Chapter Three
The sun fell across my face the next morning, nice and warm. I yawned widely and stretched up my pillows, squinting to see I had woken up naturally at a half past six. I turned on my back, looking at the orange beams above me. I knotted my fingers together, my ears nearly ringing in the silence. There was no rap music from the night owl next door. No honking from the early morning commute. Jackhammers weren't rising up in the distance. Everything was completely, and utterly, silent. The only thing to be heard were the chirping birds, reminding me of yet another day.
I rolled out of bed and pulled into a loose black t-shirt and some shorts. No time for coffee, especially since I had no way to make it. I strode through my front door with gumption. Until it hit me again; I lived in a dump. I took a deep breath and focused my intention on the field. It was in need of watering and weeding. I grabbed the rusty bucket sitting beneath my crooked mailbox and immediately set out, ripping all the slimy and velvety dead weeds from the field. By the time I'd gotten through a third of the field, the sun felt hot on my skin and I pulled my hair back and made myself grab another dead plant. I didn't even make it halfway before I paused, looking back at the cleared space behind me. That was surely enough to start even the smallest garden. The rolled up hose on the side of the barn surprisingly worked despite my trepidation. I watered what I foresaw as my garden with greatness. Despite the dirt under my nails and the sweat clinging to my body, the morning had been well spent. The dirt was hasty in collecting the water and, still, it seemed parched.
It was hard to believe anyone living in Mineral Town had just allowed this to decay. Derrick before me had been so highly regarded. What had happened when he passed? I kept sweeping back and forth with the hose, my mind absolutely clouded with where I found myself. At this time, I would have been grabbing my third cup of coffee, settling down at my desk for the expected influx of callers. The afternoon was a major time for insurance claims. I shook that all away, however, as I realized the ground was becoming a bit muddy. I wound the hose up, looking across the property again. Still a dump, but I had command over just a little bit of it.
By now, I felt disgusting and my stomach was rumbling, too. I set myself onto the red brick path, a duffel bag of toiletries and fresh clothes beating against my hip. There was that damned forge right away like a black pill to swallow in the vibrant community. I pressed on with my sweaty face, every muscle taut inside me. When I entered the inn, it was more brightly lit than last night. I blinked rapidly as I let the door fall behind me. There was Ann at the bar, as usual, wearing a dark green hoodie as she arranged pots for the daily catches.
"Hey, Claire!" She called over her shoulder as she hauled another large tub onto the stove, pressing her hands against her lower back. "Here for lunch?"
"Whatever is available," I tried this time to slip cooly into the seat. I wanted to seem natural. But as I pressed my dirty sneakers to the bar, I could only feel like a misguided implant. Ann thought nothing different of my presence, however, as she went through the swishing kitchen door and reappeared almost immediately, towing a hearty plate towards me. She set a large bed of greens in front of me. Plentiful helpings of parsnips, chunks of chicken, cranberries, and a light dressing decorated the dish. I tilted my lips back and forth as Ann slapped the silverware down beside my plate.
"What's wrong?" She furrowed her brow. In her good natured waitress way, she poured me a big glass of cold water. "Don't like cranberries? I told Daddy that was a bold choice."
"No, no," I shook my head as I unrolled my napkin. "You guys just don't have to go to so much trouble for me. Especially when I'm not paying."
"Don't be silly," Ann laughed, rushing down the bar to haul the final tall pot for the evening boil. "It's the special of the day, so everything was already prepared. Again, you're our guest. You act like you've never been accommodated before." She cast me a friendly smile, obviously trying to ease my anxieties.
"Well… thank you," I told her, spearing a glistening chunk of chicken onto my fork.
"So, how are you settling in?" Ann asked as she washed her hands
I sighed, making sure to smile as I pressed my elbows to the bar. "The farm is a mess, my house doesn't even have a bucket to pee in, and three hours of weeding wrecked me."
"You'll get the hang of it," Ann said, rubbing her hands through the towel. "Are you going to plant a garden?"
"That's next on the list," I nodded. "I have this map from Zack, it says supermarket on it. How super is it?"
Ann had a goofy smile as she poured herself a glass of water, dropping a slice of lemon into it. "Well, it has everything you could need here," she shrugged as she took a big hearty gulp, leaning against the back counter. "Eggs, flour, milk, chocolate, tea, you know. The staples."
"And seeds, right?" I looked up from my lunch.
"Oh, of course," Ann assured me. "Jeff is going to be ecstatic you've bought the farm. He likes money. I mean… he really, really likes money."
Down the steps came barreling the young man I had nearly collided with just the day before. His chestnut brown bangs clawed across his forehead. He had a bold set of eyebrows set above dark, violet eyes. It was the second set of eyes I'd seen in Mineral Town that had me shocked. His hair was whisked back in a ponytail that flowed after him. Hurriedly, he came to the bar beside me.
