Five days had passed and Lillian sat in the shade one warm afternoon. She was sipping tea outside of the cafe, observing Cam's work. Secretly, she had taken a liking to the florist. She visited him when she could, and he soon became a little more comfortable with her. She chatted with Laney and Ash when they arrived as well. She was making friends easily as always.
She wondered how Phillip was doing... He wasn't as open as she was. Of the two, she was better at making friends. With a shrug, she sipped her tea and threw out thoughts of her brother, surely he was fine. And if he wasn't, it wasn't her problem. She felt abandoned these past few days with no word at all from him. Making new friends wouldn't fill the absence of her other half, her twin. Although she was mad at him, she missed him. She wondered if he missed her too. Didn't he?
"All done with work?" Cam's voice startled her and snapped her back into reality.
She apologized for being zoned out and nodded, hoping she didn't look too klutzy as she smoothed her skirt over in her lap. He had closed his shop and was standing a few feet away from her secluded table in the corner of the cafe patio.
"Do you mind the company?" He asked politely, gesturing to the empty chair across hers.
"No, no! Sit, I don't mind at all," she insisted as he smiled lightly, taking the chair and lounging back in it.
"Today was a long day," Cam sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He then chuckled, "I don't know why I'm complaining, you do much more than me with your animals."
"I do enough," Lillian shrugged, "you do your part as well. A florist has work too, it's just different from ranching. This isn't even the job I wanted."
Cam nodded, "thank you. Nobody noticed before you."
"I go to the mountains with you sometimes and see you studying the flowers, it looks hard. I would love to do what I want. Crops are my expertise."
Cam thought about her statement. "If you move, would you visit?"
Lillian was caught off guard by his request. Did he want her to visit often? What if.. "Of course, Cam."
Cam finally looked at her and smiled gratefully, "thank you, Lillian."
She couldn't help looking away with a slight blush, nodding awkwardly. Ash took this perfect moment to shuffle towards them, carrying his hat and looking tired. Cam turned around in his seat, looking up at Ash as he took a chair from the table a bit away and pulled it up to their table.
"Rough day?" Can asked as Ash laid his head on the table. Lillian giggled lightly and pat Ash's head.
"Ash, are you sick?" Lillian asked, pressing her hand to his blazing forehead. It felt warmer than usual.
As an answer, Ash coughed into his arm. Cam pat his back comfortingly. "Why did you work if you're sick?" Cam scolded.
"It's my job to take care if the animals, if I don't," he took this moment to cough before finishing. He looked so pained, his body shaking for a moment before he cleared his throat and excused himself. "Then who will? Mom has so much work and Cheryl is too young to lift the heavy things." He had a point and it left Cam and Lillian silent. Lillian thought it over, hoping to find a way for Ash to rest up for a few days.
"Oh my," Laney exclaimed as she came out to check on the trio. "Is Ash alright?"
"Sick," Ash choked out, then had another coughing fit to prove it.
Cam looked worryingly at his closest friend apologetically, patting his back. Cam looked back up to Laney, "got anything for a cough?"
Laney nodded and scurried back into the cafe to mix up her medicine from herbs in the mountains.
"Ash," Lillian mumbled, he hand on her forehead and already regretting her decision. Ash turned his head, his eyes drooping sleepily. "I'll take care of your animals for a few days, but you better promise to rest as much as humanly possible and get well soon."
On the fifth morning, Phillip woke up early to water his plants. They were starting to sprout finally, and according to Reina, they'd be ready to harvest in a week or two. He made a schedule now and was starting to get into it comfortably. He even started making a little money with the things he found on the mountain. He went up there everyday, and he was starting to get toned, his muscles ached a little as he pushed himself.
His plants all watered and his equipment put away, he checked his watch. Just on time. He smiled to himself as he walked the path leading out of his farm and into town. He stretched a little as he walked, the sun wasn't at its peak yet, which meant he'd water his plants when he came home tonight. His destination today happened to be the tea house. Reina told him that it was a lovely place to visit for a morning cup of tea. As expected, Reina was right, he sat on the mat with his favorite kind of tea, enjoying the silence to think.
How was Lillian? Was she doing alright? He wondered if she had gotten hurt, and a soft pang in his heart made him looked down, ashamed for letting it go this far. They both had bad tempers and their pride got in the way often. He knew his sister because she was a copy of him, they weren't the same person, but their similarities scared him sometimes. Twins aren't supposed to be this similar, are they? He hoped his only family member was alright. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself for letting his damned pride get in the way of apologizing for being so rash.
The soft chimes of the door snapped him out of his day dreaming and his glanced up towards the doorway to see a familiar face.
"Afternoon, Nori," he called out with a smile when she glanced his way.
Nori was a fragile looking girl he had met while buying another bag of crops. Her grandfather owned the seeds, so he figured he might as well make friends with her, seeing as how he'd see her often.
She smiled and offered him a small wave. "Afternoon," she smiled. She took her tea from Yun and sat at the table she usually sat at. Phillip knew she would probably meet her grandfather here, so he wasn't offended that she didn't want to chat. He took a sip from his tea. This place was worth the time. He soon became lost in his thoughts again and enjoyed it.