Eva smiled and looked over at where it seemed that Akane was, offering him a smile too. "You be good, Akane." She closed the window and headed in the opposite direction, taking Colin by the hand and leading him to the front door.

Akane blinked at this a moment before chuckling softly. "She never seases to amaze me."


Colin followed closely. "i'm sorry. i don't mean to be like that. The scary monster man scares me though."

Eva smiled and patted him on the head again. "Don't worry," she said, "I don't mind. I understand that when you're afraid, you're afraid. I won't get mad at you for it." She kissed him on the top of the head and lead him out the front door toward the garage. She noticed two older women walking down the sidewalk, chatting just before they noticed her. "Hello," she said pleasantly, "beautiful day out today, isn't it?" The nodded, smiling back. She walked into the garage, making sure Colin had followed her before stepping out of their view. "Now how are we going to pull this off without them seeing that I'm talking to you?"

The two older ladies continued up the sidewalk. "Good afternoon, young Andrew!" called one, waving to him, leaning her weight on her cane, "what on earth are you doing?"

He shrugged. "do you have a cell phone? you could pretend you're talking on it."

Andrew looked up after grabbing another board and smiled. "After noon!" he smiled. "i'd wave but my hands are full. Eva just moved in and unfortunately yesterday the deck on the second floor broke back there." he pointed towars the side of the house. "i'm fixing it. looks like the whole back portion has been eaten. it wasn't sealed wood."

Eva shook her head. "I've never had a cell phone.... um... oh... let's see if...." She reached into one of the cars and grabbed out the wireless car phone. "Do you think this'll work?"

The lady smiled coyly at him. "Already doing chores for this one, hm?" she teased, "look out boy, you'll have to put a ring on her finger in record time." She and her friend laughed heartily at this.

Colin nodded. "if you can take it in the store yeah. i think it'll work. unless you don't want to talk to me in the store. i'll be okay with that."

Andrew chuckled. "it's not that serious ladies, i promise i'll be good this time! say, mrs. ratcliff do you need any chores done?"

"Not for a while," she said, "my grandson's in town for a few months. He finally told his mother where to go and visited his father's mother. Isn't that wonderful?" She beamed, "he's about your age, so if you're interested, he likes darts, beer, and most of those manly things."

He blinked a moment, unsure of what in the world she was getting at. "Well, i'm having a halloween party friday night so he's more than welcome to stop by. it's costumed and i'll have a special treat for the kids."

The woman waved and they continue walking on. A few moments later, one of the cars pulled out of the garage and the large door closed, Eva driving off with a quick honk.

Andrew waved and went back to his work. Akane chuckled for a moment. "it kinda sounded like she was trying to hook you up with him..."

Andrew grimmaced. "yeah well she can try all she wants."


Colin hummed happily to a song that was popular on the radio before he'd died, his feet swinging happily back and forth.

When Eva arrived back at the house, she left the plastic bags in the car and stomped into the house angrily. Stupid normal people, stupid cashiers, stupid... PEOPLE!! She growled as she stomped up the stairs and back down again, taking out her frustration and anger on each step.

Andrew heard the pounding from inside, over his own hammering. Akane was the first to come in and see what was going on. Colin sat looking rather depressed on the couch and Akane made sure to make wide birth around the child as he made his way to Eva.

Andrew didn't bother with the door and opened the window, sliding into the kitchen. "Eva?" he asked as he came around the corner to see her. "What's going on?"

"Stupidstupidstupid..." she paused to look at him, huffing slightly, "Why do people HAVE to be SO STUPID!?!?" she demanded smacking her fist on the handrail, "when did we start devolving into such ignorant creatures!? Why--" She smacked her hand on the banister again and turned, stomping up the stairs again, reaching the top and stomping back down.

Akane and Andrew both stared at her, neither quite sure what to say. "um..." he looked back at the sad looking Colin then back to Eva. "What happened? why are people stupid? did you get into an accident? are you okay?"

Eva pressed her fingers to her temples. "They're stupid because they APPARENTLY don't know where their own products are. I, as the customer, am a simple annoyance who is not ALLOWED to ask questions. Poor Colin had to follow behind without me acting like I was listening to him because the car phone that I was using was stolen right from my hand bu some idiot. Apparently he thought, oh, she doesn't have a purse, so I might as well take this..." She thrust her hands into her hear, tugging at it roughly. "AAAGH!!!"

Andrew took her hands quickly. "calm down. so they're stupid. you found the stuff you need right? i'm sure that car phone will be found quickly. he probably thought it was a cell phone. do you want to call the police?"

he was trying to get the woman calm.

"Police are useless and I doubt I'd ever use it," she said, trying to breath more slowly, "I'm just... not used to dealing with people. They annoy the hell out of me..." She closed her eyes, taking a few more deep breaths. "Sorry. I wanted to take it out on the stairs so that I wouldn't start yelling at you."

He chuckled a little nervousely at this. "well lets forget about it now and go into the kitchen. i could use a drink i'm sure you could too. i heard something about cookies..."

Eva paused. "Oh... Colin and I were going to make cookies... I'll make some lemonade too..." She looked at the spot where she could feel Akane now that she was calm, "erm... just keep a wide birth around Colin, okay? He's terrified of you and if I see him cry again I'm liable to do the same for a few hours, alright?" She hugged Andrew for a moment. "Thanks, Andrew."

Akane sighed and went back out side to sit down. he didn't have the energy to deal with the child right now. Andrew and Colin followed her. Colin sat down on one of the barstools at the small table. "lemonaid sounds good." he tried to give a smile but he didn't like it when Eva was upset.

Eva paused. "Andrew," she said, "could you go out to the car and grab the groceries? There's only two bags. When you come back in the lemonade'll be almost ready."

He nodded. "Sure thing." he was out the window before she could even blink and went to the car to get the bags. he sighed softly as he grabbed them. maybe he'd do her shopping from now on...

Eva grabbed some lemons from the refrigerator, a small yellow can from the freezer, and a pitcher. She opened the can and dumped into the pitcher, then filled the pitcher with water, squeezing in the juice from the three lemons. Then she grabbed sugar and dropped in a handful, stirring with a big wooden spoon. Then from the freezer she grabbed some frozen strawberries and ice, dumping both in as well. "And there we go," she said, "strawberry lemonade, the way my mom used to make it."

Colin smiled brightly. "looks yummy! i think Andrew will like it."

Andrew came back, looking almost like a beaten puppy. he was tired already. having not slept at all and now doing strenuous labor was taking it's tole on him. "Sheesh, it's hot for October..."

Eva's brows creased with worry as she set down the lemonade. "Oh my," she said, "are you feeling alright?" She took the bags from him effortlessly, setting them on the counter before making her way back to the man and feeling his forehead, then her own. "You're warm," she said, "did you come inside at all while I was out?"