Lyra and Nero bought groceries and picked their way through the market. They stopped and talked about what vegetables and fruits to get.
"You know there used to be more shops around here. There used to be venders from cities from other countries. I would come here with my father and Ouran. He would tell us each to pick out whatever we wanted and he would make something delicious with it. I would always pick dinner and Ouran would pick desert. Quitum never wanted to come. We were kids, so we would pick the craziest things." Lyra said as Nero picked up a weird shaped apple. "Looking back I don't know how he did it but the food was always so good. I look back and wish I would have known to savor those meals just a little bit more you know." She looked down and smiled. "What's your dad like. You mentioned you were kicked out by your mom. What was her name, Criselda, right?"
"It's complicated. Hey do you mind if we stop in this shop." He asked already half in the door.
She noticed that he avoided her question and her eye contact."Yeah sure."
"Hello?" Lyra called out. "Nero, It looks like she might be out." Lyra grabbed Nero's shirt as he fumbled through herbs and spices. Nero stopped and looked around the store.
"But the door was open, shes here somewhere. Come on out you creepy old lady! I know you're hiding somewhere!"
"Why would she be hiding?" She asks confused.
"She's always trying to sneak up on some one."
A hand appeared from under the table. "Why would she want to sneak..." Lyra felt something on her leg and looked down and saw the old womans face pearing up at her.
The thin fingered hand wrapped around Lyra's leg. "Can I help you with something young lady?"
"AHHH!" Lyra let out a scream and jumped tossing the bag up into the air.
Nero stepped forward and caught the bag.
The old woman turned her head and struggles to make out Nero's face. "Lil' Nero, is that you?"
"Hey Grandma. What the hell are you doing down there?" He asked.
Lyra somewhat caught her breath. "Grandma! You know each other?"
"Yeah." He shamefully admitted.
"I lost my ring, so I was searching for it. You have a problem with that or are you going to get down and help this old lady?" She leaned against the table she crawled out of.
"You look like your doing a great job on your own, enough to scare away potential customers." He pointed at the still lightly frightened Lyra. She looked up dewy eyed.
"Scare? Oh no, I didn't mean to scare her. Please, give me a hand. I can't get up my back." Her back cracked and she let out a deep groan.
Nero ignored her hand and picked up another herb. Lyra reached down for her. "Hah, where'd you lose it?"
Nero rolled his eyes at her. Lyra looked at Nero for approval and he shook his head. Then she looked back at the old lady. 'She's just an old lady' Lyra thought as she reached closer then she saw a twinkle in the old bags' eyes. Startled she pulled her hand back.
Nero stepped up and tried to kick the granny but she dodged and skirted away. "See! She isn't helpless." He chased after, "She's secretly the queen cockroach." An image of a roach with the old ladies head on it came to Lyra's mind.
Nero chased after her. "Now I'm going to introduce you to the bottom of the last shoe you'll ever see."
While Nero was chasing the old lady around, Lyra noticed a ring on the floor. She picked it up. The old lady noticed, stood up, and ran over and plucked it from her hand. "There it is! Did you take it?" She says accusing Lyra of theft.
"When could she have taken it you old old old...I'm sorry." Nero apologized to Lyra.
She then slipped it on her finger with no resistance. "Well either way I have it back. You know my mother wore this ring everyday of her life. I just found it again. It would be a shame to lose something so precious." She dropped her hands to her side and the ring slid right off. She didn't even flinch.
Lyra looked at Nero and he just shook his head.
Lyra picked up the ring. "Here Le me help." She fumbled with the ring. Lyra dropped the ring from her hand and it was attached to a string. "It's a necklace. Now, you can't lose it."
"Yeah right next she'll lose her head and the necklace will slide right off." Nero scoffed.
The old lady jumped up and smacked Nero in the head. "You always did have a smart mouth. Respect your elders."
"Damn old lady! Ahhhhh!" Nero chased the old lady around and Lyra laughed at them. Between what happened to her parents and trying to come up with their taxes she hadn't had the energy. Seeing the two of them go at it was like her home used to be. Full of noise. She and her siblings didn't get along very well. She didn't get along with Quitum and Quitum annoyed everybody but their dad. Her dad and Quitum would always be talking over some papers at the dinner table. Even though they fought a lot, it was better than the silence.
Nero leaned over. "Damnit that old hag has stamina."
"Are you done?" Lyra asked.
"For now." He conceded.
"So where have you been. I thought you got fired." The old lady asked.
"No, that wasn't it. And why do you care?" He responded angrily.
"Criselda is a rose." She chided him.
"Yeah, thorns and all." He smirked.
"She never did talk about you after the change. I just figured it was a bad falling out or something."
"No, she just kicked me out."
"What you two lived together? Love comes in all forms huh." She looked away.
"Hey no. Don't give her any ideas." Nero frowned at Lyra. "Not like that Criselda. Raised me."
"Well either way you found a replacement?" She gestured at Lyra. "So are you planning on staying at the port."
"I don't think so." He sighed.
"So you want some tobacco?"
"Please." He put his hands together.
"Have you seen Kota?" She grabbed some tobacco and rolled it into a cloth, tied it off, and hands it to him.
"No not in a while. I thought he left." Nero averted his eyes.
"No he was just here the other day for the same thing."
"What? Like passing through and alive?"
"Yup your old friend. As much as the port doesn't want him, it seems the tide that brought him in has just never left."
A woman in a white dress and pale skin, appears in front of Lyra. "He deserves to know."
Lyra ran out the door.
"Hey wait. Lyra!" He headed towards the door after her.
"Hey boy! Where do you think your going. You have to pay for that."
"Just charge Criselda when you see her."
Nero ran up and caught Lyra and when he turned her around she was crying.
"You're friends with Kota?!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Thanks for reading!