come to Rephidim once in a while. Chances are, you'll only get nibbled on." She grins.

"I've never met any actual cannibals," Aaron explains to Royce, "although Nagai customs agents come pretty close."

The matron Snowshoe re-appears from the kitchen, balancing a tray with six bowls of stew and a platter of raw vegetables in her arms. She shows her skill as a serving maid by managing to set a bowl in front of each Lapi and set out the platter without spilling a drop or missing a step. "Now then, if any of you need anything else," she says as she seats herself next to her husband, "you can go into the kitchen and get it yourselves." She winks and delicately sips at her stew.

"Now I feel like I'm eating with family again," Aaron remarks with a grin, and has a sip of stew as well.

"Thanks, Mama." The younger of the does takes a sip of her stew as well, though a bit more loudly than before. "Dig in, Aaron, before everything's gone. Those two can eat their weight in lettuce." She points to her brothers. "You should see Aaron's new kitchen, Mama. He's got an ice box that doesn't even need any ice!"

Ben and Royce don't dignify their sister's claim with a response. They're too busy eating.

Beatrice perks an ear at this. "How do you keep your food from spoiling without ice, Mister Lightfoot?"

"Well," Aaron says, blushing slightly, "technically it uses ice, I suppose. It's just that the ice is formed with magic instead of being delivered and put inside. I hadn't even noticed until Ben pointed it out, actually. I've never had a kitchen before."

"That's so strange," Anisa says, shaking her head. "We've spent our whole lives around a kitchen. I can't imagine what it'd be like without one."

"Magical items break, dear. I'd keep an eye on that kitchen if I were you." Beatrice nods sharply to punctuate her point.

Abram swirls his stew. "If we didn't have a kitchen, you'd have probably gotten fat and sick from eating food from the Bazaar all day. I'll never understand how people can buy food there without getting sick. The smell alone turns me ill."

"I'll be sure to have it inspected by a Chaos Mage before it gets charged up, ma'am," Aaron promises. "I suppose I'll have to get pots and pans and such too. Making soup in a glass beaker would seem pretty pathetic now."

"The candy in the Bazaar is okay," Ben argues. "At least … the stuff without bug bits in it."

Anisa takes a few of the vegetables from the tray, drops some into her soup, and idly nibbles on a carrot. "I don't get fat; I leave that up to Quinn. You'll have to come over and teach Aaron to cook, Mama. He doesn't know a pot from a stove, and you'd get to see the house too. It's an amazing place!" She glares at Ben's mention of bugs, feeling momentarily sick.

The matronly doe swirls her stew. "I'd be happy to, dear, although I think you've been here long enough to show Mister Lightfoot a thing or two around the kitchen yourself. I think it might be rather good for you to make a nice home cooked meal for someone sometime."

After munching on a celery stalk, Aaron asks, "Is cooking very difficult? I've seen books of cooking formulae … err … recipes. But I suppose it's rather different from making soap or perfume or stomachache medicine."

Royce grins and jibes, "Nah, it's not that different, at least, not the way Anisa cooks."

"Magical freezers … I can't even imagine." Abram muses to himself, and then bites his lip as he tries to hide a creeping grin at Royce's comment.

The younger doe gives her mother a look, then tosses a piece of muffin at Royce. "Quiet, boy. But seriously, it's more or less the same. Just get the ingredients and follow the directions – probably easier than potions and stuff."

Amazingly, Royce manages to catch the bit of bread this time. "Thanks for the extra bread, sis," he says. After being hit dozens of times in the past, he's practically glowing with pride.

"Don't throw food at your brother, Christina dear." Beatrice chides, "at least, not while we have guests watching."

"I don't see why you'd want to learn how to cook, Aaron," Ben says, after licking his bowl clean. "Just have girls cook for you in exchange for getting to visit your closet!"

Anisa grins. "It's asign of trust, like he's part of the family." The rabbit takes another slurp of her soup. "Where are the kids? Boss- er, Bessy's not trying to work and look after them at the same time, is she?" The doe kicks Ben under the table. "What's with you today, you little chauvinist? How about I make you do the dishes and laundry in exchange for not slugging you?"

Aaron's ears go back, and he tells Ben, "A man should know how to do everything in his household. At least, that's the way it is in my family."

The white doe nods in agreement. "Real men are self-sufficient, like Aaron!" She crosses her arms with a smug grin of triumph.

"Your sister-in-law is just minding the stew kettle," Abram says, glancing at the kitchen. "Just watching the fires. She's alright."

