NOTE: Taking this opportunity to talk about Queenstown and Christchurch.
I'm a little obsessive when it comes to New Zealand, I don't know why.
Hahaha.
"I'm really sorry, Anaïs, if you find this place dull. I'm afraid that we're rather far from Christchurch and a lot of the action, so life here might be a little. boring for you. Especially since this is your first visit to New Zealand," Mae said apologetically.
"That's all right, Mae. I've experienced a lot of the big city in Paris. Sometimes too much, I think. It's very refreshing to be able to stay in the country, and have some peace and quiet for once. I haven't seen such peace since the last time when I went to Ireland with my parents, back when they were still alive. And please, call me Ana."
"Well, if Ana ever wants to go to the town, Jesse or Miles could always take her. I'm sure they wouldn't mind, would you boys?" Tuck turned to look at his sons. Miles said nothing, trying to look everywhere else but at Ana. It was pretty obvious that he had no desire to go to any big city anytime. Jesse gave Ana a look, and nodded.
"I'd be glad to. Haven't been to either Queenstown or Christchurch for awhile."
Ana flashed him a grateful smile, and he returned it. "Thanks, Jesse. But for now, I'm content just to stay here in the country, and appreciate life as it comes: naturally."
"Good choice," Mae told her. "Life is always the best experienced as it is given to us, not how we mould it. But don't you hesitate to tell us if you want to go to town. I suppose a young woman like you would like to do some shopping before returning to Paris."
"That goes without saying, Mae. And don't worry, I won't hesitate to ask. I'll get Miles or Jesse to bring me even if it means threatening them."
The Tucks laughed at this remark (Miles grudgingly), and Ana joined them. "What a lovely family," she thought to herself. Then she sighed. "If only my family was like them. If only I wasn't alone."
Jesse and Ana sat outside the house, staring at the vast field before them, and the mountains in the distance. "I love this about New Zealand. It seems like no matter where you are, there are always mountains," Ana remarked.
"Yeah, I know. That's what made me fall in love with this place when we first got here. This is our fifth year here now. I love all the mountains. It makes this place seem. safe, somehow. Like this whole place is just a big fortress, and nothing can invade this place," Jesse agreed.
Ana looked at Jesse, not expecting such a deep analysis of the country from someone who seemed so carefree, but Jesse wasn't look at her. He was staring at the mountains. "Jesse. I'm really sorry about punching you this morning. And I'm sorry if I was prying when I asked you about 'she'," Ana said to him. Jesse glanced at her. "It's all right, it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I got angry. That was really unreasonable about it. I guess it's just a sensitive topic. I shouldn't have mentioned it in front of you since I didn't want you to ask. I'll tell you one day, all right? I promise. When the time is right, I'll tell you. You deserve that."
"All right. You tell me when you want to. I won't ask you about it anymore."
"Thank you."
They sat in silence for awhile, but did not feel in the least bit uncomfortable. Ana was reminded of what L. M. Montgomery always said in her books: if you could sit with someone in silence and not feel awkward, you two would be good friends, but if you couldn't, there would be no point in trying to be friends. It was something that she believed in greatly, having had more than her share of experiences with friends. It was why she didn't mind staying with Miles in the same apartment, even though they drove each other insane sometimes. There were times after they finished an article together, they would just sit on the couch in silence, and the silence wasn't disturbing at all, but seemed something very ordinary. Ana was glad that she felt this way with Jesse. The feeling wasn't exactly the same, though. There was something more, with Jesse. This warmth, that made her wish they could sit in silence like that forever. Maybe they could.
"So, tell me more about yourself," Jesse said suddenly, his curiosity returning to him. "You work with Miles, but look like you're eighteen, at the most. How old are you?"
Ana pretended to be shocked. "Jesse Tuck! How could you ask a woman such a question? Don't you know that a woman's age is a great secret?"
"I don't think you're a woman, I think you're a girl," Jesse replied cheekily.
Ana punched him playfully. "Awful, you are. I'm whatever age I want to be. Let's leave it at that. Now, let's turn to you. You think me a girl, but you're not some old man yourself. How old are YOU?"
