The next day, Ever walked to work just that little bit faster. He carried his purchase in the little Myer bag in his hand. Just like the lady he’d stopped in the street from yesterday, he could feel the item inside slipping this way and that with every step he took.

  He got to the ice cream shop and saw that it was still dark inside. He promptly unlocked the door and slipped in. He placed the little bag on the bench and fell into the opening routine. Five minutes later, he heard the front door open.

  “Morning,” Taylor greeted in a sing-song voice.

  “Morning,” Ever responded, while putting the chair down from the inside tables.

  “So, how was your day off?” Taylor said, going behind the counter. “Get up to much?”

  “Walked around a bit,” he responded, wiping his brow after putting out all the tables. “Bought…”

  Oh no!

  He rushed back inside to see that Taylor had taken the item he had bought out of the little back.

  Why did I leave that there?

  “Ever,” she said, looking at the item, “is this for me?”

  “I… I...” he stammered, “Yes.”

  Taylor opened the clasp of the black bracelet, put it on her wrist and closed it.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I was in Myer and I was going to buy something else but then I saw that and I decided to buy that. It’s black and it reminded me of you.”

  “Because of my heart of darkness?” Taylor said, shooting him a sharp look.

  “No, because of your hair.”

  “Hm, better answer.” She held it up until the little, gold link caught the light. “Why Ever?”

  Ever stared at the gift on Taylor’s wrist. His heart had been beating more than usual on the way to work, which Death had explained to him was nervousness. It was beating at the usual speed now that she was wearing it and seemed to like it.

  “Because you made me cupcakes yesterday.”

  “Yeah, but that’s just cupcakes. Those probably costed like a dollar to make all up. How much did you spend on this?” She looked through the shop back and pulled the receipt out, eyes going wide. “Ever that’s too much!”

  “It’s only a day’s pay,” Ever said. “I can earn that again today.”

  She took it off. “I can’t accept this.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s too much. And you shouldn’t be buying me gifts like this, it’s inappropriate.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, I’m your boss.”

  “So?”

  “Ugh… it’s so nice though!” She put it back on and paced away from him. She suddenly halted and turned around. “Wait, you didn’t answer my question from yesterday, you have another job?”

  Ever pursed his lips. “What did Chaos tell you yesterday after I left?”

  “Nothing, I asked him but he didn’t tell me anything. How come he knows and I don’t know?”

  Ever had an idea. “If you accept the gift, I might tell you about my second job.”

  The door opened and a customer came in. “No jewellery whilst working,” Taylor said, slipping the bracelet off and putting it back in the Myer bag, before stuffing it into the pouch in her apron.