so far (so good)

8

word count: 960

While I was hurrying into the village -almost running- to get to Harwoodgem in time I started to think back; I haven't slept one full night in over a year but now all of a sudden I get to have a peaceful night and a long rest as well - I slept 9 hours.

When I finally arrived at the store I checked my watch only a couple minutes late, Tyler was already there talking to someone, I couldn't see who it was because they had their back against the door. I slowly entered the store, staying by the door so Tyler and the other person could finish their conversation. Tyler quiqley noticed that I was standing there and turned towards me.

"Hi, Eden. Is everything better from yesterday?" Tyler looked concerned, not like everyone else who took pity on me after seeing and hearing just that tiny portion; that can be all they need to see me as a charity case, but not Tyler. It was nice with some changes.

"Yeah, I'm all good.'' That's when the woman turned around, it was Elza. she explained that she was checking in on how I was settling in, Tyler had explained that i was a quick learner. Just before she walked out of the store she announced that she was the one to realize us by noon instead of one of our other coworkers.

It was a rather calm day with not many people in the store so not much to do. Me and Tyler had mostly talked the entire day while tidying up. A bit after noon Eliza entered with another woman right after her, it took me a while to notice them. Soon after they entered Tyler noticed them and greeted them.

"Hi, nice meeting you again." When I turned around and saw Eliza I stiffened a bit, she was my boss after all. But who was the other woman she was with?

"Hello" I managed to croax up. Eliza turned to the woman on her left and gave her a quick kiss and then she left. Must be her partner then. Just then a customer came in, one who Tyler took care of while he was out with them, Eliza and I went to the back, she wanted to talk to me.

"I just wanted to ask you how everything is going?"

"oh, ye-yeah. It's going great." I started to calm down a bit, still rather tense.

"Don't worry, I don't bite." Eliza chugeld a bit to the statement. " Is it something that bothers you? My wife says I'm a good listener, I don't know if I trust her on that but I am willing to try."

"the woman who entered the store, is that your wife?" she nodded her head. "Well it's nothing out of the ordinary. I have gotten used to everything at this point."

"Is it something you should be used to or something bad that just has happened so much now that it's almost like second nature?"

"Wait, ho-how? No one has noticed, or not had the guts to ask about it. But how did you know- how could you tell?"

"Well it's not uncommon, even in older generations, though most are too stubborn and conservative to confess that we do in fact struggle. So what's on your mind?"

"A lot, I don't even know what most of it is."

"Can you name something that you do know about?"

"well, I am queer and prefer- uses fae/faer pronouns."

"Then I will use them. You know that a lot of us use pronoun badges?"

"wait really?"

"Yeah, I think I still have some here. Is there something more you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, um. Tyler, he's really understanding, I have talked to him about quite a bit, tho instead of running away like everyone else, well he kept talking to me. He is one of the few only people who isn't scared nor take pity on me."

"Yeah, he is a great guy. And I get it, having a lot on your mind shure can make things hard at times." Eliza started looking around for something. "Here they are," she said, holding up a small box.

"Here is what?" confused what it was.

"the pronoun badges." she put down the box down and looked through it, after a couple minutes she held up a button with the words 'fae/faer' on it "if you want one?"

"Yeah, I would love to. It is hard to find any with the right pronouns."

she handed me the badge, "your welcome, now have a nice afternoon. Try to relax some, I think you might need it." I nodded and walked out to meet Tyler, he was just finishing up with the customer.

We went to the red velvet cafe to eat lunch, we barely talked while we were in the cafe. Once we were outside Tyler stopped in chook, mouth wide open. I looked at the person standing in front of us, she looked to be about the age of Tyler, she had really long blond hair up in two french braids, a pair of high heeled boots, making her a few centimeters taller than me, she wore a checkered flannel tied at her waist, she looks good. She looked almost as shocked as Tyler, but she also looked quite scared. It was something about her that seemed familiar though I can't really tell what it is.

"Um, is everything alright with you two?" I looked between the two trying to understand what is going on. "And who are you?" I looked towards the woman standing staring at us now.

"I am Eli, and you are?" she-Eli-Evangeline!- didn't look at me while speaking.

"I'm Eden, Tylers coworker."