Youth's Mist

Youth's Mist Ch 13

Joven

Thursday morning, and she's only been gone three hours. I hope my day starts speeding up soon. I was awakened by a text message this morning, when she left Burlap, and it put quite a pep in my step. Now, I've just got to stay busy till Sunday evening. No problem, our busiest day of the year is next Friday. I arrive at my office early, startling Susan. BUZZZ! BUZZ! I jump on my phone hoping its Pann again.

"Hey your Pann came by the fountain a few hours ago, thought you might want to know,"-Stan texted me.

Play it cool, Joven, I tell myself and text back. "Did she stay long?"

"Nope, she just through a few quarters in, winked and left"-Stan

Threw in a few quarters? Whatever she was wishing for, that's a high price point. We've learned over the years the coins reflect the desire of the wisher. We've, also, learned coins increase leading up to Christmas just before the fountain is drained for winter. We assume kids are wishing to erase any transgressions, and have Santa Claus remove them from the naughty list. I'm just hoping at least one of those quarters that Pann threw in, was for this Dewbie.

"Thx, Stan," I text back.

Okay, back to work. Focus.

"I need those last few reports and background checks when you get them, please," I tell Susan before I close the door to my office.

Sitting behind my desk, I place my cell phone within reach and tilted at an angle that will allow for easy viewing. It feels we are already a "couple," and I can't get this goofy grin off my face.

"Do you want me to hold all your calls so you're not distracted from staring at your cell phone?" My very sarcastic assistant says upon entering.

"Ha. Ha. I'm just trying to be attentive to all Dewbies. I'm an employee to Dewstone, so I need to always be available. If that means I'm a slave to my cell phone, then so be it," I explain.

"Or.... Maybe it's there for cute girls named Pann. When is your next date?" Susan asks.

"You do realize it's called a Private Life because it's private; right? But I don't mind telling you that it's this Sunday evening at the fountain."

My phone beeps with a message.

I ignore Susan's laughter as I move, I move faster than the day I set some sticks on fire behind our home and a much winded dad caught me. Unfortunately, it's not Pann, just Heif setting up a lunch date for today. I reply and then refocus myself back on work, making sure to prop the phone up in its new resting place. Once Susan leaves, I spend the morning working. Tomorrow is a meeting with all the City Council members in the Dewstone gymnasium.

Leaving at noon, I head into downtown Dewstone to have lunch with Heif, which is usually a relaxing thing. We ended up meeting at "In a Pork's Eye," grabbing a BLT sandwich, and eating in the downtown park area below the water fountain in UpAbove.

"So, what was going on with you and Karmony at the concert last night?" I ask. I might as well jump into the drama with both feet and figure things out now.

"Nothing. Well nothing much. I think you may have a problem on your hands. I'm not talking about ants in our granaries kind of problem, but more like an underground tsunami," states Heif.

"Problem? Summer Solstice is next Friday, of course I have problems. Do you want me to list them for you?" I ask. Heif isn't usually dramatic, but he seems pretty strummed up.

"No, I mean with Karmony. I invited her to sit with me, but then she dragged me to your area. She has some impressive muscles. That kickboxing class they started in the gym, is really paying off. She kept punching me in my arm. You're the reason I have to eat my sandwich in my left hand today," he says.