Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon

Chapter 10 Date (part 1)

"Stop it! You look fine ok? Just stop!"

Gray moaned as he collapsed onto Claire's bed and pretended to faint because of his twin's unnecessary twitching. Claire checked herself for the 20th time in the mirror before she turned around to her very clueless brother as she said in a rather annoyed tone

"I am nervous ok?! I want this to be perfect!"

Gray rolled his eyes as he muttered darkly

"You are perfect."

Claire turned around when he said so, and she couldn't help but smile at her very sweet brother, despite his moody mood, he tries to comfort her and she would know the instant he was lying because he would feel guilty and feeling was something that was not so private amongst them. She kissed her brother on the cheek before she said

"Thank you brother. You know I need this."

Gray nodded as he tugged his cap lower in annoyance that she showed affection just like their mother, but he was more like his dad… his affection was reserved for the people he truly cared about and even then, they are very reserved and done in private. Then again it is pretty private here, because it was in her room, but… he felt uncomfortable about it.

"Get your butt out there. I bet he is waiting."

Just as he said so, Claire caught sight of a silver coloured car. It wasn't trendy but it was nicer than an old car! Claire squealed in excitement as she dashed downstairs not before grabbing her purse from the table. Gray moved to stand up and walk towards the window to catch sight of his sister's date, but he couldn't quite make the figure out.

There was a low growl from his chest as he thought to himself

He better treat her right, or I will break his bones

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Today, Trent was awakened by his phone ringing. Thinking it was some emergency from the hospital, he picked up the phone and saying in a rather hoarse voice

"Hello?... Hello?"

Trent was surprised that it was still ringing as he moved to look at the caller ID to realize that Carter had set his alarm to his own ringtone and knowing how dedicated to his work he is, he would pick it up and no longer be able to sleep. With that rush of adrenaline pulsing through his body, he got up and started to take a shower and while doing so wondering what he should wear for a casual date.

"I am too old for this."

Trent complained slightly but choosing a nice semi-formal shirt and as he began to fold his sleeves up when a call came through. Trent hastily picked it up, wondering if this time it was another alarm but sure enough there was a caller ID.

"…Hello Carter."

Trent answered with slight displeasure but Carter seemed to be having his breakfast but was in a very pleasant mood as he replied

"Rise and shine, you do remember you have to pick her up at 10? And if you are holding some manuscripts with you right now, please put them away."

Trent frowned as he laid down the manuscript which he had propped on his desk as he tried to fix his sleeves.

"It is scary how well you know me."

Trent commented before he closed the manuscript and placed it on the pile of his other manuscripts, Carter laughed and sipped some tea before he replied

"Well, you remind me a lot about me… Remember one time…"

"Carter, if you tell me your stories, I am going to be late."

Trent cut right through Carter's attempt to tell him a very good story. Carter had good stories, but now wasn't the time to listen to it. Carter seemed to agree as he replied

"Oh right. My bad. I will call you again at 10 am to make sure your there and not back on desk checking up some last details of your manuscript."

Trent chuckled slightly as he agreed and he snapped his phone shut before he continued to buckle his belt and ran his hand through his hair, making his black hair look tame, but it was a failed attempt as some strands of his hair fell onto his face.

At 10 am, he was already outside the door of Claire's supposed address when his phone rang again.

"Carter, I am already there. I will call you back later."

Carter laughed as he praised Trent saying he was being a good boy and shut the phone, letting Carter have the last say. Before Trent could even think of calling Claire, she waved the driver's window before going around the other side of the car and getting in.

Trent at this point could take in her full dress up. She was wearing a nice cute pink tank top with skin hugging three quarter jeans and a nice black jacket which made it feel casual. She was wearing a hat and hooped earrings. Her blond hair was tied in to a nice ponytail with her hair was in curls tumbling down from the pony tails. She had stilettos that were black and had a golden anklet with stars adorned on it. It suited her skin very well. She was a very pretty girl… Trent thought personally, but he had to chide himself for thinking she was pretty. She was 7 years his junior. No go.

"Hello Trent."

She smiled her 100 watt smile and Trent felt that she was definitely contagious as he threw a cautious yet weak smile at her.

"…You look very nice… But you do know…"

Claire stopped him midsentence as she continued for him with the same radiant smile

"I know. You will try to convince me otherwise. Let's go to the mall, I was thinking we should watch a movie. What would you like to watch?"

Trent started to do a U-turn as he said to her in a very calm baritone voice barely disguising his amusement

"Anything is good."

Claire pouted a little before she flipped up her phone and checked the movies on at that particular place… internally she wanted to impress Trent so she picked out a movie which she knew had a lot of hospital scenes.

"My forever Sunshine, 2 tickets please?"

Claire had taken the liberty to arrange which movie and which seats as Trent who was beside her allowed her to do the full arrangements before he paid for them and their food. Claire sipped her drink before she started to talk to Trent.