"Ann, can I have some orange juice, please?" He thumped his bible onto the countertop, his finger nervously clipping at the corner of the leather cover. Ann shot him a grin and walked down to the fridge, pulling the glass jar of freshly squeezed juice out. He was keeping his eyes trained forward as if he didn't know whether to engage with me or not.
"Hi," I finally said, clearing my plate. "I think I saw you yesterday but I didn't get to introduce myself. I'm Claire. I just bought the farm."
"Oh, yes," he tilted his head down as Ann placed the glass in front of him. "I was running late for church. Um, I'm Cliff. It's nice to meet you. But again, I'm running late… Pastor Carter is probably waiting for me." Cliff drank the entire glass in one swoop and then immediately began a power walk towards the door.
"Bye, Cliff! Have a good day!" She called after him, leaning up against the bar. He didn't answer, however, as he shut the door behind him. Ann sighed, setting the cup in the sink. "We really gotta get him a new alarm clock. You know, one that wakes him up."
…
A shower was absolutely rejuvenating. As I wiped the steam away from the mirror and began working lotion into my cheeks, I couldn't believe I had taken something as simple as porcelain bathroom features for granted. Though, I was certainly jealous of Ann's clawfoot tub situated beneath an array of hanging lavender and eucalyptus that Ann had pinned up. I would have the same, I told myself. I'd weed and pluck and bloody my knees in the dirt if it meant I could have a bubble bath every evening. I scrunched my damp hair in my hands, tugging at my black t-shirt. With my duffel bag over my shoulder, I came out into Ann's room. She was sitting at her vanity, crisscrossed on her little stool, eating a bowl of chili.
"Oh, Ann," I arched my eyebrows. "Sorry, did I keep you waiting?"
She pulled a headphone from her ears, letting it swing back and forth. "Oh, no, I was waiting for you, actually!" Ann set her lunch down and stood up, clapping her hands together. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Getting my life together," I deadpanned. "Why?"
"This will be beneficial, I swear," Ann seemed quite giddy as she carelessly tossed her MP3 player onto the bed. "Tomorrow is the first day of summer and there's always a celebration! We gather at the beach to welcome Kai for the season. Remember, he owns that little restaurant by the shore and he cooks for us and, oh, there's free beer, too. Why don't you come? It would make meeting people much faster."
"Oh, I don't know…" I swung my arms now, feeling rather sheepish. I gripped the strap of my duffel bag and paced across the room to look out the window. The day was shaping up beautifully and pleasantly warm. The vibrant trees glowed in the mid-afternoon sun. "I'm not really good with things like that."
"It's hard being the new person on the block, I get it," Ann said. I was hesitant to look over my shoulder. "But everyone is really excited to meet you, Claire! You already know Cliff. Now you just have to meet Mary and Karen, oh, and Popuri, Rick, and Gray!"
I didn't know why the sound of his name made me hold my breath. It had been so long since I had last heard it that maybe I had just forgotten it was a real word. I was here for him, though. At least, partially. I was so anxious to see him. Part of me thought I would have already burst through the door of the forge and thrown myself back into the friendship I missed and craved so greatly. But something stopped me. Something was making me hesitate. Something about the whole situation overwhelmed me. I just wanted to think about my farm while my heart incessantly craved I did something - anything - to see Gray.
The silence had gone extremely long and I turned to her, doing my best to smile despite the anxiety eating away at me. "What time?"
Ann squealed with delight, clapping her hands together. "I'll come by your house around noon so we can walk together! I'm going to pick out my swimsuit right now!"
…
When Ann said Jeff, the shop owner liked money, she wasn't exaggerating. The moment I walked in, his dark eyes lit up like I was a walking dollar sign. And once he found out I was the new farmer who practically had no equipment or supplies, he was pretty much foaming at the mouth as he whisked me around the modestly sized 'supermarket'. He was super nice, however, inquiring about my favorite type of tea and what type of coffee grounds I preferred. He tried selling me a hot plate and a small dish set, but I was so broke, I could only afford the seeds. Slowly, I walked up and down the shelves before I reached into my duffel bag to thumb through my journal of notes. Jeff stood beside me, not exactly patiently, with a brown paper bag as he waited for me to start making decisions. I again inspected my options before I began writing notes with arrows into my journal.
"I'll take four packets of tomatoes," I told him. He was lightning fast to dump them into the bag, as if it were set in stone that they were mine. "Two packets of cucumbers. Oh, definitely two packets of watermelons. Hmm…" I tapped my pen against my drawn lips. "Maybe four of the peppers, too. Never know. Two for the sweet corn, some pineapple, and I think that will do it," I told him as I shut the journal and dropped it in my duffel.
