"You see, while the parasol and most the other shops work only going back, there are a few other items in back which could feasibly let you retrieve your son and come back," the shopkeeper explained to Mary, back in the present.
"Show it to me," Mary insisted, but just then the door rang as new customers entered. Mary hastily put her pepper spray back in her purse, and the shopkeeper allowed himself a small smile of relief.
Trying to ignore his still burning eyes, the shopkeeper practically pounced on the new customers, glad to have something that kept Mary off his back, at least for a little while.
"Earl Grey," Brenden said finally, mentioning a tea he thought he heard his mother order before and hoping they had it here.
The ladies took the request in stride, so Brenden assumed it had worked. He noticed a ribbon on the table at his place, and absently picked it up, using it to tie his now shoulder length black ringlets behind his head.
Brenden then focused intently on his three fellows, trying to keep pace with their gossiping and banter and finding to his surprise he actually could.