"…So what do you do in your free time?"

Trent looked at Claire to see her smiling and wondered how can a girl like her be so happy? It was so strange for someone to be smiling non-stop at you and it was genuine… it made you feel like a depressed patient probably.

"Hm… I do a lot of reading up on herbs and medicines that have been recently found. Doctors have to be update from time to time."

"…Oh… what kind of doctor are you?"

"I am a general doctor. My interest is more on the herbs and medicines."

"You're the research type then?"

Trent chuckled at her classification before he guided them into their seats and replied

"No, technically I am not really allowed to mix them, but I have a friend in there who allowed me to work there on Saturdays. We are hoping to find a cure for cancer without invasive and sickly chemotherapy."

Claire looked surprised as she seemed to think it wasn't possible… cancer had always been chemotherapy and surgeries to remove the sick part. What boggled her, the most was the idea herbs and medicine might just be the cure for cancer.

Trent was thankful the movie hasn't started yet and the lights were still on, because he could take in her full expression. He knew what was going on in her mind and that was what everyone thought. It was just not possible for it to happen… it was not possible that herbs could cure cancer… he has heard people several times before.

"That sounds…"

Claire didn't say it at first but the expression that replaced curiosity was something akin to glee and confidence.

"It sounds absolutely wonderful!"

Trent blinked, she was pretending wasn't she?

"Are you not doubtful it will work?"

"…I have my doubts. But, you are a certified doctor working with a certified chemist. If you two think so, it may just be the development of the history… It is my rule to trust my partner."

Trent couldn't help but admire her sense of maturity although her maturity is based on her innocence. If she was a doctor like him, she could argue otherwise and if she was a chemists she would have other information to prove him otherwise. She was neither of them, no privy to such knowledge but she used general knowledge to know the chances of it being possible were low, yet her belief in a professional and probably her expectation to be his partner, she accepted his desire and idea.

Before Trent could ask her and assess her, the movie started to roll and he had no choice but to pay attention to the movie.

"…Doctor! How is she?"

"… her illness has gotten worse… I am sorry Mrs Jones, she might not see summer this year."

"Oh… Lucy! My baby!"

The woman on the screen wailed as she clung to the small frame of her child as she wept. The kid was puzzled as to why she was crying but was already very weak and frail.

"Sniff…"

Trent tore his eyes away from the screen to see Claire furiously dabbing her eyes with the tissue as she watched the scene unfold in front of her, completely enraptured. Trent wasn't impressed personally since he was a doctor he knew all about the code and ethics and especially treatments. Perhaps if he thought to do a few procedures, she wouldn't be dying. Strangely enough, the idea of the little girl dying was just as saddening to him as it is to her.

"…Forever you will be my sunshine Lucy… you brought me everything I ever wanted, you were the only thing I had to give up… I hate to part from you baby, but you fixed everything and I am determined to live it to the very last. Your father and I worked things out. Your big brother James stopped drugs and we are actually spending more time now than before. We talk about you a lot, because you were that very sunshine of our family. My baby, my love… Lucy."

Claire was still wiping off the tears that were coming down her face when the credits popped up, but Trent guided her out the theatre and he realized there were several women and several men (to his surprise) crying as well. He would give them the idea it was sad, but the doctor in the show was stupid and could have save her after all! Maybe they were testing to see if anyone noticed? Secret murder story, doctor murdered Lucy because insufficient training in his profession.

"…It was such a sad story…"

Claire sniffed, as she wiped the final tears away from her eyes and turned to give Trent a watery smile.

"Well the doctor was inadequate. For starters he shouldn't be without his mask… such situations…"

Trent started but he heard a distinct giggle as Trent frowned and looked at her slightly puzzled as to why she was laughing at him.

"What is it?"

Trent asked, but Claire started to laugh harder. So Trent waited patiently until she calmed down, as Claire talked in short breaths since she was trying to recover from her laughter.

"…Well… the movie is made… made that way. You are taking it so serious, actually you are quite into the movie just like the rest of us cry babies."

Trent didn't know what came over him, he turned his face away and pretended to look serious as he replied in a casual way.

"No… It was just, as a doctor I know I could have saved her."

Claire thought he was quite cute when it came to issues that placed a question mark in his masculinity. She slipped her arm around his arm as she said

"You know, if you didn't care for the girl, you wouldn't be saying this."

Trent never had such light hearted bantering done to him before. Usually everyone took him seriously, and when he commented on doctors in movies, even Carter would agree and wouldn't say more. He remembered correctly he went with a group of girls and when he mentioned technicalities of the doctors, they decided they liked the other man better and hang with him for the rest of the day for Trent to them were overly opinionated on his profession and probably a workaholic. No one really thought of him being emotionally attached to the movie and perhaps he did feel it was unjust for Lucy, he didn't think she would catch on to that before he even recognized it. Or was it because she mentioned it that caused him to believe it?

To be continued,

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