Keriann, Brigid, Oriel and Caitlyn stepped through the ships door and started toward the entrance. They were several steps away from the ship when the... became visible. Each was wearing their long purple ceremonial robes. These robes were made of a fine silk-like material. With each step the rippling fabric appeared to change from transparent to translucent, as well as changing from a dark rich purple to having almost no color. Although no one was close, their sudden appearance startled those. I had yet to meet them, but Annie knew them quite well. I asked him, “How much do you kids owe your parents? He said, “About 8 grand now, from the 10 they loaned us.” Ok, I said.“Well, Ann and I have discussed this, and we’ll pay that loan off, since your parents aren’t rich either and could probably use it for retirement one day. We think that since you 2 work well together and with us too, that we are going to expand in flipping homes, to 2 a year, and want you guys to work with us.”“Oh wow”. I stopped the ATV outside the gate and looked at the house. What had been a beautiful Victorian was now a ruin. Time and the salt air had reduced it to a shadow of what must have been a beautiful home ... a hundred years before.As we stood just outside the gate I glanced at Beth. Her bottom lip wasn't long for this world if she kept gnawing it."Are you ready for this?" I asked."No, but let's do it anyway. Tommy, if I don't look it'll always bother me."The gate was hanging from one hinge. I. "Wallet. It's a wallet."She smiled back. "Wally, you forghet the puhrse."I could tell she'd meant well, so I suppressed the tremor of an urge tocorrect her again and left with another smile and a "merci."She was at the checkout again for the next week's shopping, and she'dremembered me: "How ahre you, Wally?"I almost tried to correct her, but the effort it took to bridge thelanguage barrier trumped my vague annoyance. I smiled and mumbled "bon"or something. She smiled at me the whole time,.