Chapter 2: Ann's New Friend
Midsummer's sun rose lazily over the hills. The world was waking up again.
Ann was waking up too, she took a glimpse of the rushing waters and sighed. The chilling morning air continued to wrap itself around her, like an envelope. She was lost in the serenity. This is why Ann loved to take walks up the mountain. It took her far away from work and the village, far away from everything.
Even if Popuri stood only a few paces away.
And even if the farmer girl always came up to gather herbs.
She could stand alone, perfectly untouched. And yet, that morning…
"Hello Claire!" Popuri waved as the farmer girl stood by the hot springs, with a handful of chicken eggs.
"Oh, good morning, Popuri." She replied, placing eggs on the smooth stone edge of the hot springs and dropping eggs in. Only to take them out, cooked, moments later. She held them close to her body, tenderly, like a mother, Ann observed. Claire sauntered over towards Popuri, and handed her an egg. Popuri thanked her happily, and she then headed over toward's Ann. Her waking-up stare followed the young woman's form as she come forward, and Claire held out a particularly fat egg.
"Here you go," She offered the boiled egg. Ann couldn't help but smile.
"Is that for me? Thanks very much." She took it gracefully.
That farmer girl had just earned a name, in Ann's mind. Soon, Claire left and a few hours later, Ann and Popuri headed back into town as well.
As she entered the inn, she began to munch on the egg a little. Her father smiled at this.
"Did some boy give you that? Finally…a man is taking interest-"
"No, no! Father, no." She shook her head, exasperated. "Claire did."
"The girl from the farm? I see." He said. "Well…I guess you need some friends, too."
"Oh shut-up dad." She fumed, heading upstairs to do the chores. Ann's father chuckled gleefully to himself. It was funny to watch his daughter get angry, Ann never…stayed angry. Just like her mother.
-----
That same day, Cliff was sitting in the church as usual. Carter was standing there quietly, humming a gospel to himself. Cliff looked up every once in awhile. He enjoyed seeing the same people every day now. They had started to accept him, and even welcome him. Especially Carter, Claire, and Ann. Claire had arrived even later than Cliff…but just by a few days. Cliff had wondered into town mid-winter. Maybe that was the reason. But what was Carter's reason? What about Ann? He shook his head, letting his thoughts drift too far in the wrong direction…
----
Later that day, Claire was waiting outside the poultry farm doors. Rick ventured in and Claire walked in soon after.
"Hello Lilia." She greeted.
"Hello dear," Lilia smiled in a hospitable manner. "Need something?"
"I…want to buy a chicken," She said, holding out 1500g. Rick looked up.
"Oh, good!" Lilia grinned, taking the money, "What would you like to name her?"
"Sako." She said immediately.
"Okay. Rick…" Lilia looked over to where her son was, but Rick was already out the door fetching a hen. Claire watched the door close. "Okay…Need any chicken feed?"
"Nah, I've had corn growing." Claire responded. Lilia nodded. Claire walked out of the shop.
"What's up with Rick?" Popuri asked her mother. Popuri had been walking around the kitchen, listening to every word. That was the problem with having your shop right in the main area of living. No privacy.
"I don't know. We don't seem to get much business around here, we sell chickens to other villages…they order it from us. I've met many people through Zack, who've given me thank-you notes over the years…but…maybe Rick's just bored. He needs someone…to…"
"To what? Oh, wait, never mind, its almost 2:00, I have to go meet Kai."
"You do that," Lilia smiled warmly as Popuri rushed out the door.
"To love…" Lilia whispered to herself, thinking of her husband.
Midsummer's sun rose lazily over the hills. The world was waking up again.
Ann was waking up too, she took a glimpse of the rushing waters and sighed. The chilling morning air continued to wrap itself around her, like an envelope. She was lost in the serenity. This is why Ann loved to take walks up the mountain. It took her far away from work and the village, far away from everything.
Even if Popuri stood only a few paces away.
And even if the farmer girl always came up to gather herbs.
She could stand alone, perfectly untouched. And yet, that morning…
"Hello Claire!" Popuri waved as the farmer girl stood by the hot springs, with a handful of chicken eggs.
"Oh, good morning, Popuri." She replied, placing eggs on the smooth stone edge of the hot springs and dropping eggs in. Only to take them out, cooked, moments later. She held them close to her body, tenderly, like a mother, Ann observed. Claire sauntered over towards Popuri, and handed her an egg. Popuri thanked her happily, and she then headed over toward's Ann. Her waking-up stare followed the young woman's form as she come forward, and Claire held out a particularly fat egg.
"Here you go," She offered the boiled egg. Ann couldn't help but smile.
"Is that for me? Thanks very much." She took it gracefully.
That farmer girl had just earned a name, in Ann's mind. Soon, Claire left and a few hours later, Ann and Popuri headed back into town as well.
As she entered the inn, she began to munch on the egg a little. Her father smiled at this.
"Did some boy give you that? Finally…a man is taking interest-"
"No, no! Father, no." She shook her head, exasperated. "Claire did."
"The girl from the farm? I see." He said. "Well…I guess you need some friends, too."
"Oh shut-up dad." She fumed, heading upstairs to do the chores. Ann's father chuckled gleefully to himself. It was funny to watch his daughter get angry, Ann never…stayed angry. Just like her mother.
-----
That same day, Cliff was sitting in the church as usual. Carter was standing there quietly, humming a gospel to himself. Cliff looked up every once in awhile. He enjoyed seeing the same people every day now. They had started to accept him, and even welcome him. Especially Carter, Claire, and Ann. Claire had arrived even later than Cliff…but just by a few days. Cliff had wondered into town mid-winter. Maybe that was the reason. But what was Carter's reason? What about Ann? He shook his head, letting his thoughts drift too far in the wrong direction…
----
Later that day, Claire was waiting outside the poultry farm doors. Rick ventured in and Claire walked in soon after.
"Hello Lilia." She greeted.
"Hello dear," Lilia smiled in a hospitable manner. "Need something?"
"I…want to buy a chicken," She said, holding out 1500g. Rick looked up.
"Oh, good!" Lilia grinned, taking the money, "What would you like to name her?"
"Sako." She said immediately.
"Okay. Rick…" Lilia looked over to where her son was, but Rick was already out the door fetching a hen. Claire watched the door close. "Okay…Need any chicken feed?"
"Nah, I've had corn growing." Claire responded. Lilia nodded. Claire walked out of the shop.
"What's up with Rick?" Popuri asked her mother. Popuri had been walking around the kitchen, listening to every word. That was the problem with having your shop right in the main area of living. No privacy.
"I don't know. We don't seem to get much business around here, we sell chickens to other villages…they order it from us. I've met many people through Zack, who've given me thank-you notes over the years…but…maybe Rick's just bored. He needs someone…to…"
"To what? Oh, wait, never mind, its almost 2:00, I have to go meet Kai."
"You do that," Lilia smiled warmly as Popuri rushed out the door.
"To love…" Lilia whispered to herself, thinking of her husband.