The farmer, Eric, was checking on his chickens when he heard Caroline approaching. The low rumbling accompanied by a slight shaking of the coop’s walls.

“She must be here to pick up today’s shipment.” Eric cooed to the chicks in the coop.  He quickly tossed some straw around and collected a few more eggs off the ground. As he exited back outside he saw the sun was hiding. An unexpected patch of shade had appeared on this otherwise perfectly sunny day. Before Eric stood Caroline, having just walked over from her store in town.

The sunshine returned to Eric's eyes as Caroline bent down to pick up the shipping bin on the northside of the farm. She scooped it in one hand and replaced the full one with an empty from her 2nd hand. As she stood back up the sun played keep away again. Caroline smiled as a bright substitute and waved to Eric.

Eric waved back, making a big gesture so she could see his little arm. Caroline took a few steps towards Eric, her shoe clearing a few feet over the wooden fence he had made besides the duck pond.

“Good Morning,” She said cheerily.

“Good Morning,” Eric called back up to her.

“Some of the Girls we’re wondering when we could expect more of your wonderful fruits?” Caroline asked. She knelt down in the grass beside Eric, the folds of her skit unfurling like an enormous picnic blanket.

“I can only grow much at a time,” Eric said. “I’ve been busy, and I don’t have as much material as I’d like. Hardwood and…”

“Maybe, I’ll ask Abigail to help you out,” Caroline interrupted. “I think she’s been looking for an excuse to go back to that cave.” Caroline said, idly twirly her fingers thru the branches of Eric’s fruit orchard. “You’ve been so generous to all of us in the past - we really feel that we need to give back.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary.” He waved away the idea. “You don’t need to trouble yourself, I know you all have your own things to take care of.:

“I won’t be in any trouble at all,” Caroline smiled. “I mean, I think we’ve all noticed some things that are much less of a burden now…” 

Eric smiled along with her joke. “I’ll bet aerobics class is as popular as ever.”

He and Caroline enjoyed a lugh. Some of the animals in the pasture looked up from the grass to see what the loud noise was. Just as quickly they returned to their graze when all they saw was the nice lady who came by sometimes.

“How is Abigail?” Eric asked. “I’ve been meaning to visit for the last few days - but I just got so busy...”

Caroline’s smile faded. She looked away frm Eric still in her shadow. “She’s fine, She’s been spending more time with Sam and Sebastian I think.”

“Is she still upset that I missed her Birthday?”

Caroline shook her head, “Abigail is a big girl, Eric - she’s not bothered by something so silly.”

“I had something planned,” Eric said. “I was thinking that the pumpkin would take off just like the Melon did…. Just the crows you know...”

“It's ok,” Caroline said. She was smiling again. “All of us in town know how hard you’re working.” Caroline stood up, looking back down she could see her impression in the field. “Oops,” she said. “Sometimes I forget you know - it hasn’t been that long since.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Eric said. “I’ll till it up easy enough, might take the excuse to throw down some seed.” Eric stepped forward to appease the worried woman before him. He gave a light pat on her shin to let her know it was ok. “Yoba knows that there is always something else I could be doing around here. “I need Hay for the animals anyways before the winter chill comes in.”

“I’ll tell Abigail to visit,” Caroline said. She took a few steps away before turning back to give one final wave to the farmer. 

Eric waved back, watching the giant woman disappear over the trees.

As Caroline walked back to town she could feel her own smile fading. She wasn’t meaning to be insincere - she really did want to do a favor for Eric. He had practically just moved into town and was already so helpful - so involved with everyone. 

It was good to try and help him with stuff like the shipping bin. It felt good to do it. Felt good to go outside and stretch like this. To soak up sunbeams, to stand above the trees. 

But, it wasn’t “No trouble.” Some things were now inconvenient after Eric had grown that super fruit in summertime. Caroline sighed deeply as she deposited the shipping bin beside the store in town - she would sort thru it later.

Pierre’s name wasn’t on the store anymore - Pierre wasn’t there anymore. She had thought  . Maybe it was the boost to confidence she felt after tasting the fruit - it made her feel young again. It reminded her of the adventures she used to have when she was much younger. Her  . She used to feel so alive back then, she felt alive now when she could stand still and take in a birds eye view of all of Pelican Town.

Abigail said Pierre was jealous of Mom of her. That he couldn’t handle the truth about how they had grown up - outshone him like that. Father hated the fact that Mother and Daughter didn’t need a man of the house anymore.

Caroline wasn’t sure that was the main reason. Pierre probably knew the real truth. Caroline thought he had known for a while. When Caroline and Abigail embraced this most recent blessing Pierre probably took it as an excuse to stop pretending.

Caroline shook her head. She forced these dour thoughts out and ran her fingers through her hair. It was a nice day, and she thought she should enjoy it. Living in a smaller world made distances shorter.

Caroline figured it was time to ask Jodi if she wanted to take a stroll down to the beach. Summer was over, but maybe they could taste a little warmth one last time this year. It felt good again.