As Jeff rang me up at lightning speed at the counter, the door leading to the back opened. Out stepped a middle aged woman with hair that had once been brightly blond now fading and mellowing out. It was coiled into a tight knot atop her head. That spring day she was wearing a short sleeve white button up tucked into a high waisted royal blue skirt that was full and fell in layers down her long legs. She was speaking quietly to a girl my age who I could only assume was her daughter. Her brunette hair sported bold streaks of blond and she wore heavy eye makeup that popped from her face. The older woman did a double take, arching her eyebrows.
"Jeff! Who is this? Were you really not going to tell us we had a new customer?"
Jeff paused from his thumping on the register. He seemed to really want to close the door. The little mustache above his lips tilted back and forth. "This is Claire, she just bought the farm. And Claire, this is my beautiful wife, Sasha, and my little girl, Karen."
"Little?" Karen echoed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Dad, I'll be twenty-three next month."
Sasha leaned forward and peered into the bag. "Just seeds?" She turned her brown eyes wearily on her husband. "She's new here in town, Jeff. Show some hospitality!" Immediately, she set off from behind the counter. Her skirt trailed after her as she gathered an electric kettle into her arms, along with a box of hot chocolate and coffee. She snagged a few protein bars from a lower counter and a small glass jar of hand lotion made right there in the Goddess Isles. Jeff was doing his best to not cry as Sasha dumped the free things into my bag.
"Oh, that's not necessary…!" I felt my cheeks grow red hot.
"Nonsense," Sasha flashed me a pearly grin. "It's tough starting on a new farm! At least having something nice to drink and good smelling creams will help."
As I pulled the bag into my arms, my face glowing, I looked between the little family. Despite feeling a bit jipped by his wife, Jeff was still proud of his recent sale. Sasha had a maternal look playing on her smile that I was completely unfamiliar with. At the end, though, Karen seemed a bit peeved, maybe about an earlier interaction she had had with her mother.
"Thank you," I told them, the bag crinkling beneath my curling fingers. "I don't think I've ever met such nice people…"
…
As my sneakers scuffed against the red brick beneath me and the sky grew into a beautiful mess of sherbets, I couldn't believe I was in reality anymore. Despite the wreck of what the farm was, it seemed all of that could be forgiven by the sheer kindness of everyone I had met in Mineral Town. I had had more said to me and given to me in just two days in the Goddess Isles than I had in a lifetime spent in The City. My rotten farm was growing bigger in my sight as I went down the path, but it didn't wrench my heart or dampen my spirits. The people of Mineral Town made me want to make sure this farm got turned around. They inspired me to make it beautiful and full of life. I wanted that for them. I wanted it for myself.
My feet slowed, however, as I reached the intersection just short of my land. I shifted the bag on my hip, my duffel bag swinging back and forth. I turned to look at the forge again, furrowing my brow. It was amazing how I was already feeling so at home and yet, I hadn't even seen his face yet. In my mind, he was still that twelve year old boy with big orbs of eyes and pudgy little cheeks. He was still invested in the season of football at school and certain he was going to finish Majora's Mask at one hundred percent completion. Gray hadn't changed at all to me. But as the fresh spring breeze of Mineral Town washed over me, I knew just about anything was possible. Who had he become? What were his interests now? Was he happy? I was compelled forward, lumping my duffel bag to the ground and placing the paper bag on top beside the door.
Immediately, my heart began hammering in my chest. Just on the other side of that dull door was someone I never stopped thinking about. Someone who had changed my entire life in a matter of six years. Whose family had treated me how I always craved and desired. But there was also someone else that my childlike mind had villainized. Who endlessly haunted me and made me feel like they had stolen something from me and I had no recourse. But there I was. I didn't quit, no matter how much everything hurt. I had clawed myself up the side of the rugged mountain with no recognition and absolutely no need. I didn't even think in that moment as I pushed through the door, entering an immensely hot room. It wasn't very big but it was very well equipped. A large hot hearth sat in that back with a roaring fire. Against one wall was a modest work space with an anvil and a cluttered surface of tools, diagrams, and scraps. And directly in front of me was a counter, where another larger workspace spanned from. I found myself looking directly at an old man with white hair full down to broad shoulders and a gleaming bald head. He was round beneath his olive tunic and charcoal wool vest. He had been busy stamping invoices, but looked up when he saw me. His dark eyes didn't flicker, his face didn't flinch. Perhaps he had no idea who I was.
"Welcome, young lady," he said with a gruff voice that hinted at years of smoke inhalation. He smacked his rubber stamp down in one swift motion. "Not often my forge sees new faces. You must be who Mayor Thomas was telling me about. The new farmer, hm?"
