CHAPTER STATS

Word Count (Excluding A/N): 1237

Date Updated: 6/14/22

Current Review Count: 967

"So how was Hayward? He was probably kissing your boots when you first showed up back at the branch." Riley laughed, throwing a French fry in his mouth. "He was getting really antsy with you and Charlie both out. And you know him when he gets antsy."

Vaughn cracked a half smile at his friend, but he was only half listening. His mind was left on an island he'd been on just yesterday, with a girl he'd spent two blissful weeks with.

A long silence engulfed the two men, the chatter and buzz of the diner around them the only noise that passed between them. Riley sat back and shook his head, smiling at his silver-haired companion. "You know, you're one lucky bastard."

Vaughn smiled outright at that. "Yeah. I am."

"Did you get a new schedule?"

Vaughn pulled a paper out of his shirt pocket and handed it to Riley across the table, who examined it readily.

"So you're on two, off two, and back at the main branch for the other three days? Where are they sending you for the two days you're out? Tell me it's—"

Vaughn nodded, the small smile still on his face. "Sunny Island."

"Where are you going to spend your off days?" Riley asked expectantly. "Is she going to let you move in with her?"

Vaughn shook his head quickly at that, readjusting the hat on his head. "She's too innocent for that, Riley, and you know it."

"That's fair," Riley nodded, sitting back in his booth. "What about Mirabelle? Is she just going to let you put up camp with her and Julia indefinitely?"

Vaughn felt the corners of his mouth pull down. He hadn't worked out all the logistics. All he knew was that he was on the cusp of spending five days out of his week with the girl of his dreams. He hadn't stopped to think much about the details in the hour since he'd gotten the news from Hayward. How was this going to work? How could he justify spending his off days on the island if he had nowhere reasonable to stay? Besides, he had his apartment here in the city that was more a nuisance than anything these days. If only there were a way he could stay on Sunny Island for good…

"You could just move there."

Vaughn scoffed. "There's not exactly a ton of real estate in the area, Riley."

"Then what would have to happen for you to stay there?" Riley asked, looking at Vaughn knowingly. "It seems like there's just one thing left to do."

Vaughn stared back blankly. "What?"

Riley rolled his eyes. Vaughn was certainly dense.

Ooo

Chelsea breathed in the cool autumn air, letting the soft scent of sweet earth and turning leaves fill her lungs. Vaughn had left the day before and she'd woken up twice with nightmares about him the preceding night.

"He's okay," she whispered to herself, still trying to believe it.

He'd spoiled her those last couple of weeks, both in his help on the farm and in his affections toward her. She didn't even realize that he was capable of touching so tenderly—being so gentle. And yet, his love was gentle. She could tell it was firmly rooted—not something that he took lightly. But it embraced her softly like the breeze did this morning on her farm. Their first kiss had been in stark contrast to that—it had been needing, grasping, consuming. As they calmed, their affection slowed down to a strong simmer. She knew he was in it for the long haul.

She just prayed he would make it back to her again.

"Chelsea!"

The sound of Julia's voice broke her out of her reverie. Chelsea turned to face her blonde friend as she walked up the path to the farm. Julia was beaming.

"What's going on?" Chelsea asked, raising an eyebrow at her happy friend. "You seem especially happy."

"I just had a good phone call is all."

"With who?"

"Riley," Julia said, her face turning pink.

Chelsea laughed. "So it's what we all thought then?"

"That depends," Julia laughed with her, nudging her with her elbow—but not too hard, afraid she'd hurt the still-fragile farmer, "what did you all think?"

The two laughed and chatted as Chelsea watered her crops for the day. Julia noticed that Chelsea's strength was improving and her cough was nearly gone. She was in such good spirits these days—and it was no wonder why. She and Vaughn had spent nearly every waking moment together for the last couple of weeks.

Now that they had their feelings out in the open, it was like they were making up for lost time. Julia smiled to herself as she helped Chelsea fill her watering can. It was about time those two finally admitted their feelings for each other. The only question that was left was… what next?

"Julia," Chelsea said, not looking up from her work.

"What is it, Chels?" Julia asked, blushing slightly as though she were caught gossiping.

"I was thinking about writing my parents again," Chelsea started slowly. She straightened up from her row of sweet potatoes and looked at Julia with a bit of unsettled dismay.

"What's wrong with that?" Julia asked, confused.

"Nothing," Chelsea started quickly, "It's just—after the summer harvest came in, I have enough for a ferry ticket…"

"And you are thinking of going to visit them instead," Julia finished, understanding.

Chelsea nodded. "The only problem is—hasn't it been too long? What if they're mad at me for leaving the way I did? I was honestly being really stupid when I ran away. There was no reason that I couldn't just talk to them about wanting to leave…"

Julia nodded, listening to her friend get her thoughts out and into the world. Chelsea clearly regretted putting her parents through the last couple of years of what was almost certainly a great deal of sorrow. Julia thought about Mirabelle, her own mother, and how heartbroken she would be if Julia had ever left without saying goodbye. It just wasn't something she could do.

"Have you talked to Vaughn about it?" Julia asked.

Chelsea shook her head. "I hadn't seriously thought about it until after he'd left for the city again. I was—distracted, I guess, while he was here."

Julia smirked. "Gee, by what, I wonder?"

Chelsea smiled and rolled her eyes. "He's so great, Julia. So much better than I'd ever thought. I always knew he was kind and gentle under that rough show he puts on, but I never expected him to be as sweet as he is."

Julia feigned a gag and Chelsea swatted at her arm playfully.

The copper-haired farmer looked up at the trees that lined her lot, now ablaze with fiery shades of orange, red, and yellow. She surveyed her farm and the sprouting vegetables that lined the soil in neat rows. She looked over at her Julia, her best friend whom she couldn't imagine living without. She thought about Vaughn and her chest swelled with warmth. She had so much now—so much more than she could have ever imagined. Would going to Mineral Town put any of this in jeopardy? Would she have to face losing all of this that she worked for?

If she went home, would her parents let her come back?

I'm baaaaaaaack...

By the way, this was like pulling teeth to write. I barely remember my characters and it breaks my heart. Here's hoping I can finish this story out and do it justice.

For anyone curious, I'm alive, still married, and now have two little girls (hence the lack of update for like 4 years). And now I live in Ohio! Who would have thought. I'm curious to see if anyone will even care that this old fic got an update. At this point, I'm doing it more for me, I think. It really does bring me back to some good times.