"Do you remember the new house rituals, wife?" Julian asked with a teasing smile, his tone light and warm.
Ruby chuckled softly. "Of course I do. The house owner has to wait until the wind blows. It means the house spirit has accepted you," she said, her eyes glimmering with amusement.
Karl burst into laughter. "Oh, I remember how long you waited for the wind last time in our old house! You looked so tired you were about to fall!"
Everyone joined in laughing—Angeline and her husband, Pillu, and even Kaelan's parents, who had come to celebrate the completion of their new home. The yard was filled with laughter, the pink tree petals swirling gently around them.
Ruby smiled and walked to the front steps, sitting gracefully as the breeze around her stayed still. Minutes turned into an hour, and still, no wind came. Karl kept pacing dramatically. "Maybe the spirit's shy," he muttered.
"Maybe it's testing your patience," Adrian said dryly.
