“Good tea, Moni,” Jumi Rubigen remarked one morning. The Autumn Storms were in full force now and folk were stayin’ inside.

“Aye,” said Moni Rubigen, “I reckon we can give ourselves a bit o’ luxury from time to time.” She poured a cup for herself, all careful-like. Tea was a hard drink to acquire out here in the Outlands. Jee Banferd had gotten it into his head to try and start up a tea-makin’ business. After brushin’ up on Scene 35 to figure out just what that was all about we realized that ol’ Jee probably will be meetin’ failure in that endeavor. HOWEVER this scene’s about Jumi and Moni RUBIGEN!! Gettin’ distracted right out the gate here.

JUMI completed his cup o’ tea (Spurgo Leaf from the tastes of it) and sighed in contentment. Who WAS Jumi Rubigen? Just some loud man in the Ragged Maiden’s common room but don’t judge a man by the amount of ale in his head.

“Jumi why’s it that you never asked me if I wanted a kid or two?” Moni said of a sudden.

Jumi stared and could think of nothing to say in response. “Uhhh.”

“Well I reckon we’re crossin’ the line where startin’ a family out here is becomin’ a bit of a risk, and we never had the conversation.”

“We’re havin’ it now, seems like to me.”

“Just a thing on my mind these days as the Storms come roarin’ through and keep us all indoors for the rest o’ Autumn. A lass gets to thinkin’ is all.” Moni seemed embarrassed she had brought the subject up. She gathered her invisible things and made to leave.

“Now Moni, hold it a dock.” Jumi scrambled to keep up with his brain that was flippin’ and floppin’. “Well if I had to answer on the immediate and it seems like I do well the thought never came to me, never thought I was the sorta man who could call himself a da.”

“Well now we’re headin’ full on into growin’ old and I’m ready to letcha know things are feelin’ right empty of late.” Moni would not meet his eye.

“What’s got you all a sudden in this disposition, Mon?” Jumi reached across the table but Moni did not take his hand. “Is it that Hem lad? Roamin’ around in the Storms like there ain’t no storms and you got to thinkin’ what’s it like?”

“Hem may or not be fixin’ into my equations about my own life, Jumi thank you,” Moni said angrily.

“Well I’m in a right fix myself, Moni! Comin’ at me with talk of startin’ a family when we both know we’re too old for it!”

“Well I suspect we should’ve been havin’ this out years ago!”

“Moni!! What—“

“All you do is offer your complaints over at Blom’s inn, never far from a pint or tankard of wine or ale! That’s all you live for now is it?”

“Now Moni don’t judge a man by the amount of ale he takes in on the regular, that ain’t too fair to the man you married.”

“And what do I judge him by? The amount of attention he gives his wife?”

Jumi had no answer to this oh no he didn’t.

Moni continued, still unable to meet his eye. “Mayhap I’m full o’ regret about this marriage and I’m tellin’ ya straight as the rain, I’m unhappy.”