Aleah wasn’t expecting to be babysitting when she woke up that day, but here she was. Lucinda was picking flowers, catching bugs, collecting berries, and the sort, all placing them in her bag. She was a strange child, but he had to interact with her.

“So why do you collect all of these things?” Aleah asked.

“Because my book says they’re useful,” she replied with childhood ignorance.

“Really? What does your book say about this?” Aleah asked, pointing at a small red flower.

“That is a poppy,” she said, “they can be used for harmful elixirs, but on their own they aren’t harmful. Don’t eat it because then you’d get sick. If you mix it with the right materials, you can make a fire elixir that could burn down the entire town.”

“So they’re useful?”

“If you like fighting,” she said, “But I don’t.”

Rain has absolutely no idea how to cook, what she likes to eat or otherwise. This irritated Duane, who would already have been on his way if it weren’t for her indecisiveness. To be completely honest Duane didn’t trust Aleah with Lucinda. She could be a handful at times, and Aleah seemed too childish to take care of her.

“Duane,” Rain said, addressing him as if they were old friends, “I’ve been a fan of apples, and I know Aleah likes meat. Is there anything you can make with that?”

“Well, there’s a few things I can think of,” Duane replied, “Are you by chance a fan of pie?”

Rain remembered his mother. She could make a pie that by the time you smelt it, you’d be home in time to eat it. There was a reason Rain had a sweet tooth for baked goods. “That would be nice, I think Aleah would enjoy them too.”

“And for meat, I can make brisket, pulled pork, steak, any of ‘ose seem okay to you?”

“I have no idea what any of those are but I think Aleah would enjoy them.”