That was to be the extent of her time during the day without troubles.
First, she nearly burned breakfast as she helped Noroa in the kitchen. And though Noroa, being pregnant, ate more than the rest of the family, Mericlou daydreamed of last night's events, making her the last to finish eating and her late for her first job. Working at the Korensis Firm in Tylat, next door to Lusea, she misfiled paperwork three times in a row, which earned her several reprimands by Mr. Korensis. This was especially embarrassing, since after the incident with Alaema and the assistant manager, she and her family had still been hired on and off by that firm for years, usually performing impeccably every time. They were one of their best-paying clients, and Skori would not take the possibility of losing their patronage well at all.
***
Mericlou nearly butchered the Axynthia bushes in Aldrec's garden while pruning them, as her mind went adrift. Snapping back to reality, she gawked at what she had done, mortified. She gave up at last, and put the shears away, lest the plants become extinct by her hand.
"I can't seem to do anything right today," she said, staring miserably at the bush's mutilated purple and green leaves. "All I can do is think of Aldrec." She felt fortunate that Skori, having earlier smoothed out the situation with Mr. Korensis, had only mildly chided her during lunch. Still, the disaster she made of breakfast, her tardiness and incompetence at work, and her nearly killing one of the few petrification-curing plants in the world made her wonder if being in love was worth it. "Just try to keep your mind on your work next time," Skori had said. "Your emotions can and will cloud your judgment."
As easily as her brother had taken the news of the Korensis firm incident, he did seem disconcerted when she told him about herself and Aldrec, even tough for the most part, he was happy about it. Nevertheless, this wink of concern worried her, since Skori never seemed to worry over much of anything. He, like Sedriil, was ruled more by logic than his heart. For some strange reason, she seemed to be the only one who could melt that heart. And though she knew that he would dismiss it if she asked him, she could not help but wonder about that momentary apprehension he showed when she had given him such happy news.
Ignoring her concerns, she collected her tools and prepared to leave. Other than a good watering, the garden did not need much care today. For that she was thankful. She hoped that at home, she could do far less damage to her own plants that she had neglected for the past few days. On Skori's orders, she had the next couple of days off, in order ride out her spell of lovesickness. She had no argument with this; it was, in fact, quite welcome. It would give her time to spend with Aldrec.