"It's a red eared waterturtle from South America."

"Excuse me?"

The shopkeeper reached down into the little fish-tank she was watching and pulled up the waterturtle. Candace stared at the little animal where it lay on the palm.

"He's only fighting the others all the time, so I had to put him in a private room!" said the dark-skinned man and grinned wide. Candice nodded and poked the little turtle' head. Actually he was quite large, about the same size as her hand. Actually the reason for being there was that she had just stopped by to buy some kittylitter and food to her cat, but something in the zooshop's inner had made her curious. For several minutes she'd been walking up and down the three aisles and looked at fishes. She'd seen all kinds of them, from the beautiful discus fish to the small neontetras. She'd always had fishes when she'd been a kid. But the cat took up most of the pet-ideas she had, so it had been dropped. But the idea of a living TV screen was really interesting. And when she'd stopped at the reptile cages and the fishtanks in there, she'd been captured by this lonely fellows struggle to get out.

"Howcome it fights then? " she said and smiled when she received the turtle on her palm. The claws scratched her skin and the small black eyes looked up at her. The shopkeeper shook his head. He wiped off his wet palms on his lightblue T-shirt.

"Some just do. But personally, I am thinking of buying him as a gift to my brother. He's a bit like this little fella."

"No! You can't I mean..." Candace moaned and shook her head. "I mean... How much?"

The man grinned and nodded "Well, I knew it. You are a true turtlelover!"

He walked over to a list on the wall and mumbled something as he used his indexfinger to find the right line. "About 40 bucks. Just 'cause he's lonely "

Candace nodded. "I... need a cage "

"A fishtank is more like it Hmm sand. Some good stones to sunbathe on, a hot lamp and some food A watercleaner... a pump for it Hm Well, follow me and we'll make a little kingdom for it. Let me put that little guy back, and we can have a look "  

The red neutered cat sat like hypnotised in front of the fishtank and stared at the little intruder. It was sunbathing on a rock, enjoying the heat that crept into its body.

"Now... Amadeus. He's a friend..." said Candace and stroke the cat's fur. Amadeus rose to his little paws and the tail shivered of delight.

"Mrroow "

Candace smiled as well. The turtle turned it's head and looked at them. It stretched a hindleg a little extra. It seemed to settle nicely. Candace pouted with her lips as she felt a memory return. The two mysterious rescuers. That odd-looking pair from the winter, they still popped up in her mind now and then. It was almost four months ago and it was in the middle of April and the snow and cold was definitely gone. Candace moved over to a sofa and sighed. She looked around. The three-room apartment was luxuriously decorated, tasteful and spartan, just as she liked it. Here and there black iron decorations hung from the walls, or a simple Japanese painting with either geisha or dragon pictures. Amadeus gave up the hypnotic stare at the turtle and jumped into her lap. He purred loudly and started to massage her lap with the clipped claws. Out here they'd take the cat and cook it if they saw it.

Candace owned three of the houses on the block. And the past year she'd become the owner of a multimillion chain of departmentstores her father had created. The Hamilton Store was a growing chain featuring small concept shops, specialising in various goods. Each Hamilton held men's department; ladies along with kitchen, utilities and an extensive make up department. She grinned when she thought of her father's comment that the Harrods in London was getting left behind.

"Well, should I open a petshop as well?" she said and caressed the cat's golden back. Amadeus looked up at her with emerald green eyes and blinked at her.  

Candice was reading a bunch of stockreports when she was crossing the busy New York street just south of Central Park. She didn't look up and suddenly someone grabbed her and pulled her aside. She stared at him, a tall brown-haired man with laughing warm eyes.

"Wow..nearly became a hoodornament there "

"I didn't Thank you. Thank you so very much!" she said and smiled up at him.

"No problems, Miss." He said and started to walk away.

"Wait! How can I make this up to you? Please... Here, take my card, call me and I'll meet you at my work. Please ?"

"I dunno...Wife's gonna be pretty pissed if she knows I am calling a lady like you " The stranger looked down at the gold and black business card. "But since it's out weddinganniversary coming up... Alright."

The rescuer walked over to her and shook her hand." Casey Jones. Nice to meet you."

"Candace Hamilton "

He smiled and nodded" I know."

"Anytime. I'd be happy to repay you for this!"

Casey nodded and looked at the cars passing by. He whistled for a cab and it pulled in beside them. "Thanks Maybe this is safer."

Candace sat in the cab and read the stockexchange instead. It didn't take more then ten minutes to get back to the office this way. She grinned in delight when she saw that the stocks she owned was getting better and better. It had been a wise move to invest them there. The cab stopped and she paid the man for the drive. She stopped on the sidewalk. The big storewindow was being redecorated with some of the latest fashion they had. It was vibrant strong colours in fresh mintgreen and white. Here and there a strain of light blue broke thru and added a difference to the setup. Three decorators were working on it, and they saw her coming. Candace waved at them and grinned.

Her office on the fourth floor was just as delicately decorated as her own apartment. Light bright colours, some black here and there to mark a special point on the room. She plopped down in the big roomy sofa she had in front of the window and pulled off the highheels. She grinned badly as she looked down at her feet.