I closed the door behind me now, feeling stiff and rigid. The spring breeze evaporated immediately and I came further into the forge rather sheepishly. I glanced around. There was no one else there. "Yes," I finally found my voice. He straightened up, tucking the sheets of paper into a box in the corner of his desk. He looked at me expectedly now. "My name is Claire."
Still, not a hint of recognition quivered beneath his white beard. "Welcome. I'm Saibara, this is my forge. I'm sure we'll have an ongoing relationship of business in the future. Especially if you're still using Derrick's tools." I had no reply at the ready but in the next beat, a door tucked to the side opened and a tall man in tan coveralls and sporting a blue and yellow hat stepped out. His face was smudged with ash and coal, and spikes of bright red hair cropped out around his ears. He was carrying a mallet that had a large crack in it.
"Grandpa, there's no more iron, looks like-" he froze, however, as he turned around and saw me. There were those big blue eyes, not a shade different. It was almost damning seeing them again, so surprised. But there was something else shimmering in those orbs. A form of hurt. Like I had just undone stitches over a wound. "... I'll go to the mines tomorrow…" he finished lamely.
Saibara looked between us as if we were idiots. He had to have known what was going on, but still, he did not play into any of it. "This is my grandson, Gray. My apprentice, really. He won't be making any of your tools, though." Gray only cast a fleeting glance at his grandfather, lowering the mallet to his side. Saibara arched his bushy eyebrows. "Well, why don't you say anything? She's going to think you're brain dead."
Pensively, he cleared his throat, tugging his hat on his head. "Welcome… to Mineral Town," he said very blandly. It felt like my heart was shattering in my chest.
"You'll have to excuse him," it took a moment before my eyes snapped away from Gray to the lead blacksmith. "He doesn't meet many new girls." Gray again looked exasperated and annoyed. "If you need anything, we're right here around the corner, Claire."
"Thank you," my voice was airy as I nodded, turning for the door. "I'll… I'll keep that in mind."
…
Dusk was falling over my property and the few lights mounted on the warped and neglected buildings slowly flickered to life and buzzed around me. I found myself sitting on the ground, hugging my knees, in front of my large, dead field. My rusty bucket was beside me, my packets of seeds spread out on the ground. My spade and hose were discarded by the shipping bin. The stars were beginning to twinkle brightly and I watched them intently. I had never seen such a beautiful night sky before. In The City, the sky was just a black void that always threatened to swallow me up. But here, it was comforting. The universe was big, but it didn't make me feel small.
I lowered my chin to my knees as I looked at the gleaming weeds rustling in the light breeze. I blinked rapidly as I reviewed just the hours before. How could Gray be that passive? He acted as if we were perfect strangers. Like I had interrupted his work. I was here now and how did he feel about it? I sighed, raking my bangs back from my face as I sat forward. Maybe he really had stopped thinking about me. He had blocked me out as a thing from the past that needed to go, like all the others. I picked at the blades of grass in front of me, shaking my head. Maybe it was right of him, though. That trauma, in my opinion, would have been insurmountable. Maybe I was wrong. I pressed my lips tightly together and looked back to the stars. Not a single answer glistened between them. Did the stars ever have answers? They seemed to only provoke questions. I never would have known Mineral Town without Gray. But was it right to come here in such a permanent fashion? As I glanced around the dark property with pockets of flickering lemony light, I didn't feel that way. I had found a purpose. I'd never had one before. For the first time in my life, I saw a direction I could go. But was it at the expense of others? Was I only proving my parents right, that I was just a tornado that stilled the air around it?
"Claire..?"
I gasped sharply, looking over my shoulder. Standing in the flickering light of my barn was Gray. His hat was turned backwards, his red hair a twisted mess coming out from the brim. His face seemed freshly washed, his coveralls stained. He had rolled the sleeves to his elbows. He seemed a bit sheepish standing there, but after a moment, he came closer, stopping just a few feet from me. I pursed my lips and turned my head to look back at the stars.
"Hey," I finally replied. He put his hands in his pockets, tilting back and forth in his sooty boots.
"It's really you," he said. After a beat, he seated himself in the grass beside me. I looked at him from the corner of my eye. His blue eyes and red hair were still as bright as I remembered. His face, however, was much more carved out, his jawline strong and straight. He was much taller now, towering nearly an entire head's length over me. His voice was deeper and husky. He looked a lot like his dad despite having hair like his mother. "God…" Gray shook his head. "How long has it been?"
"Ten years in September," my lips barely moved. Around us, nighttime was slowly taking over. The creatures were starting to sing their orchestra into the darkness. Gray took his hat off for a moment, raking his layered red hair back from his face.
He was quiet for a bit, but I was unbothered. I simply let the silence settle between us. He fidgeted next to me, however, and the way his fingers curled around the blades of grass had me remembering the way he stirred when looking for the right words. Finally, his lips parted, but all he said was, "Damn."
