Dei Amor (formerly "Deus Relicta")

Chapter 3 : Tea with a God

The magical tote bag certainly did not lack in wondrous things.

In the short time they had found a table at the back of the coffee shop, Aida had pulled from it several lamps, a cracked fishbowl, half a pram, three baguettes, and a giant birdcage – all in the search for something of gold.

"Why do you even bother taking some of these things?" Lucille poked the pram timidly, "And how did this baby carriage get severed in half?"

"I don't know, and I don't know." Mumbled Aida, groping around in the bag for more items. "Ah! I think I found it!"

He ripped out his hand triumphantly – only to behold a brick.

"Yeah, a brick. Exactly what we need."

"I know it's here somewhere!" In frustration he tipped the entire bag upside down, and a waterfall of items came crashing out onto the ground in an ever-growing pile.

"Oh, my goodness, that's going to take forever to clean up." Lucille covered her face with her hands. "How much stuff is even in there?"

"I lost count- AHA! I found it!"

Lucille peeked through her fingers and saw him grinning ecstatically, waving a gold necklace around.

"I thought you said there was a gold bar?"
"Oh yes, there is, somewhere under that." Aida gestured to the very large pile of random objects now just dusting the top of the ceiling.

"The necklace will do just fine."

Aida held it out to her, "Here, go buy tea and cakes if you want."

"Okay." She accepted it and skipped happily to the front of the restaurant to order.

It only took a minute to prepare, and soon she was racing back to the table with a tray of tea and crumpets.

"I saw them give us the finest cakes." She said, "And the shopkeeper really loved the necklace."

"Best deal she'll ever get, without a doubt." Replied Aida as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"How are you going to clean all that up?" Lucille glanced at the tower of randomness as she bit into a small chocolate cake.

"It's easy, I'll just throw the bag over the top and everything will be gone again. Don't worry."

"That's neat, so if you were to stick the bag over my head where would I go?"

Aida nearly spat out his tea to stop from laughing, "Silly, I don't know. You're looking at me like I've jumped in there myself!"

"Haven't you? I mean, you seem like the kind of person who would..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sipped his tea slowly, giving her a questioning stare over the rim of the cup.

Lucille squirmed uneasily, "I don't know, I just thought you might have?"

"Truth be told I have considered it upon occasion."

"Have you ever put anything living inside it before? Like a cat?"

"No, finding lost and forgotten animals is just as hard as finding lost and forgotten humans."

"Can't you just throw a regular animal in there?"

"No, no, no, the bag can only hold lost and forgotten things."