"Uh, right," Aaron says to Anisa. "That, and my mother would beat up my dad if he didn't do his chores."

"It sounds like you had a very good mother." Beatrice nods primly.

Anisa suppresses a giggle, then looks to Abram. "Then where are the kids? Have they eaten yet? I was thinking of taking Coal out to play later."

Aaron grins to Beatrice. "Well, we certainly wouldn't argue the point with her."

Abram wipes his chin off with the napkin that his wife tucked into his shirt. "Coal and Petal and the baby are in there with her. Coal's been helping peel potatoes for the stew, although I set the boys to doing most of the hefty work in the morning."

"Speaking of that, have you seen Tyson this morning?" asks Anisa. "He didn't show up to help us this morning. I'm kind of worried about him; he slacks, but not usually this long."

Beatrice looks momentarily irritated. "I believe he left late in the morning saying he was going to try and catch up with you – but he also has chores that he's late for. I suspect we'll see him around dinnertime."

"He's the one that needs to get married off," the younger doe says. "Find him a woman that'll whip him into shape, the cotton-brain." Shaking her head, the rabbit finishes her soup, and starts in on the veggies. "So, what else do you have to move in, Aaron? You still have to unpack everything."

"Well, I still need to get some furniture," Aaron explains. "Royce got a good start at unpacking what could be unpacked, but the clothes and lab equipment will have to wait until I get some hangers and a table."

"Give Tyson some time." Abram shrugs. "Most children have their restless period before they finally settle down."

Aaron nods to Abram. "My younger brother Sylvester was like that, until he came home one morning covered in tattoos and with no memory of how he got them."

Anisa flops an ear. "Covered in tattoos? Ouch! I can't see how he'd forget that!" The doe notices her ear, then pulls it down to look at it in contemplation. "Then again, maybe I should get a tattoo. Whaddaya think? A nice ear tattoo or some such. Or an earring at least. Andrea got hers pierced four times."

Abram smirks. "I think my darling wife would put a few marks of her own on any child of ours who came home with a tattoo."

Beatrice doesn't reply and simply polishes the wooden spoon she's been sipping from.

"I think your ears look beautiful just as they are, Anisa," the matron doe muses. "Wouldn't you agree, Mister Lightfoot?"

Aaron looks up from his bowl and swallows his panic. "Oh yes, they're very attractive the way they are. And a tattoo would just distract from your features, Anisa. Besides, my mother shaved Sylvester bald and tried for three days to scrub off the tattoos. Last I heard, he was a clown with a traveling circus, married to the contortionist."

The white doe blinks wide eyed in surprise at her mother's comment, and adds an embarrassed blush as Aaron backs it up. "Well… I… " The blush turns redder, and she stirs the veggies in her bowl idly while staring into it.

"I do think it's rather nice of you to help Mister Lightfoot move in, Anisa," the elder doe says as she puts her spoon down. "Just don't tire yourself out so much that we can't use you for the dinner crowd. You know how picky those Abu-Dhabi types are about their food."

Abram snorts. "We'll probably spend the entire night apologizing for the poor quality of our food, taking it back into the kitchen, rearranging it on the plate, and then carrying it out again."

Anisa's ears slowly fade back to their normal color, and she nods as she looks up. "Daddy's right. They complain just to complain. At least Gallisians never eat here. I hear they're even worse."

"I dunno. The Olympians can be even worse if the stories I've been told are true." Royce grins. "Ever hear about their 'all you can eat' feasts?"

Beatrice's nose wrinkles. "One of these days I'm going to have to have a serious talk about the lot of you about proper table etiquette."

"All you can eat? How would you make any money?" The younger doe chomps on a piece of celery. "Oh, it's just us, Mama. It's not like it's a formal dinner or anything."

"They charge a hefty sum and serve a lot of cheap stuff. And then once you fill up … blargh!" Royce curls his hands in front of his mouth and then flares them out, and then jumps with a yelp.

Across the table, Beatrice puts her spoon back in its place. Odd that she was holding it in her lap like that.

Anisa starts to give a look of disgust, but then starts to crack up at her brother's punishment. "Please, some of us are trying to eat, you little twerp!" She sighs. "Were you like this when you were a kid, Aaron?"

Royce rubs his knee. "Just trying to educate you in the ways of the world, sister dear."

Aaron blushes a bit. "Err, my brothers and I could get pretty out-of-hand at times." He looks to Royce."We also tended to avoid those big feasts, too. We weren't the party types."

