Chapter 4
Introductions, Part Deux
Sariel was working in one of her Parsnip fields when she felt the familiar buzzing of her phone. She wiped the sweat from her brow and tugged her work glove off her hand. She deftly pulled the device from her pocket and smiled when she saw it was Elliott calling.
"Hello Elliott." Sariel said warmly.
"Good morning, Sariel. I was wondering if you'd like to come to the cabin for coffee. If you're free of course." Elliott stated.
"Coffee? Yeah, that'd be nice. I've been working all morning, I could use a break." Sariel replied.
"Excellent. I shall await your arrival with bated breath." Elliott said.
"I am going to assume that you've only had coffee to eat since you woke up. It's almost noon, so I'll bring some lunch over too." Sariel teased.
"Ah, that would be correct." Elliott replied solemnly.
"Alright. Give me a few minutes to make myself more presentable and I'll head over." Sariel replied.
"Of course. See you shortly." Elliott stated.
Sariel glanced at the phone as the call ended and slipped the device back into her pocket. She placed all of her tools in the tool shed and headed inside to clean herself up a bit. Her shirt was soaked with sweat, and she shucked the cold cotton t-shirt off. She pulled a blue tank top on and combed her hair into a dutch braid. She quickly scrubbed her face clean, reapplied her deodorant and applied a light spritz of perfume.
Sariel made her way to the kitchen and raided her cabinets for the supplies to make crab cakes. They were one of Elliott's favorites, despite the fact the man hated fried foods. Her pocket buzzed again and she pulled her phone out and glanced at the text.
"Hey. I got your number from Elliott. He just texted me. He's trying to figure out a way to formally ask you out, I think. He wants to do it romantically, in his Elliott way, but he doesn't know what you'd like the most. Help a girl out? - Leah"
"Hah. Tell him my favorite flowers are moonflowers. Chocolate is life and I prefer tea over coffee. Okay, maybe not that last part, I think it'll wound his soul. We both know he lives off coffee." Sariel typed out quickly.
"Hehe, that's true. I have some moonflowers growing! How long until you leave for the cabin? - Leah"
"I was going to head out once I've finished making lunch. Preparing him hopefully a few days worth of food so he a) eats and b) doesn't die." Sariel responded.
"Aww, that's love right there, Sari! You really like him, don't you? - Leah"
"I'd be lying if I said 'no'. It's so cliché to say that my heart does flips in my chest when I see him, but it's true." Sariel responded quickly.
"Well, tell him that. When the time is right of course. I'm sure he's going to tell me all about things later. Have a good time! - Leah"
Sariel turned the screen of her phone off and set it on the counter next to her. The third batch of crab cakes had just come out of the fryer and she transferred them to paper to drain. She pulled a basket from the pantry and filled it with a few jars of Tom Kha soup she'd canned, a twenty pomegranates and the batches of crab cakes. She tucked a cloth around the goods and made sure they were safely stored away.
She hefted the basket onto her hip and exited her house. She opted for the faster route which was to go through the forest and pass by Leah's cottage. Though faster, the journey still took her thirty minutes.
Sariel knocked gently on the cabin door and smiled when she heard Elliott tell her to come in. She gently pushed on the wooden door and let herself into his small cabin. Elliott was sitting at his writing desk with his feet propped up. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up and he was holding a book in his right hand. His left hand drummed a pencil on the blank page in front of him. She quickly memorized the location of everything, noting he didn't have a lot - a piano, a bed, a desk, two tables, a small kitchenette, and a closet.
"Sariel! Come in. Welcome to my humble… well shack. This is my writing desk. It's where I spend most of my time. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer. Have I told you that?" Elliott asked warmly as he turned towards her.
"I do believe you've mentioned it before." Sariel replied kindly.
"That's why I live out here by myself. I figured a lonely life by the sea would help me focus on my literary aspirations… Everyone back home said I was nuts… that I could never make it as a writer. Can you believe it? They said 'for every successful author there's a thousand who fail miserably.' Such pessimism… it's sickening." Elliott lamented.
"That's a pretty horrible thing to say to someone. Family and friends should support your hopes and dreams, and literary aspirations." Sariel stated.
"I can see it in your eyes… you believe in me, Sariel. You've got that spark. Now that's inspiring! That's what I'm looking for… A question… What kind of books do you like, Sariel?" Elliott inquired gently.
"I read a lot different things, but my favorite genre is Mystery." Sariel replied.
"Mystery, huh? It's definitely an exciting genre. I'll remember that. Well! Enough talk about me! Hrm… you probably know a lot about plants, don't you?" Elliott asked.
"It does kind of come with the business of being a farmer. I think I know a few things. Why?" Sariel countered.
"Would you mind taking a look at this rose here? I'm afraid it's not doing so well." Elliott replied sadly.
