Disclaimer: Hey! Arnold own, I do not. But partake of its goodness, I shall.
HA
Reaching forward, the small, delicate pale hand was accompanied by a grunt of exertion. Just outside both its grasp and perhaps the realm of possibility, was a beautiful and shiny red apple. Reminiscent of days of lore regarding dwarves and wicked stepmothers, the gleam of its skin from the noonday sun was just begging, practically screaming for someone to pick it.
Ignore my brothers and sisters, it said with a downright sinister sparkle, I'm the one that can offer you delicious eternity. Pick me.
"And pick you I shall." The owner of that small hand mutter to herself, before pushing up that much needed invisible inch and plucked the apple from its branch. Cackling with glee, she bit into its tough outer skin with a satisfying crunch that made her mouth water that much more.
"Meilin? Good Lord, girl, what are you doing up there?" a feminine, but not necessarily fragile voice called up to her, and the young woman looked down her ladder to the face the one who had been taking care of her these last few days.
"I'm picking apples." She called down through a mouthful of sweet, sticky, juicy apple innards – all the while indicating to a bushel at the base of her ladder which was only half full. The older woman regarded the scene before her for a moment, before smiling, and even laughing a bit.
"I can see that. But should you really be up there in you delicate condition?" she asked, and Meilin scoffed, apple bits noticeably flying from her lips.
"Mrs. Gammelthorpe, I don't think I would ever classify myself as 'delicate'." She said it with as much emphasize on the word as she could muster, to which Mrs. Gammelthorpe laughed loud enough that a few other workers turned to see what was so funny.
"You're right – but you climb any higher and gravity will suck that baby right out of you." Smiling a crooked grin, the older woman couldn't help but laugh at the sheepish and embarrassed smile that graced Meilin's lips. Sticking the apple in her mouth in such a way that had her resembling a roasted pig, the pregnant Chinese woman steady herself with on hand on the ladder while she let the other slide down to her large stomach. Rubbing it once or twice for good measure, she returned her gaze to her surrogate mother before emitting a muffled giggle and slowly made her way down.
Bare feet stepped slowly onto the soft grass, cool from the shade of the tree, and wiggled its toes innocently before moving into a pair of sandals.
"And how many times do I have to tell you? I've fed you so you're family, call me Rose or Mamma or something. You know how I hate formalities." Meilin smiled at Rose, then nodded and bent to pick up her modest apple harvest.
"Alright Rosie, you win." The two women shared a smile, content to let the world around them turn as it must. After all the crap Meilin had endured in little over a year, she figured it was only right and fair that she be allowed this one moment, even if it was just one. The older woman, meanwhile, was affectionately known by those who knew her as a ferocious she-wolf; and Rosalind Gammelthorpe would be damned if she let anything happen to whom she now deemed her sixth child.
"Mom! Mom! Mom! Mamma! Mamma! Moo-oooom! MOTHER!" the impatient calls of her only blood daughter, Tess, pulled Rosie and Meilin from their moment in a flash, causing the matriarch of the family to spin on her heels.
"WHAT?!" she barked back harshly, although to the trained and accustomed ear the soft tones of motherly affection could be heard.
"GUESS WHAT?! IT'S MARTIN! HE'S – OWE! YOU JERKS! WHY I OUTTA –" the rest of her call was unintelligible as the fifteen year old started scrapping with the three other older brothers, who had tackled her in order to keep her big mouth shut. It was enough of a warning, though, as Meilin looked at Rose with a sparkle in her rich brown eyes that was not to be mistaken. The look that anyone, with any sense at all, would recognize.
The look of young love.
Is if in slow motion, Meilin turned again to face the long driveway leading up to the apple orchard. She could see his silhouette, walking slowly for a while, before picking up speed. She wanted to rush at him, but her swollen womb coupled with the swelling of love in her heart kept her rooted to the spot. Rose had taken the moment to slink off and make sure her little spit-fire of a daughter hadn't given any of her brothers a black eye. No doubt her husband, Connie Gammelthorpe, in his infinite wisdom had skirt off to the house for a refill of his coffee. He was always good at letting her be the warden of their usually unruly children.
Meilin had watched his form grow larger and larger until he was standing before her, filling her whole vision with his crooked smile and heartbreakingly beautiful brown eyes. His black hair fell messily over his eyes as he took her hands and kissed her knuckles.
"Sorry I didn't tell you where I was going, but I wanted a surprise." He told her before dropping to his knees before her huge stomach where a child grew. He lifted her shirt and kissed the skin, letting her soundless smile wash over him.
"I want you in my life forever. To make you happy and love you, this child, and any others that may follow." He told her before reaching into his pockets and pulling out a gold band with a small diamond set in the center.
"Martin." Was all she could say, the tears starting to flow as he gazed up at her and slid the ring onto her finger.
"This was the only ring I could afford that you would like. So what do you say, Meilin Liu`? Would you be willing to join the Gammelthorpe clan and be consumed by happy insanity with the rest of us?" she smiled, not daring to speak. Her joyful laughter was being strangled by sobs already – she'd hate to think how she could ruin the moment by blubbering out an answer. So instead, she nodded, and Martin grinned the crooked and trademarked Gammelthorpe grin before swiftly standing and kissing her fiercely.
Rosie and Connie Gammelthorpe watched on in silence as Tess joined Tim, Max, and Tobias in making a plethora of gagging and smooching noises from the side of the driveway where they were still tangled up together. All in all, though, their sounds of masked approval fell on deaf but blissful ears.
HA