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BRENTON
Iwas shocked, but pleasantly surprised by Helen’s change of heart. I was excited to have her accompany me to the area that I believed was the best part of my property. It overlooked the rolling hills and expansive vineyards of Napa Valley beautifully.
“So, tell me about what exactly we are doing down here?” Helen asked as we pulled off to the side of the gravel road once we hit a dead end.
“Well this is where I planted my most recent seedlings so I have to come check up on them weekly. If the drought resistance didn’t take hold for whatever reason, I have to dig them up and start over. And if it did take, then I have to monitor the tree’s growth.”
“Why do you have to monitor growth?”
“Further research. The drought resistant seeds we currently have patented are great, but there’s always room for improvement! Innovation is necessary to stay afloat.”
“And why wouldn’t the drought resistance take? Has that ever happened before?”
“Cross breeding is a fairly intricate process. It takes months and sometimes you won’t know if it worked until you plant it and it takes root. I’ve had a few failures. Usually I just didn’t give the seed enough time to germinate so its roots are weak and don’t suck up enough water from the soil.”
“And what if the soil is entirely dry? What makes them drought resistant?”
“If it’s dry they use their own leaves and bark for enough moisture to sustain themselves. Then once apples grow, they use the moisture from the fruit, which is what really makes them thrive. That’s the patented part of the technology.”
I looked down at Helen, who was nodding along to my words. It seemed like she was trying to soak in every last syllable. I was impressed by her newfound interest in my business. She’d always been curious about the apples, but never this curious. It warmed my heart.
It had taken about an hour to drive here, so we had a few hours until sunset. I led Helen deeper into the trees, pointing out the budding apples and the various types. I let her taste a few unripened samples, to which she scrunched her nose at the tartness. The cuteness of it made my heart melt.
Samson trotted along next to us, accepting any samples I would give him. He nudged Helen more than once for a pet and she always acquiesced. A few hours passed. Helen continued asking detailed questions and I answered each one as best I could, explaining the terminology that confused her until she was satisfied.
Finally, we made it to the farthest edge of my property just in time for sunset. A white picket fence surrounded my entire land. I jumped over it and turned to help Helen over as well. I gave Samson a whistle and he took a running start, soaring over the fence with his long limbs. This gave Helen a good laugh.
We walked just a few more feet and then we were at the edge, a steep grassy hill dropping down almost a few hundred feet to reach the valley. Wildflowers had taken over the land out here. As soon as my property fence ended, the bright colors of purple, blue, red and yellow dotted the land in blossoming shapes. I picked a few for Helen, handing her a brightly hued bouquet.
“Why thank you,” she said smiling, but I picked up on a hint of sadness in her voice.
“What’s wrong?”
Helen looked up, shocked that I had noticed. “Oh, nothing! It’s just that no one has ever given me flowers before.”
I watched as Helen stuck her nose into it and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and sighed, looking entirely at peace.
“C’mon.” I grabbed her hand and led her to a giant rock that we could perch ourselves on to watch the setting sun. Before I could get her to sit, Helen walked to the very edge of the hill, looking down into the valley.
“Wow!”
I joined her, gazing mostly at Helen instead of the view.
“You’re missing it.” She smirked knowingly at me.
“No, I’m not.”
Eventually, I broke my gaze to take in the city myself. One could see the intricate pattern of lights from this far up, and the criss-cross of roads. The precise grid pattern of the city became slightly frayed on the edges as suburban neighborhoods began to take shape with circular patterns and dimmer lights.
“Look up,” I told Helen, motioning at the hills across the valley from us.
I knew the hills were just as green as ours, but they looked blue without the aid of the sun. A few remaining rays permeated the valley, thinning out and casting a dim light over everything for a brief moment. Then, the light was practically gone. All that remained was an orange hue in the sky where the sun once was. At its edges, it became pink, mixing with the darkening sky. Then pink became purple, and finally dark blue.
Helen looked up at me and I looked down at her, amazement splashed across her face. I still sensed something off about her expression. The way her eyes furrowed just slightly and the corners of her mouth hung, she looked almost guilty. I didn’t press the matter further, not wanting to ruin the beautiful moment we had just shared. Instead, I reached my thumb out to trace her lips, hoping to bring out that full smile I had loved so much about her.
She parted her lips at my touch, leaning into it. I moved my thumb past her mouth and over her cheek, rubbing circles on her soft skin. I lowered my head so that my mouth was by her ear. I blew onto it just slightly. Helen released a soft breath that I could feel on my neck. My hand had dropped to her shoulder and I gripped it as she ran her hands up my torso. Chill bumps formed over my skin and I shivered.
“We should go before it gets too dark.” I learned my forehead against hers. Helen hesitated for a moment.