The white doe scratches an ear in thought, then seems to remember something. She makes a cruel grin at Royce. "Oh, that's right … you're Olympian, aren't you, Aaron?" The looks on her face seems to suggest a "now you're gonna get it" sense.

"They were probably more geared towards meat-eaters," the father Lapi says as he crunches on a section of potato. "An Olympian party sounds like your typical ale night at Bromthen Heaven."

Aaron grins and nods to Abram. "Oh, I was born in Olympia, yeah. Grew up some in Abu-Dhabi too, for that matter. My parents never stayed in one place too long."

"It must have been neat, moving from place to place like that," suggests Anisa. "It gives you a real chance to experience the world. Your family must not be very big though, to move around that much."

Shaking his head, Aaron says, "Just me, two brothers and my parents, although my older brother and I got apprenticed off when we each reached age ten."

"You must not be terribly close to your family," Beatrice says sadly. Her tone hints that she might very well adopt the Lapi.

The Snowshoe daughter looks at Aaron curiously. "Just three of you? That's a tiny family!" She looks to her brothers, and hmmms. "Must be peaceful, though. What were you apprenticed off to?"

Aaron nods. "I meet up with my parents now and then, usually at an aunt or uncle's place for a big family reunion. I was apprenticed to my uncle here on Rephidim. He was the original owner of Lightfoot's Apothecary. He taught me herbs, outdoor survival, and business – and paid for me to go to Charm School and get sponsored in the Guild."

Anisa nearly chokes on a sprig of broccoli. "Ch- cough Charm School?? You went to Charm School?"

The two elder Snowshoes' eyes light up at the mention of Charm School in a way that makes Anisa rather nervous. Hopefully they'll forget all about it by the time the dinner crowd hits.

Aaron blinks in surprise. "Of course, Anisa. You can't get ahead in business without knowing how to talk to people and make a good first impression."

"Well … well I … I mean, being a waitress… " The pink ears turn red again as the white doe sinks into her chair, avoiding the gaze she's sure is emanating from her parents.

"I believe that Bessy went to Charm School for a bit," Beatrice says. "Her mother was grooming her for the family tailoring business. I think she prefers the kitchen, though."

Anisa slicks her ears back, and pops the rest of the broccoli into her mouth. "Or being a housewife," she mutters underneath her breath.

"Being a Lapi housewife is without a doubt the most difficult job in the world," Aaron says with a smirk. "My mother had trouble with it, and she was a professional mercenary before she got married."

Abram's ears flick. Unfortunately it's difficult to mumble around a Lapi and not be heard. Still, he keeps his thoughts to himself. "It's very nice of you to help Mister Lightfoot with all of his moving, Anisa."

The white doe rises back up in her chair, and pushes her finished plate aside. Regaining her composure, she nods. "It's the least I could do, with him lending me space and all, and – " The rabbit claps a paw to her mouth. "Er, I mean paying him back for the trip … and … uh… "

Aaron's ears flick at the slip, but he covers by munching on a carrot. "I'd like to compliment Bessy on the stew. It's excellent."

"Lending space? You're not planning to move in with Mister Lightfoot, are you?" The mother doe puts her hand on her spoon.

Anisa nods wildly in agreement with Aaron. "Yes! She did a very good job on it! The best she-" The doe cuts herself off, and sets her ears back guardedly. "Moving in? What are you talking about? I just … had to put some stuff at his house for a bit."

The Apothecary squeaks, and nearly chokes on a bit of potato.

"Are you sure, Anisa?" Royce teases. "If you did, then I could have your room!"

The Lapi's parents exchange glances with each other, communicating in that silent way that parents do. Abram is the one to finally speak up. "You're a big girl, Cristina. You know you don't have to hide anything from us."

The younger doe sighs, then nods. "Well, you remember that necklace pendant that the Khatta lady gave us? The one you liked for me to wear while I was on the shift?"

Beatrice and Abram both nod. Abram looks concerned at his daughter while Beatrice seems to be sizing Aaron up for a good whack with her spoon.

Aaron puts on his best innocent smile for Beatrice.

Anisa watches her mother for any sudden moves. "Remember when I got really sick not long after, and slept for several days straight? Well, it turns out," the doe says with a sigh, "that was because of the pendant. It had some kind of dream curse on it, but I didn't know about it." The rabbit wrings her napkin. "Not until I went to Caroban, that is."

