"Hîriest, " murmured Willow, "Did you forget something?"
"Did I?" replied Hîriest, blinking.
"I think so, " said Oak. "You could make the lame excuse that she's done quite a bit of travelling lately; but it would hardly fit, since she was last seen here?"
"She was?"
"Yes, she was, " replied Beech.
Hîriest ran a hand across his forehead. "You could tell me."
"Her birthday was the day before yesterday."
Hîriest slumped in his chair, chin in hand. "So I am once again revealed as absentminded."
"Or at least slow on the uptake, " chuckled Beech.
"Well, what do we do now?"
"We drink her health. Are you getting too old for this sort of thing?" said Oak.
"Rascal," replied Hîriest.
"Perhaps, " said Willow.
They raised their mugs. "To the wandering Inkeeper; may her search end in finding, her longings end in joy, and may her journey end safely at Home."
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