**I know that I could have just added this to the last chapter, but I wanted them to stay a little separate in the mind of the reader.
I've got to go write the next chapter now. I haven't really decided whether to stoke the flames or snuff them out, so it'll be a surprise to me too, I guess. O-o
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Josh yelled that they were just finishing up the trim, and that they'd be right over. Kayla had closed the door to the bathroom. When she emerged, Josh took his shirt off, and washed his face and hands quickly. Kayla threw him a towel, and watched as he dried off.
There were some scars, almost parallel to each other at a slight angle off of horizontal on his front, one across each pectoral, and two more below, one very faint, the other a bit more pronounced through his six-pack. The top one lined up with one on his left bicep that she had noticed the day before in the cantina and in the loft. She couldn't imagine that they were related to his facial scar.
These were regular scars, not burns, and she could see that they had been stitched. She'd wait to ask him though, in case he had some baggage attached to them.
"I can't get over how your body moves." she said. "It's fascinating to watch".
Josh smiled shyly and said that he felt much the same. "I could watch you move all day. Wait a minute! I have been watching you all day!"
She laughed and called him a smart-ass, and told him they'd better get going before Aunt Rose came over with the flyswatter. They walked to the door, but Josh suddenly said, "Wait!" in alarm.
Kayla froze, not knowing what to expect. Josh closed the gap between them, and gave her bottom a slight squeeze. "OK, I'm good." he sighed, passing her, and trotting out the door.
Over dinner, they discussed how Kayla would like the sparse furnishings arranged. Josh pointed out that he'd never tried the kitchen appliances in there. They'd need to have something for heat as well since it wouldn't be warm all year.
Jilly proudly displayed another Band-Aid, and Josh tousled her hair. She told him that the cardboard wasn't working on her bike as well. He explained that they didn't last too long, and he'd replace it for her after supper, and then show her how to do it for herself. Daisy sat on the porch, looking in.
"Why can't Daisy come in here with us?" asked Jillian.
Rose answered. "Because she's got to learn not to beg at the table. We were on the way to good mealtime manners with her, until you two showed up. Now I've got to start all over. Don't think I don't know that you've been sneaking her food under the table, Missy. If I didn't stay on top of her, she'd just reach over and take what she wanted, as big as she is. She's as bad as that one over there." she said indicating Joshua.
Josh leaned down, and whispered to Jillian loudly. "Never mind, Jilly. I'm glad you're here. Before you and Kayla came, I had to eat out on the porch with Daisy. We always ended up fighting over the dog food, but she'd always win, and I'd have to settle for the crumbs that she missed. I get to eat in here with you now."
Jillian laughed and giggled. Josh loved to hear that sound. When the three of them laughed, Josh couldn't imagine finer music. He noticed Rosie glaring at him.
"You be careful, Joshua Taylor. I can make that dream come true, if you'd like."
Josh straightened up immediately, and affected a stiff British accent. "You will notice Madam, that I am wearing my halo this evening."
Rose countered immediately. "Well if that's a halo, it's slipping some. I thought it was just a dirty neck."
Josh looked wounded.
He noticed that Kayla was looking at him thoughtfully. Suddenly she reached into her pocket, and produced Josh's coin from the day before. "Jilly, she began, I completely forgot to give this to you. Josh gave it to me for you. It's from Canada. That's another country. What is it Josh?
"It's a two dollar coin. Like it says there. About twenty years ago, there were a lot of one and two-dollar paper bills being made, and they just cost too much for how short a time they lasted. So they made a one-dollar coin because it would last longer. The first ones had a picture of a loon – that's like a strange, great big, pointy-nosed duck, Jilly. They live in some parts of the United States too. I think I have one of those coins here; I'll find it and give it to you as well. Because of the bird, people began to call it the 'loonie'." Jillian laughed.
Josh went on; "So then they did the same thing for a two-dollar coin," he said pointing to the one that Jillian held, "but they didn't know what to call it. I thought that the answer was obvious – it should have been called the 'doubloon', but no, nobody ever listens to me. Instead, they called it the 'toonie'. That's a polar bear on the front."
Jillian looked at the coin and said, "So it's two dollars?"
Josh smiled. "It's worth two dollars in Canada. Almost nobody around here knows what Canadian money looks like. You can't spend it here, but you can save it because it looks more interesting than American money, I think."
Jillian turned it over. "Who's this lady?" she asked.
Josh explained, "That's Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth the Second."
"She's the Queen of England, Jilly." said Kayla.
"More to the point of why she's on Canadian money, she's also the Queen of Canada officially, though most Canadians don't even consider that. The business of running the place is handled by the Canadian parliament. There's even a Governor-General, and that person is there to represent the Queen's power." Josh said.
Kayla spoke up. "There you go again. Will you just make a statement that DOESN'T bring me more questions? Yesterday was a whole day of riddles for me, Josh. Margarita joked with you and made out as if you were foreigner."
She turned to Rose and whispered with a grin, "She also told me that he sleeps with polar bears!"
Rose laughed and said, "Doesn't surprise me a bit."
Josh said, "Well, you just have to pick your moment, you know? Compliment them about their fur, buy them a beer, maybe a case of Scotch..."
Kayla turned back to Josh and said, "Very funny. I'm on the hunt for answers, mystery man. I'm a woman, and I warn you we're all detectives by nature, right?" she asked Jillian, who nodded.
"I hope you don't mind, but I've been pumping Aunt Rose for info on you for three days. I'm trying to get all of the juicy pieces to your puzzle. She told me that you were married once."