Sariel sat the basket down and moved to the small flower pot on Elliott's desk. The single rose looked kind of sad and the edges of its petals were wilting. She picked the pot up and examined it closely. The soil was quite firm and didn't seem to drain water well. It was a bit too small of a pot as well.
"Well, the prognosis is good. She gets enough sun here, that's for sure. Her pot is a little small for her, and she could use some better soil. Roses like a lot of sun, and well draining soil. You don't want to keep them too wet. Let's have lunch and then you can bring her back to the farm and I'll help you transplant her and fix her up for you." Sariel spoke warmly.
"Ah, thank you. That would be wonderful." Elliott replied.
"I made you some crab cakes, and since I know you're not eating well, there's some more things in the basket for you." Sariel said calmly.
"Sariel, thank you. This is excellent." Elliott stated.
"How long have you lived here, if you don't mind me asking?" Sariel inquired.
"A bit over a year. I moved here a year before you arrived." Elliott replied.
"Do you miss home?" Sariel asked.
"Ah, well, yes and no. Things were certainly different back home, but Pelican Town has its own merits. Would I change things? No. What about you, Sariel? Do you miss Zuzu City?" Elliott inquired.
"Err. That's… a difficult thing to answer. There are aspects of my life I miss, yes. I mostly enjoyed living in Zuzu City. My best friend lives there, but, my life hasn't been the easiest. There's so much worth and value here, that I actually feel whole again. Well, somewhat." Sariel replied.
"I don't want you to feel pressured. You don't have to tell me if you wish, but what do you mean?" Elliott queried.
"I don't mind. When I was younger, I got romantically involved with a man named Lucian Reid. I was young and stupid. What I thought was love blinded me to how horrible he truly was. When I was twenty, Luc… murdered my best friend's brother." Sariel stated calmly.
"Oh, Yoba, that's horrible!" Elliott exclaimed.
"That's not all, either. He tried to pin the blame on other people. I found the evidence that incriminated him, and testified against him. He… wasn't very kind to me while we were together." Sariel lamented.
"I am sorry that happened to you, Sariel. You deserve better than that." Elliott stated angrily.
"It's okay. It took a while to come to terms with what happened. I'm grateful Lilly and I remained friends through the whole ordeal. I was so distraught by what happened that I haven't dated anyone since then. I was too scared to make the commitment for fear it would be a repeat of Luc." Sariel lamented softly.
Elliott wrapped Sariel in his embrace and hugged her tightly. He felt Sariel flinch slightly, then melt into the embrace as she tightened her arms around him. He could smell the intoxicating scents of sandalwood, vanilla, pear, and citrus as it clung lightly to her skin and hair.
He loosed Sariel from his grasp and stared deeply into her steel-hued orbs. She was captivatingly beautiful. Her features were slim and delicate, yet he could see the fierceness that burned in her soul. Her hair was the most sublimely perfect hue of mahogany he'd ever seen. The delicate braid she wore suited her. He noticed a few wispy tendrils of hair fell from the braid and framed her face perfectly.
"A great idea can pass through your head when you least expect it… but if your mind is too busy you might miss it." Sariel quipped teasingly.
"Hrm?" Elliott replied.
"Elliott, how much work have you made on your novel?" Sariel inquired.
"I seem to have come to a permanent impasse with my novel. I am beginning to think my family was correct." Elliott lamented.
"You said you've practically become a hermit and you don't allow yourself much in the way of fun. Maybe you need to take a break and clear your mind. Stress can do a hell of a lot of damage to someone." Sariel replied.
"That would be a different course of action. Perhaps you are correct." Elliott stated.
"Rinn." Sariel stated.
"Come again?" Elliott asked.
"It's my nickname. All my family and friends back home call me Rinn." Sariel replied.
"Rinn. That's a lovely nickname. Would you prefer to be addressed as such?" Elliott inquired.
Sariel's heart dropped into the flurry of butterflies in her stomach as her name rolled off his tongue. The intonation and inflection of each sound serenaded her ears. She noticed Elliott staring at her intensely.
"You can call me whatever you like. I'm telling you you're my friend. Come, sit with me on the docks." Sariel playfully called out.
Elliott smiled at the young woman and obliged her desire. The two exited his cabin and made the short walk to the dock near the tidal pools. He found himself staring at Sariel as she sat out a large sketchbook and laid down on the dock. He swore as she was turning to a blank page he caught a drawing that looked like him.
"Rinn, what's the last drawing in this book? If I might ask." Elliott asked gently.
"Erm. I'm a bit scared to show you." Sariel admitted.
"Why's that?" Elliott replied.
