Page 122 of Labor of Love

“There is a story there,” Marcus said from where he flew beside them. “Will you share it with us?”

“Of course,” Laney said as they banked, allowing him a clear view of a building with breads and all kinds of baked goods in the window. “Ohh, that place smells wonderful.”

“They make the best garlic cheese knots in town,” Marcus said. “With an herbed goat cheese filling that’s simply divine.”

“If I hadn’t just eaten dinner, I’d beg you to land for a moment just so I could try one,” Laney declared.

“No need to beg,” Marcus said. “I’ll pop in tomorrow and pick up a fresh batch. Your room has a kitchenette in it, with a mini fridge and countertop range in case you want to cook in between meals. There are always leftovers in the kitchen too, but it’s nice to stock things you love for when you want a particular treat.”

“I love fruit,” Laney declared. “And mushrooms and goat cheese. I’d definitely want to keep some in my room for down time and when I just felt like tossing together a soup and nibbling fruit on the side.”

“Then we’ll be sure to show you which shops carry what and introduce you to the shop owners,” Truett said.

“Umm, I do have a question, about how your trading system works for someone like me?”

“Everyone’s time holds the same value here,” Truett explained. “You can trade ten minutes, an hour, however much equates to the cost of the items you need. Shop owners can trade those hours to someone else for purchases they wish to make, or work they need to have done. The hours circulate around, the same as if you were trading goods and services. That way, your actual time remains spent within the household, where you’re needed more than I have words to express.”

“I like that,” Laney said. “Where I lived before, I was expected to be available to everyone as long they contracted through our coordinator and of course, could pay the fee.”

“Which I’m sure your coordinator took a cut of before you ever say any of it.”

“It’s their way and the only way a companion was able to work. Regulations and all,” Laney explained. “I was licensed and everything. Each year we were required to take a specific number of skills workshops in order to improve the ones we had as well as attain new ones. Our clients were even allowed to leave reviews and request which companions they were seeking if they’d taken a specific liking to one of us.”

“Here, you’ll be provided with a planner to schedule your appointments and to keep track of your hours in,” Marcus explained. “The only rule we have for making and keeping appointment is that you take them on a first come, first serve basis and honor the ones you make unless you are ill, or the other party has been called away.”

“I like that way better,” Laney said. “It keeps feelings from getting hurt and jealousy from taking root.”

“Precisely,” Marcus said. “And just in case a certain someone is thinking of getting a jump on asking you to commit to tri-weekly night flights around this hour, I hope he’ll refrain untilafter the official announcement has been made, so everyone has a fair chance of reaching out to you and claiming time.”

Beneath him, Truett chuckled.

“Guilty as charged, I was considering it,” Truett admitted. “It’s been too long since I had a flying companion. You know how Christian feels about it. He’ll come, but he rides stiff and clings the whole time with his face buried against my chest like he’s terrified I’ll drop him.”

“I love this,” Laney admitted, giving a light tug to Truett’s hair the made the gargoyle groan and glide as he swooped low to show off the village’s playhouse with a glittering marquee of tiny fae who artfully rearranged themselves into messages every few minutes.

“Now that is a favorite spot of mine,” Marcus admitted as they circled it. “When I need an escape from everything I come here and see what the performance trope has dreamed up. They are always working on something and with the number of performers they have, they do everything from murder mystery dinners to interactive comedy shows.”

“Now those happen to be my favorites,” Truett admitted as they touched down on top of the theater.

“Only because you enjoy having a chance to heckle without getting into trouble for it,” Marcus tossed out, as Truett knelt.

“This is the furthest point in the village,” Truett explained. “But the woods are alive tonight with story circles and games.”

“I’ll carry you over them, if you’ll allow me,” Marcus said. “And I believe you still owe us a story about someone getting his hair snarled in a chandelier.”

Laney giggled at the reminder of that as he got down, then fluttered in front of Truett to hug him and thank him for showing him so many of the sights there was to see in the village. The view of the shops, even from the outside, had been more than enough to waken excitement in him about living here andhaving the opportunity to explore every one of them. Truett held him close, in his arms and in his wings, while Laney melted against him, reluctant to leave his embrace even after Truett turned him loose.

Laney hoped he was being subtle when he glanced down at his arm, hoping to see even the smallest slash of color there, but just as when he’d met the father of the babe he carried, the skin remained blank, ending yet another hope as he turned to approach Marcus, with the biggest smile he could manage plastered on his face.

It wouldn’t do to let them see his disappointment, not when it could be misconstrued as appearing because it was time for him to change partners. He’d snuck the same glance at his arm before stepping out of the vehicle after his ride with Marcus and been just as sad to see nothing there as he was now.

“Do you enjoy having your hair pulled as well?” Laney asked as he fluttered into place and cuddled up against his back.

“I more prefer the dangle method, if you don’t mind,” Marcus said.

“Of course, not a problem at all,” Laney replied as he arranged himself accordingly.

Within moments they were off again, circling around the edge of the village before heading off towards the lights in the forest. This close to Marcus, he could feel that air of contentment again that had wrapped around him in the car. Pleasant and cozy, he rested his head on the back of Marcus’s shoulder, giggling as a few stands of his hair tickled his nose.

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