The bath was just the start. The real ‘relaxation’, if it could be called that, happened afterwards. The two made their way to the bed, enjoying each other’s company till later in the night. When the morning sun hit the windows, the two stirred awake. It was Leilah, who was first to rouse. When she snuggled up to Raile, he awoke, if only to pull Leilah into a loving embrace.

“It’s chilly…you’re warm,” he muttered, still half asleep as he buried his face into her long hair. This, sadly, did not last long as she turned to kiss him. It was a wonderful, tender kiss, but that kiss was the start of the day. He sighed. “I would love to just lay here the rest of the day…” He squeezed her tightly, loving the contact he was having with her. “But…if I lay here any longer, nothing will get done.” He sat up, stretching as he looked down to Leilah.

“You’re so beautiful…” he mused with a half smile. He rolled over on top of her, straddling her as he leaned down. “Maybe…a few more minutes…” he whispered, kissing her…

—

Leilah and Raile stepped out into the busy streets. Now that it was in the early afternoon, there were workers all about running back and forth. Construction of the town itself was mostly done, but there were still shops and stalls that were being set up, as well as new ‘owners’ moving in to the new shops.

Raile took a deep breath. “Gods…the fresh air is amazing at the altitude.” He grinned, taking Leilah’s hand. “So…I want to visit Kalina today. That’s a must do. I was thinking we head their first to see how she’s doing. And then, from there…well..” He thought for a moment. “I can probably clear my schedule for the rest of the day. I’ll probably regret it later…but I haven’t felt this relaxed in quite some time, and you deserve a mini date….” They had already spoken to Osiria. The twins were ‘helping’ at the shop, though there was no way of knowing how.

Leilah frowned lightly up at him but before long she was laughing. “Maybe it won’t hurt~” She mused back at him before kissing him back. It wasn’t often they got time by themselves anymore. Such was the life with four children and a busy lifestyle.

–

Once they were out on the streets she took a look around. “At least we don’t have to worry about our kids screaming and scaring neighbors anymore. It does smell a lot better than Jayou though so we have that going for us.” The fresh air was amazing.

“Come on… We can’t keep cranky waiting all day.” She chuckled at his idea of a date and started to pull him to Kali’s smithy. The fire was already going and Leilah rolled her eyes. “Did she even sleep?”

Taking her key she unlocked the shop and the sound of beating metal rang through the air. “Kalinaaaaa,” Leilah yelled.

“I don’t want your fucking breakfast Lei. We’ve talked about this.” More angry banging.

“And here I was bringing you a different type of snack,” Leilah looked at Raile and smirked a bit.

Raile started to say good morning to her, he himself forgetting that it was the afternoon at this point, but was interrupted as an axe flew through the air and embedded itself in the door that they had just closed.

“Kalina!” Raile yelled, his eyes wide with shock. “Good to see you too…..”

Kalina spun around, now seeing that Raile was there. “Oh shit,” she said with a look of horror. “Hold on, Riale…” She quickly finished the piece that she was working on, and came over to Raile, looking him over. “I didn’t damage any goods, did I?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

“I’m fine,” Raile said, still a little shaken.

“Good,” Kali replied with a quick kiss, and then turned back around. “What brings you?”

“I haven’t seen you in almost a week, Kalina…” Raile responded.

“But you came by just yesterd-” She paused. “Wait…no, that was the day before. Or…was it…”

“Five days,” Raile said with a smile. “You really do lose yourself in your work.” He looked around the shop. “It’s a fantastic place. I’m glad we built it right. Have you come up with a name for it yet?”

Leilah looked hurt a little by the ax and stared at her, “What about me?”

“You’re fine,” Kalina said without looking at her. Leilah rolled her eyes lightly. She always got like this when she was on a work binge. It looked like she hadn’t been asleep yet either.

“I have to check up on the apothecary… You can find me there once you’re done with Kali,” Leilah left abruptly after Kali and Raile’s conversation.

“Was I too much again?” Kali rubbed the back of her neck. “I haven’t slept yet. Two days now I guess… Maybe more if I don’t even know when the last time you were here was.” She watched her sister walk across the street to a vibrant little building with Sweet-Brier Apothecary scrolled across it.

“Shit… She’s pissed.” Kalina took a moment and rolled her eyes. “She’ll get over it,” the younger twin kissed Raile lightly and stared at him. “You actually look like you got to sleep. The new heathens weren’t home were they?”

Raile pouted when Leilah left. Sometimes, it was hard for the two to get along, and he understood that. Still, he would have hoped that Kalina would have been a bit nicer.

“Yeah, a bit too much,” Raile said. “I did get some rest. All of the children are in Jayou at the moment, though who knows if they’re still there.” He sighed. “It’s a whole new world with this city. The work is intense…but you know that, don’t you? You’re the one helping build it. I guess that’s been great for business, but…” He looked into her tired eyes. “You really should rest. Come back home tonight, okay? Take a bath, and get a full night’s rest. I miss you, you know?”

Raile knew that Kalina rarely listened when it came to her own health, but he at least hoped that she would listen at least this time. “If you come home, I’ll even try to cook a meal. How would you like that? Hmm? A home cooked meal by your lover?”

