Chapter Two
I glared at the advertisement my father had dropped onto my desk. Eyebrows furrowing in deep thought, I read the zoo advertisement again.
Feel as though your town lacks vitality and your tourist amounts dropping even lower each year with there being no hope of restoration in the far off future?
I couldn't exactly be positive, but it looks like a run on sentence to me. How trustworthy could a zoo be if it couldn't even advertise things correctly? Father was excited of the thought of a zoo, but then again my father was an easily excitable person.
There was a rush of winter wind that flew through the opened door as someone entered. I didn't even need to look up to see who it was. By the way she threw the door wide open, and not so delicately walked, he knew it was Hikari. Why must that woman always come at the most inappropriate times.
Oh no, why must you be here now? I'm not prepared for you at, especially after the other night. Do things change? Am I supposed to be romantic and loving? Why can't I think of anything to say? If she were Elli or Jin there'd be no problem. Goddess, why is it all I can think about is wanting to impress her, but not of anything to impress her with.
"Hey Gill!"
I'm not prepared to have a conversation with her, everything's changed!
"Is there something I could help you with?" I smoothed my hair back, a nervous habit I picked up as a child.
"Yes, in fact there is! I want to buy some new land!"
New land? But she hasn't even been here for a year. Wouldn't that be a bit too much? She can't be ready for that! Hikari will work herself to exhaustion, her health will dilapidate.
"Are you sure you're ready for this? You haven't even been here for even a year. The farm was already fairly grungy; do you really think you could handle all of that extra work?"
Hikari frowned at me, had I said something wrong? I'm only worried about her – oh god what if I annoyed her? What if she can't stand me now for being so high handed. Father always said that I had a problem of lecturing people.
"I've already thought it all through, and it won't take too much extra work since I want to make it into an orchard – So I can make jams and juices! Wouldn't it be delightful? The smell of apples permeating the air in the fall.." She trailed off as she had a habit of doing.
I smoothed my way-ward hair again, embarrassed. This idea was brilliant, there wasn't too much work involved but the funds to buy the seeds and land. I should have expected this from her.
"It's an expensive thing to start, but if it turns out well I suppose it would be a great investment. I would help you, however Elli is in charge of that," I fiddled with a pen I hadn't realized was in my hands. "She's on lunch break, if you would take a seat over there, she should be back soon."
She grinned and nodded, walking over to the green couch by the door. The couch was unfortunately situated in front of my desk. An awkward silence flooded the air like the smell of flowers on her clothes. I wished that she would say anything, lest I have to come up with something clever to come up with. My desires were not meant to be.
"I've never seen you wear that pin before, is it new?" For a moment I was confused what she talking about, then I remember the brooch.
Not bothering to look up from my work I responded, "No, I've had this for a very long time." Hoping that would be the last of our conversation.
"It's really pretty, why haven't you worn it before?"
Well damn it, this woman is relentless. What am I suppose to tell her? That I was wearing it for the courage my dead mother had, so I could tell her that I love her? Yeah that would go over well, I'd probably frighten her away. Loose my chance for happiness and live alone for the rest of my life as she moves on to someone else.
"I like it; it seems to glimmer even in the shadows, like magic." She didn't bother waiting for my response. Maybe she knew I wouldn't have answered it.
Before I could digest what Hikari had just said, Elli strolled in through the door. As she took off her winter jacket she commented on the weather. "Brr, it's a cold one today! At this rate we'll have snow before the Harvest Festival," now noticing Hikari she asked "Hey Hikari! What are you doing here? Wanna help out?"
Hikari shook her head, "Nope," making a popping sound at the 'P', "not today! I actually want to buy some land, for an orchard."
"Well follow me then, and I'll get you situated." Elli said as she walked over to her desk, with Hikari trailing behind her.
I sat there not exactly listening listening Elli go over the procedure of buying land. My mind was on other things. Things that troubled me. I always thought I was different from both of my parents, but as of recently I've begun to consider otherwise. When I was but a little boy Father would occasionally comment on his luck in life. He would tell me
"I was never good with the ladies; always stuttering and stuck on my tongue, and yet I seemed to have pulled the lucky card and marry the prettiest gal in town!"
Could I be more like my father than I orginially imagined, more than I could possibly want?
Not exactly crazy for this chapter, it's too short, but I suppose it could have been worse… The next one is currently in Free Write Form, in my Hello Kitty Journal.. which I wrote in with my Iron Man pencil…
