Ch 3: Blushing Under The Rain
The dazzling golden sun was fixed high in the vivid blue, white clouded patched sky. Its rays like long extended fingers beamed down like miniscule spot lights upon the satin fabric of Lillian's shirt and overly sized skirt which hung down a little pass her knees. The farmer was busily at work tending gingerly to her own garden of lilies.
The young farmer had bought five packet seeds of lilies and now she was determined to care for them and grow them with every ounce of love she could possibly spare them. She would enjoy and nurture them for as long as their short life span allowed.
"Little lilies bloom strongly, bloom fast and lovely." She said in an angelic sing-song voice as she wiped little beads of sweat off of her head using the back of her left hand while holding a watering can in her right dousing the soft patches of fertilized soil.
Releasing a sigh, Lillian smiled a small and satisfied smile. The sprouts of the lilies were already beginning to reach towards the sky and they rustled softly in the summer breeze. Lillian giggled to herself and placed down her watering can and brushed her bangs back from her sapphire eyes. She loved the breeze rushing through her hair.
A sparrow's song rang out and filled the farm with a lullaby melody. The rustling air against the soft emerald patches of the immense sea of grass sounded like waves of an ocean. Lillian couldn't be more at peace; she settled down on her knees and trained her eyes on the sprouts. "You'll be beautiful soon." She promised in a hushed voice.
With the watering done, Lillian emptied the rest of the can and stashed it back into her rucksack and made her way towards the barn. Within the barn her black and white patched cow that had a patch that looked like a song lyric on its forehead mooed to greet her. "Lullaby, my precious milky cow, it's time for some milking, yeah?" Lillian cooed lovingly as she walked up to the cow and patted Lullaby on the head.
She removed from her rucksack a milker and a cow brush, along with a cow treat. She first gave Lullaby a long and thorough brush making sure the cow's fur was free off any dust or grime. Then she passed over the treat, which Lullaby took carefully between her dull teeth and mooed in a pleased tone.
Lillian snapped on some gloves, which she always kept on her wooden stool in the barn, plopped down onto the wooden stool and then placed the milker under Lullaby's udders.
Lillian began to milk Lullaby praising her and telling her what an adorable and fine cow she was. All in all Lillian's efforts were rewarded with five rich, frothy and creamy buckets of three starred milk. "Splendid work today, Lullaby." She rose to her feet, nuzzled her forhead against Lullaby's patched head.
Then, gathering up the buckets, Lillian left the barn and slipped into her house, haphazardly almost spilling the buckets a few times. Thank her lucky stars that her clumsy spells weren't striking at the time and she managed to pour them into glistening glass bottles.
"All done." Lillian said brightly to herself, smirking to no one but herself. "Now all that there is left to do is place these in the Dairy shipping bin and get on with tending to my horse Snow and my chicken Chickadee." She whispered to herself, with a stretch of her arms she was ready.
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Cam's gaze was dull; he stood exhausted at the counter of his shop. No, he hadn't caught and reeled in any costumers today. Instead he had just spent almost five hours searching for a home for the white and gray kitten that lie nestled in his arms. He had no such luck; no one seemed to want the poor dear. This saddened Cam, he sighed disappointedly as brushed one hand tenderly through the fur on its back.
"Aw." A voice snapped Cam out of his silent lament and his gaze shifted from the kitten to the eyes of a certain farmer. It was Lillian, she looked worn out but yet she still carried herself strong as she stepped up to him.
"Lillian?" Cam pressed in a tired voice, wondering why the farmer should be here at this hour. It was about six at night now and the summer breezes ruffled Lillian's skirt and it swayed, flapping like the wing of a bird in the wind. "What are you doing here?" He asked, almost in an uninterested tone.
"I just got done with my farm work and I was a bit too worn out to cook something for myself so I thought I'd drop by Howard's place to get a bite to eat…but then I saw you with this kitten." Lillian explained her voice bubbly and rather too hyped for someone who was supposedly exhausted.
Cam eyed her curiously, but as soon as the curiosity formed he blinked it away and his eyes were once more dull and weary. "Ah…I see…" He mumbled, feeling a little dejected and somewhat ignored. He had to shake his head and he pushed away his baffling feelings.
