Reaching Mr.Humphis' humble home, Florah gently knocked on the door, for the old man to open it and kindly smile at the red head. "Come in girl, i prepared some vegetable soup" the old man said. "Am fine Mr. Humphis, I have already eaten lunch, you don't have to trouble yourself" Florah politely rejected.
"Nonsense child, you are already too thin and I can't let you help me for free"."Let me put it in a bowl, you will have it for supper" Mr.Humphis said in a raspy voice. "Thank you" Florah could only say helplessly.
"Little Florah, I regret to inform you but I might have to sell old Bessie, I need to pay off those money hooligans".
"WHAT!" Florah exclaimed, "I need to pay off my debts before 'cough' 'cough' " the sickly Mr.Humphis said while coughing, Florah grabbed a glass from a wooden cabinet and poured Mr.Humphis a glass of water to soothe his throat.
"Thank you" he said "You don't have to trouble yourself Mr.Humphis, you are already not well, I will help you take Bessie to the market " Florah said.
"No you don't have to 'cough' 'cough'..." The old man coughed again. Florah literally had to push the sickly old man to rest as he was very stubborn.
The two agreed to fix the shed tomorrow, before taking little Willie's mother 'Bessie' to be sold off at the market.
The next day, Florah woke up extremely early as her body as well rested unlike the other night. Trekking to Mr.Humphis' house to execute there plans today, before she went off to work. She found the old man already awake and it looked like he was waiting on her to get started.
A couple of minutes after fixing the shed, the sickly old man tied a rope around his fat female sheep 'Bessie' and dragged her to the market escorted by Florah. The duo was sad to take Bessie to be sold off which meant that the animal, was gonna end up on someone's plate but they had no choice.
"Sir, your cow is too thin for thirty-five silver coins " A chubby bald man strongly stated."so what can you pay me for it".
A scrawny man wearing a hat who was selling his cow asked. "About twenty two silvers" the bald one answered."WHAT!! THAT'S PREPOSTEROUS" the owner exclaimed and the two started arguing.
The muffled sounds of numerous people and the unpleasant smell clearly stated that 'Florah and Mr.Humphis' had arrived at the market. The duo squeezed through the crowd to reach the stall of an eligible buyer for 'Bessie'. "ALFRED" called Mr.Humphis, for a middle aged man to walk towards the two.
"Here she is" old Humphis said while pulling at Bessie's rope,"hmmmm" the man named Alfred hummed in agreement. "Twenty-five silvers as we agreed" Alfred handed the money to the old man. The two men shook hands upon their transaction.
Mr.Humphis held the money and Florah close to him as he could see some dirty men had started to eye the red head as she stood out like a red rose in an open field.
Dragging the girl away from the meats side of the market, he said "OKAY, I think you know the way from here" to which Florah nodded "Here, for all your troubles" he said pulling Florah's hand gently and inserting two silvers in her palm and quickly left the place, disappearing into the crowd before the girl could refuse.
'Huuh' sighing in defeat, Florah placed the two coins in her pouch and tied it back around her wrist. Maneuvering her way through the crowded market to reach her stall. She found her 'beautiful' employer setting up the stall, only for her to hurry before Miss Bernatta would find a reason to fire her.
"Good morning, Ma'am" Florah greeted with a smile.
"It would be, if you helped me rather than standing there and smiling like a goat". The middle aged woman answered sweetly. ( note the sarcasm)
'Oh that joyful voice, how I love to hear it' Florah thought sarcastically. After setting up the supply at the stall, customers started pouring in one after the other.
Florah was already tired but who was she to complain, "I always hate these things, they get to dress up and eat to there hearts content. While we serve and clean up after them " a young lady rattled on with scowl on her face while her friend listened. "Well atleast, I will be able to be in the same room as 'Him "the friend said with a dreamy look in her brown eyes.
The two lady customers conversed while they bought from the stall, "Six boxes of tomatoes, please" they said "That will be twelve silvers and four copper" Miss Bernatta replied.
"These are too heavy, why do we have to do it all by ourselves, when are they hiring more servants" the brown eyed girl complained.
"Well numerous girls come to apply and do the interview but that old Gargoyle keeps chasing them away". The two girls paid and left the stall.
Florah had been too tired to be interested in the conversation of the gossiping girls,but their last statement had caught her attention.
It was too bad that the girls left only after they said that, her eyes followed them as they left and she came to see two men take the wooden boxes, from the girls and carry them to the southern side of the market.