Chapter 11: Thanksgiving

Exactly a week had passed since Julia and Elliot's wedding and today was also the day they were due back from their honeymoon to another island, Toucan Island I think you called it. It was also Thanksgiving, so I have made a load of cookies for everyone across the island, even the witch! But I had to be quick getting around the island if I was going to confront Vaughn today too before Julia got back and took over my life with talk of her week away.

The race was on from the moment I woke up, I skipped breakfast and darted out into the fields to find it was raining, oh the Goddess can be so good! Tended to my animals as quickly and as efficiently as possible before doing a well-planned out lap of the island that meant I could get the whole way around the island, finishing at Mirabelle's in the quickest time possible.

By the time two o'clock rolled around, I was entering Mirabelle's shop, feeling like a champ. Also, because of the rain, I knew Vaughn would be in the back and Mirabelle knitting in the front. Perfect. I gave my cookies to Mirabelle and told her I was just going to pop around the back to see Vaughn too. She smiled and continued knitting.

I made my way to the back of the shop and to the tiny office they had for stocks and other financial matters. I didn't bother to knock. When I walked in I found Vaughn to be hunched over a couple of spreadsheets, scribbling away.

"I brought you some cookies Vaughn," I said when I realised he hadn't noticed me walking into the room. Vaughn jumped in his chair and looked up from his work.

When he saw that it was me in the doorway his eyes widened a little, realising he had nowhere to hide. "Happy Thanksgiving," I said, handing him a little box of cookies.

"Thanks" He muttered and turned back to his work.

I swayed from the ball of my foot to my heel, trying to decide if I should just run away and not speak to him after all. After several moments he sighed and looked up again "Yes?" His eyes looked sharp and his lips tight in annoyance.

I gulped, feeling extremely anxious. "I wanted to talk… about the other week."

"What about it?" He said flatly.

My stomach sunk, he was being so rude. "I…w-well about… I-I just wanted to say that I'm sorry it happened, and it was a mistake. I don't want something like that to come between us." Vaughn didn't meet my eyes, his body faced me, but he was staring at the wall beside me.

Finally, he said "Ok, I don't really care anyway, just leave me alone" and swung back around in his chair to continue his work. Before the tears came I turned on my heel and darted out of the shop and all the way back home.

Once I got inside I flung myself on my bed shouting "Stupid! Stupid! Why did I even bother? Of course, he didn't care! He probably hadn't even thought twice about it!" I started to sniffle, completely embarrassed and utterly distraught I had been so ridiculous.

After a while, I started to feel sorry for myself and decided today was going to be a pyjama day. I got up from my bed and walked over to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea first. I sat down with the tea, hiccupping slightly from crying, and sipped at it slowly.

I just didn't get it, a kiss wasn't a huge deal, and it's not as if I was still with Denny. We didn't do anything wrong! It was just slightly awkward as we were friends. But this was Vaughn… he had a certain pride in him. Maybe he thought I was rebounding onto him and had no interest in being a part of that. Which made sense.

THUD. THUD.

I looked up from my tea to the door, who could that be? Julia wasn't back yet and if it was Natalie she would surely know by now that she could just walk in. I got up, wiping my eyes on my sleeve and answered the door. "Hello?" Peaking around the slightly ajar door, a tall figure stood, blocking the little light there was from such a gloomy day. "Vaughn, what are you doing here?"

I opened the door fully to reveal the tall cowboy at my door. "I, uh, came to apologise… like I always seem to have to do" He said gruffly. I folded my arms across my chest, this must be good. He cleared his throat, "I realise what I said was hurtful and uh, I'm sorry."

I nodded, "thanks for the apology, do you wanna get out of the rain? It's starting to wet my floor." Vaughn looked over his shoulder as if he expected to leave after he had said his apology but then nodded and ducked inside. He stood awkwardly as if waiting for me to instruct him where to go. "You can sit down, I'll take your hat and coat if you want," I said.

Vaughn removed his jacket but hesitantly removed his dripping hat, ruffling his hair when he took it off. He looked extremely embarrassed. I hung them both up at my door and walked back over to my dining table. "New table?" Vaughn asked, which I nodded to in reply. He took a seat down opposite me.

"Would you like anything? Tea? Coffee?"

"Milk, if that's ok?" He replied.

I raised an eyebrow but didn't question it and walked over to the fridge to pour out his chosen beverage. I sat back down, handing him the glass of milk. "So, did Mirabelle force you to come and apologise?" I asked.

He shook his head "no, after you ran out I realised that I'd been rude so I, uh, decided to apologise." I blinked in surprise, that was unlike Vaughn to do something like this on his own accord. Maybe Julia had finally got through to him. "I'm also sorry for how I acted at the wedding, it was impolite"

Again, this took me off guard and I scrambled for words to say before he said something else and the chance was missed for me to have this conversation. "I-, t-thank you, it was." Vaughn kept his face pointed towards his glass of milk, so I could not see his expression but by his body language, I could tell he felt a bit guilty. "I just wanted to talk to you to clear the air" I explained.

Vaughn nodded, still not meeting my eyes, so I continued. "New Year I think was a mistake for both of us and I don't want it to come between us as friends."

This time Vaughn looked up slightly to meet my eyes, his mouth opened but he stopped for a moment and then said, "I understand."

I smiled, "OK! Well, how about we stop talking about it and chat for a bit, it's still raining so you might as well stay for a little. Plus, Julia will be back soon, so you might miss the initial returning home excitement" I laughed, at which Vaughn smiled a little bit, nodding in agreement.

Vaughn and I then spent the rest of the afternoon talking like we used to back when I was married to Denny. We talked about work on the farm and a little about his back in the city. Vaughn even relaxed enough that we could joke a bit about some of the islanders, especially Taro.

