The layout of the stage would be perfect, with the back passageway to a small room which the Reverend used as a small office. Well it just so happened...that next Sunday I saw Mary Jean, the new teacher at the local elementary school. She’d been ahead of me in school and when she went off to college I kind of forgot about her. Well, after I graduated high school and then quickly flunked out of college I returned to town and spotted her walking into school. She always was nice, but too nice, one. Kristina settled the rather large bill, which Octa would be paying herfor, and Sheela was so grateful she helped them gather their things andconsolidate them into fewer bags. Rowan kept out one of the new handbagsand put her few items into it. They bid farewell to Sheela and headedoff to dinner.***Kristina's brownstone was only a short walk to her hair salon. She hadcome back from the lab early to get Rowan and take her over to see Anna,her stylist."You ready? We can walk over there, it's. ." he rolled his hand a little, " ... uh..." No!" I stared at him, actually shocked that he might be thinking what I thought he was. "God no, Daddy!" and that was undeniably the truth as he could undeniably see."Okay, um ... Good," he nodded. "You have to protect yourself, okay? I know you're growing up and well, you had to get a boyfriend sometime, I reckon. Just make sure..." I'm careful, Daddy." I promised with a nod."Bring the boy around sometime, okay? Probably a good thing we have a. Mother would spend her time at home with me, getting her village favorites ready. Some villagers would bring a specialty food to share at the festival. For my mother, that would be her berry tarts. She would be up at dawn preparing everything and then I would assist her in making them.My job had been to put a scoop of filling into each tart. One flavor per batch, so that they did not get mixed up. Mother would usually make two batches of each flavor. Ishaan berries, which were bright green with.