"Miss Hamilton?" said a voice over the intercom. Her secretary was ready to start the battle for today.

"Yes Fanny?"

"There is a few calls to make and I need to know if you are to attend the dinner at Fairfax?"

Candace groaned. Fairfaxe's dinners were boring, but important. She needed Fairfax Stocks just as much as they needed Hamilton Stocks. Even if Candace owned 65 percent of the total stocks, Ronald Fairfax owned 20 percent of the remaining.

"I have too sore feet to get up, Fanny! Please come in and I'll try and make up a decent yes."

"Shall I send a dead rat instead?" said Fanny as she entered. Fanny was a chubby dark-skinned Afro-American woman in her mid fifties. She'd been with Candace ever since the young girl had started to take an active part in her fathers business.

"Please... six rats! No honestly I need to go. If not to see Aunt Marcy!"

Fanny sat down in one of the visitor's chairs in front of the big dark oaktable and started to make up a list of things to do.  

After a stressed lunch meeting with a new salesmanager, she found herself back in the office. Three departments were to buy new things and she wanted to see what they had planned. The three managers and the new salesmanager were there and they had almost buried the old desk with material. Candace had her sleeves of the white shirt rolled up; her thick blonde hair in a net bun, and the short grey skirt was replaced with a matching pair of pants.

"I don't think we should buy from them. I read a rapport that they are using lower quali "

A buzzing from Fanny's intercom interrupted her discussion.

"Yeah?"

"A mister Jones are calling. He says you gave him this number."

"Jones? Ah! Jones! Let him in."

The four in front of her, Garcia from kitchen, Snipes belonging to the Makeup department, Walters and Dykes from clothes and accessories looked at her.

"He saved me this morning. Was almost ran over by a cab!" said Candace and grabbed the phone.

"Hello Hi Yes. Yes. You are so welcome. Ofcourse you can bring the wife! I'd love to meet her. Yes. Straight up the stairs, you'll see a screen saying Management. Yes. Just ask for me. Well, anytime. Welcome!"

"Where were we?"  

April stepped thru the main entrance of the store and felt her jaw drop.

"Neat, huh?" Casey said and took her hand.

"Wow...Wow..."

Casey grinned as April followed him. She had somehow switched into a zombie mode and just gaped over all the things she saw. A necklace for 1200 Dollars. A pair of crocodile boots. 600 Dollars

"Who did you save?" she whispered as Casey led her into a huge office. A slim young woman in her mid 20's rose from behind a clustered table and came over to shake their hands.

"So this is the wife! Welcome ?"

"April. April Jones."

"Candace Hamilton. So nice to meet you. Fanny?" she said and looked over Casey's shoulder.

"Keep all my calls the next hour while I take Mr and Mrs Jones shopping!"

April grinned as the woman took her down the stairs again and into the ladies department.

"Well, I am not going to be picky. Choose some things here and take them with you."

April took a deep shivering breath and started to rummage thru the blouses, the shirts, and some trousers. Casey sat down on a chair and looked at April. Candace could see how he virtually shimmered with love for this woman. "You are very lucky mister Jones, to have found such an lovely wife." Said Candace and sat down.

"Yeah Are you married?" He asked.

"No..I just haven't found the right one yet " she said and laughed. "I think I need to stumble over him before I can get things right!"

Casey grinned and nodded "Or grow together slowly."

Candace tucked a string of her hair behind her ear and nodded. To love someone. To grow old with that person. To see the years get that golden tint that everyone dreamt about. Candace sighed.

"Some day, Mr Jones I just feel it. Some day I will find him."

"Casey! You got to see this!" howled April and rushed over with a leather jacket. "Feel it! It's soft as wool!" Casey barely got to touch it before April dashed off again. He'd never seen her so happy in ages. The work at the TV station took all her energy these days. So much to do now that she'd become Stationmanager. Good thing was that she didn't have to run out and film in the middle of the night. He grinned badly at the thought of the bombthreats from the autumn. April in the hostage situation earlier that year. And all those crazy adventures and things with the Turtles gang He took a deep breath. This was going to take some time.

When April shoved him into the Men's department, things went a lot faster. Casey knew what he wanted and they left it with two overstuffed bags as well. Candace insisted they stayed and had dinner at the Store's restaurant before they were off again.

"Well, sure " said Casey. He found himself being the bagcarrier as he followed the two women onwards. A helpful clerk stopped him and took care of the bags for him.

"Service is out motto!" said the greyed man and smiled at Casey.

"Huh? Okey Thanks."

April and Candace had found eachother at once and they chatted away during the dinner.

"So I have to get home anyway. Have a turtle to watch over "

The two guests stopped eating and then continued. Something in the phrase had made them stop. "Oh nothing. Go on... A new what?"

Candace leaned back and carefully wiped her mouth. "Just a new pet. He's really big for a turtle but I like him. My cat almost freaked when he got loose the other day "

Casey took a deep breath. Just to mention the word turtle, and that casual, had made them both jump. Hopefully she'd ignore it and get on with the business of paying for the dinner.

Candace waved them goodbye and April had settled a date to have lunch with her the next week.

"Weird " mumbled Candace as she walked up the stair. She had to pick a gown for the evening. And she knew some of the new designs would do nicely.