This catches Aaron's attention more than Beatrice's spoon does, and he cants his ears towards Anisa and twitches his whiskers.

"Was the Khatta one of those hedge-witches? I'll sic the Temple forces on her if she steps in my restaurant again!" The mother doe frowns. "That sounds like awfully big magic to use on someone… "

Abram just nods and makes a "go on" gesture with his hand.

Anisa shakes her head. "No, Mama! I don't think she even knew what it was. When I was in Caroban, I met a mage who recognized the pendant, and told me what it was. Turns out, the College had been looking for it for quite some time, and he offered to take it from me." The doe puts her stressed napkin on the table. "When I got back home, I met with a master mage at the old college. He traded me for it."

Beatrice calms down a bit at the news, although still seems eager to bludgeon something with her spoon.

Understanding flickers on Aaron's face. "I figured you got all that stuff for knocking out Fuchsia."

"What did he trade it for?" Abram asks. "Something, I assume, that you thought we would disapprove of?"

Anisa shakes her head at Aaron. "No, all I got for that was a cracked jaw." She looks back to her father. "Considering what it was, I wasn't sure." She starts wringing her napkin again. "I know you don't like me fighting and doing things you think are unladylike, but … they gave me all of the college's old exercise equipment." The doe can't help but grin in spite of the situation. "Enough for an entire gym!"

The two elder rabbits trade blank stares. Abram sputters, "It's not that we disapprove … I mean … we do … but I … we don't … "

"So you're not moving in with Mister Lightfoot, or involved in anything illegal?" Beatrice asks, looking quite puzzled.

"Well, she was going to give me boxing lessons," Aaron admits.

"Of course not!" The doe looks annoyed. "Like I said, we're just friends! We're overfilled here, and Aaron had some extra space at his new house, so I asked him if he could lend me some space for a bit." She nods to the buck's comment. "And I'm gonna teach him how to fight, which that stuff'll help with."

"And you promised me one of the balls too," Ben chimes in.

"I told you to take it home with you," retorts Anisa.

"I forgot," Ben says, sinking in his chair a bit. "You wanted us to keep it a secret, remember?"

Royce just puts his face in his palms at that.

The mother doe looks a little relieved and pats Abram's arm.

The father Lapi nods. "Alright. I can't say that I approve of you rough-housing and such, but you're also old enough to make your own way and choose your own path. You've made it abundantly clear that you don't want to get married off or wish to be in the family business all your life." He pulls his napkin out of his shirt collar. "Please understand, though, Cristina, that if you are injured badly due to this equipment, I will insist that you cease. And as long as you live and eat here, I still need you to do your part. Is that understood?"

Anisa's ears perk up at Abram's permission, a small smile creeping out from her mouth. "You mean it? You don't mind?" She makes a quick glance to Aaron, then back to her parents, nodding to her father's conditions. "Yes, I understand perfectly," she says with a grin. "But you won't have to worry, because that won't happen! And I'll keep on doing my job. I need some way to make money."

"So much for getting my own room then," Royce mutters.

"You should have said she was a better cook," Ben whispers to his brother.

"We're not entirely pleased, Anisa," Beatrice says worriedly. "But … goodness, we were married and on our second child by the time we were your age. We do understand that we have to let you go and let you either succeed or make your own mistakes. Just don't get yourself hurt. I already worry myself over Tyson."

"Save your worry for him, not me," the young Lapi says with a grin. "I'll be just fine. I might even start up a business with the equipment some day. I'm not sure what to do with it all quite yet."

Abram looks at Aaron. "And don't let my daughter take advantage of your hospitality. If you want lessons from her, then make sure she gives them to you properly." He nods to Anisa. "It wouldn't hurt if she taught you a thing or two around the kitchen as well. She's capable of it."

"I'm hoping for dance lessons too," Aaron says. "And don't worry, I won't let her kill me, and I've got plenty of first-aid and painkillers available."

Anisa's ears redden a bit at the mention of cooking and dancing. "I won't take advantage of him, and I already promised him I'd teach him right." She smirks at her father. "Besides, I seem to recall someone teaching me to defend myself in the first place, when I was a little girl. Who could that have been?"

"It's because you take after your mother so much." Abram winks and then ducks a swat from his wife. "And I think with so many brothers, you'd have learned regardless. All I did was give you a head start."

"And we've all suffered for it," jokes Royce, keeping his guard up against further flying food.

