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They were in the playground where little children escaped their mothers' overprotective arms for the thrills of the monkey gym. The children cast curious, fascinated glances at the couple before flicking their two-second-long attentions back to play. The mothers surreptitiously studied the couple while pretending to be engrossed in the conversation between themselves.
He was a young boy growing into a man, with dark brown hair so close-cropped he might have just come out from the army. He was carrying a pretty blonde girl on his back, her legs wrapped around his waist and supported in place by his arms. She was laughing high and loud, long hair streaming down her shoulders. She released her hands from his shoulders and squealed, flopping back. He uttered an oath, causing the mothers' eyes to widen in alarm before darting to their impressionable children. "Lia!" he said, trying to turn around without risking the girl injury. His grip on her thighs tightened. "Lia, stop that -- Lia!" She laughed again, tinkling chimes in the air. Her arms flung out as he turned, enjoying the spin. He stumbled once and cursed. She came back up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh Sebby," she said with affection, unaffected by the glower on his face. "You could've gotten hurt!" he snapped. She planted a kiss on his cheek. She beamed, then tossed her head back and gave a giggle of pure joy. He reluctantly released the scowl from his face. Her dress was white and flowing and gauzey. He wore a black felt coat over a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans. A little girl smiled at them shyly, biting a finger. The pretty girl with chiming laughter smiled and waved. The child's smile broadened and she ran away. "Kiss kiss," Lia sang. Her lips were bright pink. She snuggled her cheek against Sebby's neck and he smiled obligingly. The child peeped at them from behind the slide, then ventured a wave. Lia waved back. The little girl ducked back behind the slide, beaming now. Lia tugged at Sebby's shoulders. "Let's check out the swings." "The kids should have their fair use of it," the boy said. "They'll grow too old for it too soon." A dark shadow crossed his face. She tugged again and bounced on his back. "One's never too old to swing, Sebby. Let's go." He rambled towards the swings with her legs and arms around him. A woman with dark hair smiled at them wistfully, momentarily distracted from her conversation with a fellow mother. "Ah, to be young and in love," she said. Chimes of laughter tinkled through the playground.
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