"Whatever age you want me to be," Jesse told her easily. "And let's leave it at that."
"I'm really sorry, Anaïs, if you find this place dull. I'm afraid that we're rather far from Christchurch and a lot of the action, so life here might be a little. boring for you. Especially since this is your first visit to New Zealand," Mae said apologetically.
"That's all right, Mae. I've experienced a lot of the big city in Paris. Sometimes too much, I think. It's very refreshing to be able to stay in the country, and have some peace and quiet for once. I haven't seen such peace since the last time when I went to Ireland with my parents, back when they were still alive. And please, call me Ana."
"Well, if Ana ever wants to go to the town, Jesse or Miles could always take her. I'm sure they wouldn't mind, would you boys?" Tuck turned to look at his sons. Miles said nothing, trying to look everywhere else but at Ana. It was pretty obvious that he had no desire to go to any big city anytime. Jesse gave Ana a look, and nodded.
"I'd be glad to. Haven't been to either Queenstown or Christchurch for awhile."
Ana flashed him a grateful smile, and he returned it. "Thanks, Jesse. But for now, I'm content just to stay here in the country, and appreciate life as it comes: naturally."
"Good choice," Mae told her. "Life is always the best experienced as it is given to us, not how we mould it. But don't you hesitate to tell us if you want to go to town. I suppose a young woman like you would like to do some shopping before returning to Paris."
"That goes without saying, Mae. And don't worry, I won't hesitate to ask. I'll get Miles or Jesse to bring me even if it means threatening them."
The Tucks laughed at this remark (Miles grudgingly), and Ana joined them. "What a lovely family," she thought to herself. Then she sighed. "If only my family was like them. If only I wasn't alone."
Jesse and Ana sat outside the house, staring at the vast field before them, and the mountains in the distance. "I love this about New Zealand. It seems like no matter where you are, there are always mountains," Ana remarked.
"Yeah, I know. That's what made me fall in love with this place when we first got here. This is our fifth year here now. I love all the mountains. It makes this place seem. safe, somehow. Like this whole place is just a big fortress, and nothing can invade this place," Jesse agreed.
Ana looked at Jesse, not expecting such a deep analysis of the country from someone who seemed so carefree, but Jesse wasn't look at her. He was staring at the mountains. "Jesse. I'm really sorry about punching you this morning. And I'm sorry if I was prying when I asked you about 'she'," Ana said to him. Jesse glanced at her. "It's all right, it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I got angry. That was really unreasonable about it. I guess it's just a sensitive topic. I shouldn't have mentioned it in front of you since I didn't want you to ask. I'll tell you one day, all right? I promise. When the time is right, I'll tell you. You deserve that."
"All right. You tell me when you want to. I won't ask you about it anymore."
"Thank you."
They sat in silence for awhile, but did not feel in the least bit uncomfortable. Ana was reminded of what L. M. Montgomery always said in her books: if you could sit with someone in silence and not feel awkward, you two would be good friends, but if you couldn't, there would be no point in trying to be friends. It was something that she believed in greatly, having had more than her share of experiences with friends. It was why she didn't mind staying with Miles in the same apartment, even though they drove each other insane sometimes. There were times after they finished an article together, they would just sit on the couch in silence, and the silence wasn't disturbing at all, but seemed something very ordinary. Ana was glad that she felt this way with Jesse. The feeling wasn't exactly the same, though. There was something more, with Jesse. This warmth, that made her wish they could sit in silence like that forever. Maybe they could.
"So, tell me more about yourself," Jesse said suddenly, his curiosity returning to him. "You work with Miles, but look like you're eighteen, at the most. How old are you?"
Ana pretended to be shocked. "Jesse Tuck! How could you ask a woman such a question? Don't you know that a woman's age is a great secret?"
"I don't think you're a woman, I think you're a girl," Jesse replied cheekily.
Ana punched him playfully. "Awful, you are. I'm whatever age I want to be. Let's leave it at that. Now, let's turn to you. You think me a girl, but you're not some old man yourself. How old are YOU?"
"Whatever age you want me to be," Jesse told her easily. "And let's leave it at that."