"CHELSEA!" My front door swung open and Julia came running through the door and into my living space. "Oh, and Vaughn! I didn't expect to see you here, never mind, anyway! I have such big news!" She exclaimed excitedly. She ran over to the table and stood at the end of it "OK, guess!"

Vaughn rolled his eyes and I smirked, "I don't know, what?"

But Julia shook her head "No you have to guess!"

I shrugged "really, I don't know… you had a horrible honeymoon… and now you're getting divorced 'cause you realised Elliot isn't as fun as you thought." I said sarcastically. Vaughn chuckled, but Julia stuck out her tongue.

"Don't be so rude!" She folded her arms, "no~… I'm pregnant!" Vaughn and I both raised our eyebrows and blinked, "oh, c'mon on guys! Stop being so old fashioned! I know we've only been married a week, you don't think we-"

"Stop! I don't want to hear it, Julia!" I butted in, I was very aware of what you could do despite not being married. "But in any case, congratulations! This is great!" I paused, "wait… so is that why you weren't drinking at your own wedding?" I asked.

Julia nodded "yeah… but I didn't want you and Natalie to sniff me out so that's why I accepted that glass champagne, I feel so terrible about it so don't tell Elliot!" She pleaded.

"You had two though?"

Julia shook her head, "I poured the second glass down the sink when you weren't looking," she giggled.

"That's such a waste!" I protested.

"You were drinking?" Vaughn suddenly said, his eyebrows furrowed together.

Julia shook her head "No! Not really! I only had one! Don't be mad Vaughn, and please don't tell mum."

"Why didn't you just say, Julia? We would have never have given you any!" I said taking her hand, shaking my head.

Julia's eyes expressed her sorry in them "I know, I'm sorry, I was just a wreck about the wedding. I just thought I'd wait until after the wedding to tell people" I was impressed at Julia for keeping this huge secret for so long, it was very unlike her. She really must have been nervous. "Anyway, I better get going, I need to get back to Elliot and the family, we're moving all of his stuff into our place at the minute. Wanna join Vaughn?"

"I'll pass" Vaughn replied.

Julia then said her goodbyes and left, blowing me a kiss on the way out. "She's a funny one," I said to Vaughn after she had left, he nodded in agreement. "So, would you like some dinner? I'm starving."

"No, I'm fine, you've already given me too much."

I laughed "A glass of milk is a) not 'too much' and b) I was going to suggest the diner, I really don't want to cook tonight."

"Alright then," Vaughn agreed.

We left my place and headed down to the diner together for dinner. We spent the rest of the night together, Vaughn avoiding going back to the inevitable mayhem occurring at Mirabelle's and I, avoiding going back to my empty house…


The next day, after all my daily chores I decided to take a walk down to the beach and maybe go fishing on the pier to relax. The pier, however, was not empty as a massive boat took up the whole length of it. Great, looked like I was going to have to fish somewhere else but as I turned to leave I heard someone call out "Hello! Good lady! Would you mind assisting me for but a moment?" Stunned, I looked around, my eyes landed on a man standing on the deck of the boat, waving at me.

"Sure," I called back. I walked over to the pier, climbing the few stairs "what d'you need?"

"I was wondering if this was indeed, Sunny Island? My uncle, you see, resides here and I have come for a little while to pay him a visit." The man replied.

"Well, you're in the right place, who's your uncle? I'd be more than happy to show you where he lives" I offered.

I could see a grin spread across the young man's face, "that would be wonderful! Give me a moment and I will come down," and with that, he disappeared into the cabin. He looked around my age, mid to late-twenties, smartly dressed in white linen with, platinum, blonde hair. A few moments later he un-boarded the ship and joined me on the pier. "William," he said holding out his hand. "A pleasure to meet you." I held out my hand to shake but he took it gently and brushed his lips lightly across my knuckles.

"You too," I said a little awkwardly, pulling my hand away gently. "So, uh, who is this uncle of yours?" I asked.

"Regis" he replied. Of course, I thought to myself, I should've guessed by his mannerisms and dress.

"Well, follow me, I'll show you the way"

I turned and started to walk off the pier and towards the town. I could hear William's footsteps behind me and then next to me once we were on the beach. "May I ask your name, my lady?" He said once he was at my side.

"Sorry, of course, I'm Chelsea, I'm the farmer here on the island"

"Wonderful!" He replied, "One just loves nature, I bet you get to grow the most beautiful flowers."

I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not, so I just laughed. "No, I only really grow vegetables, I've never really thought of planting and selling flowers before…" I trailed off, wondering if he was onto something if flowers could be profitable. Then I thought about fruit… maybe I could plant some fruit trees too?

"Oh, but you must!"

"Thank you for the advice William, I think I might consider it"

"I don't mean to intrude, I'm sure you know much more than I about farming" He quickly said, red flashing across his cheeks.

I smiled, now realising he was being serious when he complimented me on being a farmer. "It's fine, I just hadn't thought about planting flowers, you might be right, I might make quite a profit on them, thank you, William."

I could see William grin, "A pleasure, my lady. But please, call me Will."

"Ok, Will." We had reached Regis's mansion, "well this is it, it was nice meeting you Will."

Will turned to me with a smile, "a pleasure, again, Chelsea, I hope we cross paths again soon," he again, took my hand and kissed my knuckles gently before entering the mansion. I returned home, forgetting that I had originally set out to go fishing, I was in such a daze from meeting Will.


Again, thank you for reading! I've posted a lot recently, 4 whole chapters! However, as we approach September this will definitely not be the case over the next couple of months. If I'm lucky I might be able to write more at Christmas or a little over the semester but realistically the next time I will really write will be next summer. I have started the next chapter but who knows if I'll finish it before I leave in a weeks time. Or if it will sit on my computer for another 2 years.

Thank you!