“Lei can handle it. I’ve done worse to her but I’ll try to be nicer,” she rolled her eyes, “maybe.”

It was hard to argue with Raile sometimes and this was one of the times she took a deep breath. “Fine, fine… I’ll come home! I’ll sleep. But I won’t hold the kids while you and Leilah be cutesy. The moment ya start your bullshit is the moment I come right back here.”

Her stomach rumbled and she growled a bit, “Fine… maybe it will be nice for a change. I ran out of food here and I can’t smith if I am hungry… Let me put out the fire and I’ll go home to sleep.”

She tossed water over the fire before looking at Raile, “Go make up with Leilah for me… I don’t know bend her over or something. I don’t know what she likes.”

Raile laughed at the ‘bend her over’ comment. At least she was compromising and coming home. “No Kali, that’s what you like as an apology.” There was a hint of snark crossed with truth. “Fine, fine…but at least eat at the table with her. That can be your apology. I promise you won’t have to deal with the kids.”

He left the shop and wandered across the street to Leilah’s. He had not seen the shop since it was filled with her products, and was impressed at the layout. Despite the relatively small, homey size of the shop, it was filled to the brim with spice and herb jars, towering up the walls and centerpiece.

“Wow, Leilah…this is incredible,” he said, looking around. “How long did this take you? How have you even had the time?” Raile looked over to her, concerned. “Have you been pulling all nighters too?”

“Good cause I’ll bite the first little demon that starts to make Lei cry today.” The girls were a bit too much for Leilah and often times she found them bullying their poor mother. She was a bit scared of what this newest pair would be like which was why she was avoiding them for now.

Her shop was painting with a turquoise color that she had agonized over for days. It was accented with white and some gold with the floors being a nice dark wood. She was filling a vase with fresh water with beautiful vibrant hydrangea in them. They were a deep purple with a sprig of pink ones in the centerfold.

Compared to the general goods and the smithy the apothecary was elegant in a way. “It took me a few days,” she smiled a bit as she rearranged some bottles until they were done by color. “I just have to label them all now but this was relatively easy after I finished picking the colors out. I feel like that was the hardest part.” There was a stack of books back by a workstation that was clearly meant for the shelf by it. She was going to work on that next. “I just need to put these up on the shelf next using my system then I should be good enough to open.”

Looking at Raile though she shook her head, “Only when the twins don’t sleep. Sometimes they keep me up. I did come here when I was supposed to be on bed rest though.” All of her equipment was sprawled out on the countertop for now. It was all brand new, a gift from Lewis and Simone for the fresh new shop. Things that she had to borrow before since they didn't quite have room for them back in Jayou.

Raile was glad that Leilah was in a better mood. He hadn’t quite gotten to the part where he was beginning Kalina home, nor the part that he was apologizing in her stead. It was a normal routine for them, and Leilah knew the ropes. If anything, she was probably expecting it.

“Leilah,” he said with a disappointed look on his face. The fact that she ignored her bed rest order was so like her. Raile should have expected it. “Please tell me you at least had the help do all of the heavy lifting.” He glanced at the table, at all of the equipment that was sprawled out. “You know I’ll help too, if you ask. Just say the word. I can always put the paperwork off a little.”

He walked over to her, taking her hands in his own. “Leilah, you really don’t need to push yourself. We’re not in a rush…” He kissed her forehead, and smiled. “Now. I’ve convinced Kalina to come home for dinner and a full night’s rest. And…I promised I’d cook dinner.” He glanced to the side. “I’ll make a delicious meal for all of us.” The merchant smiled, and kissed Leilah outright this time.

“Let’s go home. Kalina is waiting…” He paused. “Oh…also, she says sorry. You know…how she gets when she’s cranky.”

His voice attracted her eyes and she waved at him, “Lewis and Simone were with me the whole time. I couldn’t even move my little plant table without Lewis jumping in my way.” She sighed a bit at him and shook her head, “All of us have to be able to pull our own weight, Raile. I was pregnant, not dead. A few pounds here or there wouldn’t have killed me.” But she had gone into labor trying to get the curtains looking right… Something she was sure Raile wouldn’t let her forget.

She held his hands and nodded at him, “Mostly, I just try to work when the kids are sleepy or cranky.” Which was all the time right now. “That way… When they are napping I can relax. It sounded like a good plan when I started it.” Her cheeks flushed a bit at his forehead kiss and she kissed him back once he got her lips. “Okay… I like it when you cook.”

The older twin frowned a bit at the apology and once more waved her hand, “I know. I don’t know why I let it get to me… maybe because she isn’t coming home because of the babies. I hope she doesn’t try and move out on us…” She frowned a bit but she didn’t know it was because Kali didn’t like seeing the twins run her over.

“Let’s go home then?”

Once they got home she could hear Kali snoozing on the entry bench. “She didn’t make it very far…”

“I’m going to go get changed I spilled some dust on my dress…” She moved upstairs and finished getting changed but she never quite made it back down. If Raile investigated he would find her picking up the kid’s rooms having systematically gone through each and picking up their messes. She was currently in Piper’s room making the bed and picking up her toys.