"So, you still started the ball rolling, and now I'm passing it on, so to speak." The doe flicks a crumb at Royce. "And you shouldn't worry about me so much. I might start a family some day; I'm just not in a hurry."

"My own mother started at around Anisa's age herself," Aaron says, hoping to bolster Anisa's argument a bit.

Anisa crosses her arms, and nods in agreement with Aaron. "See?"

"Although being shot with a crossbow bolt may have slowed her down a bit before then," the buck adds.

Beatrice rises up and starts gathering up the dishes. "I've plenty of grandchildren, Cristina. I just want you to be happy and able to take care of yourself if anything should happen to me or Abram. Regardless though, we'll be here for you. Just for pity's sake don't get Coal or any of the younger ones interested in this. I have enough trouble pulling you off of each other without the lot of you being trained ring fighters or such."

Aaron quietly whispers to Abram, "Best investment my father ever made, that crossbow."

"Er, yeah… " The younger doe looks at Aaron in noncommittal agreement on this comment. "I've already taught Coal a little, but Petal's too small. He's gonna hafta learn how in this family. And I'll be happy, Mama; I can take care of myself." Standing up, the white Lapi starts to gather up the tableware as well. "I'll help you out with the dishes, so the boys can chat."

The elder doe smiles. "Alright. I'll get the bowls and you get the platters. We also need to start getting ready for the dinner crowd soon."

Anisa nods, and picks up the vegetable platters from the table. "Feel free to stick around as long as you like, Aaron, although it gets a bit busy in here during the rush times."

"Actually, I should head over to the Crafters' Quarter and start looking for furniture," Aaron says, then stands up and offers his hand to Abram. "Thank you for letting me join you for dinner, sir. It was very generous of you."

"I do hope that there was some protective equipment included in Anisa's supplies, Mister Lightfoot. Otherwise I suggest you start making a black-eye poultice as soon as you return home." Beatrice winks and pops into the kitchen.

Abram rises up and heartily shakes Aaron's hand. "Quite welcome, son. You're quite welcome." His voice drips of that "you have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into" tone.

Aaron grins, and points to his black-patched left eye. "I'll just make sure she only hits me on this side."

The white doe's ear dips a bit as Aaron says he has to leave, and dips even further at her mother's quip. "Here, let me take this to the kitchen, then I'll see you out." The Lapine disappears for a moment into the kitchen, then back out, tying an apron to her waist. "He's got the perfect disguise if I ever do."

Aaron smiles to Anisa and tries not to look too worried. "I'm not in trouble, am I?" he whispers to her.

Leading the way out of the kitchen and into the Tavern proper, Anisa gives the buck a confused look. "In trouble? In trouble for what? Mama and Daddy seemed to like you." She grins.

"That's what I meant," Aaron says with a grin.

"Well, then no, you're not in trouble," the doe winks winks. "Although I don't know why you should think you were. I'm surprised they made as little a deal over your being here as they did, knowing them."

"Well, you said I was just a friend," Aaron says. "Maybe they didn't want to get their hopes up or scare me off?"

Anisa scratches an ear. "I guess not. Maybe for once they got the picture." The doe pauses at the front door. "That is, I mean … as a friend."

Aaron grins. "Of course." He turns to face her and asks, "So, when's my first lesson? Do I have time to get a bed so I can convalesce properly afterwards?"

The white doe grins. "I suppose we can allow that. You need to be able to heal, after all." She steps outside, holding the door open for the buck. "And be sure to let me see what you get. You gotta make sure stuff matches, and the patterns are right. Otherwise, you'll just look tacky."

"Oh … yeah!" Aaron says. "I hadn't thought of that, thanks! Will you help me pick out stuff for the kitchen too?"

"Of course! And I'll teach you how to use it, too." Anisa grins, then falls into an awkward momentary silence. "Well … I guess I'd better go help Mama. See you later?"

Aaron bows to Anisa. "Of course, Miss Snowshoe. I still have to eat out after all."

Anisa giggles, curtseying despite the connotations attached. "Good. And, again … " The doe leans over, and gives Aaron a bear hug. "… thank you."

Aaron squeaks and flushes. "Of … of course, Anisa! I'll be back later with those duplicate keys for you too."

The white rabbit finishes the hug, then backs up to the door. "Bring them by anytime. Bye!" And with that, she disappears inside.

The apothecary takes a deep breath, and starts back into the city proper. If this is what being friends is like, it'd probably kill me if I actually dated her! he thinks, but grins all the same.