He couldn't understand them, they were complex, why should he be feeling down that Lillian had only ventured this way to devour a meal and not see him? It made no sense when he tried to unbury an answer so he let it go.
"Well this kitten doesn't have a home and…" Cam began, but he faltered in his sentence as Lillian reached out and scooped up the kitten and pulled it towards her, gazing down on it her eyes wide and gleaming with star struck owner love at first sight. "Uh…Lillian?" He began.
"I'll take her." Lillian offered, stroking her left hand across the white and gray kitten's head. "I shall name her Rosemary." She deemed the kitten the new name, responding to this, the kitten rubbed its tiny face against Lillian's shoulder in approval. "I'll take care of her Cam."
"Lillian…" Cam sighed out, worry seeping into his voice. "Are you so sure you are ready for another kitten? I mean…you know after what happened to…." He trailed off, not being able to finish his sentence. He didn't wish to upset the girl, yet he was only acting through the kindness of his worry.
"After Minnow?" Lillian finished for Cam, she smiled bitter sweetly. "Minnow may be gone from my life but the memory of her is still alive and in a way she is still here. You don't have to worry about me Cam; I'll do just fine with Rosemary." Her face beamed with a confident stare and she once again brushed her fingers through Rosemary's fur.
"Okay…if you're sure?" Cam mumbled again, not knowing what else to do or say and in that shard of a second it had started to softly rain. The rain came down softly and hushed like a melancholy tune. Then it started to pick up speed and then crash, it came down like a crashing waterfall.
Neither Cam nor Lillian made a move, the only thing Lillian had done was shelter Rosemary from the rain, otherwise the pair stood, unmoving and starting at each other. "What?" Lillian breathed out after a minute's silence feeling rather awkward.
"Do I have something on my face?"
"Yeah…rain." Cam replied and before Lillian replied, he was there next to her an umbrella in his hands. "Here, take this." He placed the umbrella in her right palm, their hands brushing once again. He retracted his hand and his face involuntarily became a faint red color. "Er…be safe on your way home…okay?"
"Oh..." Lillian sputtered out, feeling the gentle touch of Cam's wet skin against the palm of her skin a blush surfacing upon her paled cheeks. "Th-Thank you." With no warning she switched Rosemary to her left arm and the umbrella handle to her left hand and then wrapped her right arm around Cam in an awkward hug. Then she released him, opened the umbrella and it fanned out like a white lily petals upon a stem and kept the rain at bay.
Cam watched Lillian sped walk away, her light foot steps making a squelching noise as she rushed through the muddy path and towards her farm. Cam kept his gaze locked on the back of her rich and flowing hair that is until the rain obscured his vision and he could no longer see her.
With an irritated sigh he closed up shop for today and made his way back inside, soaking wet, numb, cold and exhausted. His feet heavy, he dragged them across the floor and he tiredly grabbed for the door knob of his room.
Upon entering his room he didn't even stop to shed off his clothes. He just plopped down on his bed face first, pulling up the blankets around him. The cool air of his room caused him to sneeze and he ungracefully pulled the blanket over his head and feel into a heavy sleep.
However, if Cam had taken one furtive glance off to his right when he came into Howard's shop, he would have seen Howard and Laney sitting on some stools. They had been watching the whole scene play out and observing the interaction between Cam and Lillian and boy were they really having a riot of a whispering conversation.
"Oh my Harvest Goddess, I cannot believe this! Little Cammie is actually opening up to some one this is so surreal!" Howard's gushing voice was full of twinkling mirth.
"Things went just like I planned." Laney sighed in relief. Yes it was she who left Rosemary underneath Cam's counter at his shop in an unused flower pot. It was she who suggested that Lillian go eat something at Howard's and things just fell into place. Laney felt highly proud of herself, everything was going according to plan.
All according to plan.
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Author's note: Please like always read and review and I didn't even have an idea for this chapter formed in my head. I as people would say, winged it and just wrote whatever popped into my mind at the time. It seems like Lillian now has a new kitten! How adorable! Well I hope to see you guys soon! Thank you all for your support and understanding when I make mistakes! Also, I want you guys to start giving me suggestions about things that could happen in this story so go wild and I will pick a few things and make them into chapters. It all depends if I find them to my liking though!