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My next visitor that’d drop by came in the form of a quick phone call... because, before anything else, I needed some clarification. See, I aspire to be many things, but a thief was far down there in the list of ambitions.

Leon finally picked up midway through my third attempt at dialing him. Apparently, his part-time modeling gig has a strict no-smartphone policy they proactively enforce.

“Ah, about time you called about that,” He said over the constant clicking and shuttering in the background. “Was starting to think you just never noticed or that rancher fella didn’t give her to you like I asked.”

So to no surprise, as Leon went to explain, his father made an arrangement with the rancher, and everything just fell in place... to which then I just had to inquire.

“Give her to me?” I echoed back at him. “You’re seriously giving Lyn to me?”

“Sure, why not?” He said nonchalantly as if giving away the finest steed in all the lands was the equivalent of sharing a stick of gum. “I mean you like her, she’s fond of you... more fond than me, apparently. So it’s only right, right?”

.....

His flawless logic astounds me.

“But she’s your horse.”

“Not anymore,” He chuckled. “Take good care of her, would you?”

Didn’t know how exactly to react to this. Generosity so baffling, that a simple ‘thank you’ didn’t feel like an appropriate response.

“Oh, and another thing too – were you ever planning to let me on the in that apparently your dad and mine go all the way back? When I mentioned to father about gifting Lyn you, he told me that he knows you and your dad quite well already.”

Well... guess that cat’s finally out of the bag.

“Business partners, right?” Leon continued. “Joined the company, worked their way up to the top, then your dad called it quits. Why, though? Father said your dad was a very good businessman, weird he’d just bail out of the blue.”

“Ah, well, he’s more of a labor guy by heart,” I played along. “Trust me, he’s plenty happy where he is now.”

“Alright, sure, I’ll take your word for it.”

Something tells me that if I reveal to Leon what kind of business they were really in, I don’t think his old man would much appreciate that... and more than anything else, his negative attention was the last thing I wanted.

Especially after the last time I got it.

“Anyway, yeah, I won’t keep you now,” I said, about ready to take my leave. “Um, anyway, thanks for Lyn again, and good luck with your modeling gig. See ya, man.”

“Wait, wait, hold up!” He practically yelled through the speakers. “Forgot to ask – you coming back to town anytime soon?”

Slowly, I drew my phone back to my ear. “I’m planning on it, why?”

“Great, that’s great!” He said, and I could keenly hear the glee in his voice. “Listen, there’s this college film group, and they’re working on this project for quite some time – a short fan film about Asteria. I and some other folks are actors in it, but there’s this scene we’re about to shoot soon, and unfortunately, we’re a couple of people short... you see where I’m going with this?”

I do indeed see where this was going, alright. “You want to make an actor out of me.”

“For just a single scene, yeah, quick scene,” Leon quickly reaffirmed, sensing my reluctance. “You and maybe some other people you know too – the twins that were with you at the station before? Or maybe, uh, maybe you could also bring Ash along, hm? You know, if she’s, uh, interested in getting involved in it, that is. So yeah, piqued your interest?”

In the corner of my sight, I caught Ash’s eye close by, hearing every word spoken almost as well as I with those finely-tuned ears of hers. I gave her a look, silently inquiring about her opinions on the matter, and she promptly threw me a look back basically conveying that the choice was ultimately mine to decide... and after considering it heavily, the state I was in, the things I went through, and my general lack of interest in hectic outings at the moment – decide I did.

“Nah, we’re good, Leon,” I replied. “Thanks for asking anyway.”

On the other end of the line, I could almost hear him shaking his head, though also doing so with a smile.

“Shame,” He sighed. “Well, if you ever do change your mind – you know who to call.”

“Will do.”

And with that, Leon dropped the call, and was it just me, or does he feel like a lot more cordial than before? I don’t know, surprisingly, when he’s not constantly hounding after Ash every waking moment, he’s actually a pretty amicable guy.

Okay, now that I got that out of the way... here comes the hard part. Oh boy, I’m feeling the pressure already.

“Is something awry, Master?” Ash asked, huddling closer, watching me fiddle and swipe through my notifications. “You appear to be quite tense.”

“Well, Amanda can get pretty tense...” I weakly muttered, then narrowed my lips knowing just what was to come right after. “And Irene even tenser...”

“Indeed, a loved one risking death...” She said, throwing a knowing glance at me. “It tends to bring about quite an intense air depending on the individual.”

“You’re telling me...”

“They love you, Master, the same as I,” Ash smiled and reassured. “Whatever their reaction may be, no matter how strong or despondent, do bear in mind, that it’s all a vocal reflection of that same adoration.”

With a firm press of my thumb against the ‘video call’ button, I threw my hesitation out the window, and braced myself in anticipation for my next visitor dropping in on me.

Amanda picked up before the second ring could even sound, and before I knew it, I was straining a smile before a foreground of a mug, a book, and the dim glow of a computer nearby.

Just silence, no cheery greetings that I was usually accustomed to hearing, instead there was just the clatter of keys as I watch her fingers quietly type away at the keyboard. This doesn’t bode well.

Hell, she wasn’t even looking at her phone.

“Amanda?” I cautiously called for her. “Can you hear me?”

As a response, she lifted the mug and took a sip from it all the while maintaining a blank, unfeeling stare at her computer monitor that could rival Adalia’s.

“Lady Amanda,” Ash suddenly chimed in from the side. “Master dearly wishes to speak to you. if you would allow him the chance?”

Hearing Ash was somehow the thing that spurred her eyes to divert away from the harsh glow of the monitor, and deep into mine, still unfeeling, still so distant.

“Oh yeah?” She stopped typing. “Didn’t seem so keen to talk to me two days ago, was he?”

Yikes...

“In fact, it seems as if he was much keener on killing himself in spite of the fact he already almost did instead of staying in bed and I don’t know – calling his girlfriend first so that she could at least stop worrying about whether or not she’ll have to buy a mourning gown for a funeral that may or may not be planned soon?!”

“Okay, you’re upset, you’re mad, you’ve every right to be,” I hastily cut in before she could blow out my phone speakers. “See, back then, in the moment, I wasn’t thinking about – ”

“Exactly!” She interrupted. “You don’t think, that’s the issue! That’s what I was worried about! So eager to save a life you can’t even begin to give a damn about your own! Well, I give a damn! In case you didn’t know – I do! I give a damn so much!”

All this yelling, Ash was right – I could feel the love alright.

But in all seriousness... I can’t even begin to imagine how she felt being so far away. Helplesness, that feeling. If I can barely stand it, then I don’t know she does it.

“Look I – ” I couldn’t even retort, there’s no ‘but’ I could think to refute with. “I don’t suppose I can get be somehow let of easier with an apology, can I?”

Amanda took another sip of her cup, burrowing deeper into my soul with her unblinking stare, and I quickly got the message.

“Okay, I’ll hold my tongue then,” I said.

“You’re gonna have to do a whole lot more than just apologize if you want to make it up to me.”

“I suppose so...” I breathed out. “Fine – anything you want, anything you wish – all yours. Just say the word.”

She raised a brow to her glare. “Really now?”

“Yeah, go nuts.”

“Sure? No takebacks?”

“Anything.”

That’s when she formed a smile, but not the cheery, wholesome extra sweet one that I knew of her. This smile was devilish, evil... a smirk rivaling the devil.

“Well, you see,” She quietly began, rubbing her hands with a twinkle in her eye. “There’s actually this college film project that I’m starring in at the moment...”