Proposition

The Market

It was typical that on a day I decided to go out the weather would be gloomy and the wind bitter, but I wasn't going to let that dampen my mood.

That morning, Ezabella and shoved a load of money into my hands with a large grin and told me to go nuts with it.

I'd looked at her in complete awe, astounded that she would give me money that she had been saving so diligently from her hard work.

When I tried to explain that I would be getting a lump of my earnings from Avena after the next check-up, she waved me off and shooed me out of the door in such a hurry that I could have gotten whiplash from her change in attitude.

Just two weeks ago she was telling me to rest as much as I could and now, she was lighting a fire under my ass to get me outside.

That wasn't suspicious at all.

I didn't argue and just went along with it before she changed her mind again, going out to get some fresh air that didn't involve a one-way trip to the palace and back would do me some good.

So, just before she threw me out, I managed to wrap up warmly and slip a bag over my shoulder to carry anything I ended up buying.

But boy, was that girl going to get spoiled in return when I was paid.

The walk down to the market felt like bit of a task, mostly due to my size.

I knew it was customary not to tell others about your typically joyous news until the third month, but by the end of the second it was already getting difficult for me to hide mine.

One afternoon during my ninth week, as I was hanging our washed clothes up outside, a neighbour had spotted me and gave me a friendly welcome, as was customary in these parts.

It didn't take long for her misted eyes to gaze downwards and a smile curved at her lips.

"Well, look at this," she had beamed, "you've been keeping secrets from us, eh?"

I'd glanced down and huffed a laugh, "If only it were that easy."

"How far gone?"

"I'm just coming up towards my tenth week."

"Blimey, really?" Her eyed widened, "I'd have said further than that, what are you having, a Speiklip?"

"I wish," I laughed, "at least then it'd tickle as well as tear me apart when it comes out."

"Yeah, you have to watch out for the teeth on those fluffy bastards though."

Our conversation continued on friendly enough, but in the back of my mind I was caught by the fact that there was no way for me to hide the truth anymore and I knew from that point on the news would spread around our neighbours.

The nosy bunch that they were.

The lack of attention I'd get at the market was one thing I looked forward to.

No one there knew me personally enough to stop and whisper about my evident bump, thinking that I didn't know they were talking about me.

It was a break from not only being trapped indoors, but also a break from the neighbours and their chattering.

In all the hustle and bustle of the previous months, I'd forgotten how pleasant it was just to stroll from market stall to market stall and get lost in my own world while browsing.

There were a few bits and pieces I had picked up to spoil myself with, some decorative ornaments to add to my collection and some books to help whittle my time away as I continued to grow.