Sariel blushed furiously and hung her head as she swallowed deeply. Her stomach betrayed her and surged into her throat at the sound of her nickname on his lips. Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. Her fingers trembled slightly as she grabbed the edge of the last page and gently flipped it forward. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and waited for Elliott's judgement.
Elliott smiled internally, and felt his heart skip a beat as he saw the portrait of himself on her canvas. He was astounded by her artistic talent. He swore it could rival even Leah's. He laid next to her and moved his face a few mere inches from her ear and whispered softly to her.
"That is amazing, Rinn." Elliott purred in her ear.
"T-th-thank you, Elliott." Sariel stammered.
"Am I making you nervous?" Elliott responded.
"Y-yes." Sariel gulped as she spoke.
"Why is that?" Elliott inquired.
"Uhm. I…" Sariel couldn't find the words to speak.
"You what, Rinn?" Elliott teased.
"T-th-think you're very attractive." Sariel choked out.
"Is that so?" Elliott asked.
"Yes, Elliott, it is." Sariel replied defiantly.
Elliott groaned internally and knew there was something captivating about Sariel. He'd lived in Pelican Town for a year now, and none of the other bachelorettes attracted him the way Sariel did. Everything about her shook him to his very core.
Elliott, the normally prim and proper gentleman, who preferred to take his time romancing the women he'd dated in the past, quickly threw all of that to the wind. His body was on fire and everything about Sariel screamed she was the water to quench the growing blaze in his soul. He stared at her face for minutes, committing every detail to his memory. He reached his right hand towards her arm and touched her shoulder gently.
"Rinn, may I have your attention?" Elliott asked.
Sariel turned towards him and was blindsided by his lips on hers. She blinked furiously then fluttered her eyes closed as she speared her fingers into his hair and deepened the kiss. She could hear the familiar thumping of her heart as it beat in her ears, not her chest. It felt like if she exhaled her heart would leave her body and she'd be an empty shell of a woman.
Elliott broke the kiss off and stared into her steel gray eyes. He was as breathless as she, equally impressed by the intensity of their kiss. He hoped silently that he hadn't crossed a line.
"That was..." Sariel whispered.
"A line I should not have crossed?" Elliott inquired.
"No. I was going to say amazing, but that is definitely a line you should very much bulldoze over a million trillion times. Please." Sariel stated.
"In that case." Elliott replied.
He captured her lips again and kissed them raw. He dragged his tongue across her lips and continued his assault on her mouth. He growled as she whimpered beneath him. He finally broke the kiss and pulled back from her.
Sariel's fingers fluttered to her lips and she smiled so brightly her eyes sparkled. She reached out towards him and took his hand in her grasp. She took the moments to clear her thoughts and her throat.
"I would like to see where this could go, if you're interested, Sariel." Elliott stated.
"I'd like that." Sariel replied.
"As would I. I will deign to say we should start this relationship off correctly, though. Would you allow me the honor of joining me on a date tomorrow?" Elliott replied softly.
"Yes. Coffee at the farm?" Sariel asked.
"Ah, coffee. I find myself craving the robust flavour nearly every morning. Coffee it is. Is 10:00 an acceptable time?" Elliott inquired.
"Mhm. I'll be done with all the morning chores by then. I'll make brunch, too. We can sit and get to know one another a little more." Sariel replied.
"I am very much looking forward to that." Elliott replied kindly.
"Elliott?" Sariel asked.
"Yes, Rinn?" Elliott replied.
"Kiss me." Sariel stated boldly.
Elliott didn't hesitate as he captured her tender lips again. The sweet taste of pomegranate on her lips drove him wild. Every place her fingers grazed his skin felt like burning lava. He could feel a growing inferno in his soul and knew that Sariel was the only water that could quench the thirst.
He begrudgingly broke the kiss and stared at her. There was a fervent blush on her cheeks and her lips were swollen. She had the faintest smile on her lips. She was staring at him intently.
"Regretfully, I think I should head back to the farm. If I stay here, I'm not sure I could keep up the will to resist you much longer." Sariel stated solemnly.
Elliott stood and gently helped Sariel up from the dock. He pulled her into a gentle embrace and softly kissed her forehead. He smiled at the deep blush on her cheeks. He slipped his hand into hers and gently led her back to the beach.
"Don't forget to bring your rose. I've got all the materials at the house to hopefully start her on the road to recovery." Sariel mentioned.
"I won't. Have a good evening, Rinn." Elliott replied.
Sariel turned her back towards Elliott and slowly made the walk back through town. Her mind was racing a trillion miles a minute. She could still feel the weight of his lips on hers. Her body felt electrified.
As she made her way back to the farmhouse she shucked her clothing off and stood in the cool water of a shower for over an hour. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Elliott. Part of her yearned for the start of their relationship, yet part of her wanted to withdraw and avoid the potential pain and heartache. Unfortunately on this night, sleep eluded her.