An Offer

Shane could see her, now and then. Her head popping up amongst the fields of rhubarb, sometimes the hat lifting and a gloved hand wiping at sweat and depositing dirt. He didn't have to see that to know it, her face was always reddish and dirty after a day of making things grow. And grow they did. There was no way to deny her capability, slow and methodical with care and what seemed like a lifetime of practice. It frustrated him, a jealousy creeping into his stomach and curling up to make a bed in his thoughts, giving him what he thought were butterflies of anger, when he saw her turn to him and give a small wave. Rolling his eyes, he'd return to his work and thwack away at an overrun patch of saplings.

A year of him working there was rolling up. He'd come to work for her in the early summer, and spring was coming to a close. It was a little after his 6 months of working there that they had become ever so slightly closer. A question about his day, or how his family was doing. A joint visit with Marnie and Jas where Laura had set out a bountiful dinner. The face on Jas as Laura had wheeled out a blueberry lemon cake was admittedly priceless. And even a brisk embrace one day when one of her cattle had grown gravely sick during the winter and passed on. Tears had streaked her face when he came upon her one day outside the big barn.

"What's wrong with you?" he'd asked, kicking at the dirt a little, and arms crossed over his chest fairly aggressively.

"Nilo died." Laura hiccuped, her face quickly turning away in shame. Shane felt a twinge at his heart, surprisingly and for a moment he had said nothing and did nothing except stand there and stare at her with a furrowed brow. When she began to stand with hands on her knees as if it pained her he stepped forward. She looked up in a small shock and he swept his arms under hers and pulled her to him. Pulling her into him for a moment, and his face flushing not only from the cold now but embarrassment as well. He felt her breath hitch slightly in her throat, and a small strangled choking noise as she moved to put her arms around his neck and return the embrace, but he pulled away, turning his head down and away from her to stare at the dead grass peeking from the snow.

"Sorry." he muttered, and as usual, turned away from her his hand stroking his bearded chin in agitation and confusion.

It had been a weird moment. One that neither brought back up again, but one that he lay awake some nights and thought about. He knew even though it was two seasons ago, he'd be thinking of it that night as well. That odd interaction where he suddenly had a heart.

His heart was only so big, he thought as he continued his work to fight back the invasive new growth. Marnie and specifically Jas were all he cared about and even that he barely showed outwardly. Although his Goddaughter, the child of his passed brother, knew how important she was to him, she made no fuss. They understood each other in that way.

The sun was reaching a high point in the sky soon after those thoughts melted from him and his focus was on work. Sweat drenched his body sticking his baggy, grey, long sleeved work shirt to his chest that had become more firm as the year had passed of him working with Laura. Looking up and towards the farm house he shielded his eyes from the blinding sun and could make out his covered meal sitting on the worn wood porch as well as a large canteen of water he had filled and set this morning.

Gripping his axe and scooping up his shovel he headed towards the house, setting his tools in a covered rack as he went. Laura was nowhere to be seen as he passed the rhubarb, the kale, the cauliflower and even the tulips but he pressed forward, pushing the thought away as his stomach rumbled in anticipation for his meal.

But Shane was taken by some surprise, the emotion only flitting across his face for a brief moment, as he saw Laura sitting in one of the porch chairs next to the faded yellow wire table. She bobbed her head in his direction with that small smile of hers gracing full lips, dirt smeared across her cheek and forehead, the sweat threatening anyways to pierce into her almond shaped deep brown eyes.

"Shane, I thought maybe we could sit and eat together." she said warmly, smiling a little more.

"Hm." he grunted simply, grabbing his food and reluctantly sitting with her at the table. Usually he sat on the stairs, he'd only come into her home a couple times and felt weird about stepping up even onto the porch. He knew he was welcome, but wasn't one to invite himself into a new situation if he could help it.

There was a slight tension as he unwrapped his sandwich from a brightly floral tea towel, noticing his favorite pepper poppers next to it. His eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. She wanted something, he felt. And her small giggle to his expression only furthered his thoughts.

"I am looking to ask your something." Laura admitted, and when he only stared at her she went on. "You take a long trek to come here, I know it's a bit longer that even to Joja Mart and possibly even more dangerous, as I believe you travel through the woods a bit to get here, unless you pass the bus stop instead?"

"I just walk up from Marnies. Through the woods."

"Yes, well, you saw that I added on a bit to the house with Robin's help. And I wondered… if maybe you and Jas would like to rent a room up here in my home? The extra space is a bit more than I initially realized, and I would give you a fair price. And, Mayor Lewis may want to go to Marnie more instead of-" she was stopped as Shane made a strangled noise over his sandwich, and she grinned slightly at him, knowing he wasn't fully accepting of that relationship.

"I get it." Shane groaned slightly, his eyes sliding down to the left as he thought, NOT about his Aunt and the Mayor. It would be nice to gain a small sense of freedom even if it was leaving a family member's home and living with his… employer. He looked up at Laura, her hopeful eyes watching him. He took some solace in her, that she never really pryed at him but instead let their relationship slowly unfold naturally. There was still that jealousy, but also a small fondness for her, even thinking of her as one of his few friends besides Emily. That alone was reason to make him ponder her offer. He took another bite, and looked away again.

"Maybe." he finally spoke after a pause. "I need to talk to Marnie and Jas. But… that could be nice." and after another moment. "Jas really likes you." his eyes found their way back to Laura, her tanned cheeks flushing slightly, but she still looked at him intently for a moment before taking a bite of her own rare lunch. It was a rare moment for her, he knew. Where he said something kind almost out of the blue. Guilt crept in over the idea that he really didn't treat this woman well enough. She'd given him a lot with not much in return. Though she'd argue that point.

They ate their meals in silence after that, him finishing before her and he closed up the lunch box neatly and nodded to her.

"Thank you." he said simply. And walked back out to the field, feeling her gentle eyes on him as he left.

I am unbeta-d, and would be happy if someone wanted to take my story on! I think once I'm done I may go through and re-do things, or maybe at my half way point but we'll see. Thank you for the follow, Halloween Witch! :) I'm very interested to hear what anyone may think, I'm open to critique to some degree(this is still purely for fun) and am happy to hear if you want more of anything specific or less! Thank you very much for reading. 3