AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There was a slightly uncomfortable silence as Rory drove on.
After a few moments, he put on his indicator and pulled into a dirt track with a sign that said APPLEGATES FARM – ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.
‘Here we are,’ he murmured, and drove up the track, parking at the end in front of a series of long white polytunnels.
Carrie closed her window and let out a long sigh of relief. She’d made it, and she hadn’t had a meltdown. Maybe there was hope for her still. ‘Thank goodness,’ she said.
‘Was my driving that bad?’ Rory looked concerned. ‘Are you all right? Really?’
‘I’m okay.’ Carrie smiled, and opened the passenger door. ‘Let’s go get some vegetables.’
TWENTY-ONE
‘Oh, Rory, look!’ Carrie knelt down next to a wooden and wire mesh enclosure where three long-haired, lop-eared rabbits were industriously chewing lettuce leaves. ‘They’re adorable! Look at their widdle ears!’ Without meaning to, Carrie had lapsed into a baby-talk voice as she spoke to the rabbits. ‘You’re just too cute, awwen’t you? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!’
Rory watched her, a grin spreading over his face. He waved to a friendly looking man with a beard and wearing a knitted hat and a sweatshirt.
‘Hey, Jon. Can we pick the rabbits up?’ he called. ‘My friend’s not too old, right?’
‘Hey, Rory.’ Jon jogged over. ‘Sure thing. Floof is for everyone.’ He reached into the enclosure and picked up the fluffiest rabbit – a sandy coloured thing with white feet and very long ears – and handed it to Carrie, who squealed a little as she took it.
‘I’m Carrie, by the way,’ she said, trying to act like an adult for a minute at least.
‘Jon. Great to meet you. This is Benjamin. That’s Jemima and Ducky.’ Jon pointed out the other two rabbits. ‘They’re super friendly. Won’t bite.’
‘Awwww, Benjamin!’ Carrie crooned at the rabbit, all of her tension in the car forgotten. ‘He’s so soft! Look at his ears!’ she exclaimed to both men, who grinned.
Rory stroked the rabbit’s ears. ‘Super soft,’ he agreed.
‘If you want to pet some of the other animals, we also have a goat, some hamsters and there are a couple of farm cats roaming around,’ Jon said. ‘We also have chinchillas, if you like soft things. Mind you, they’re nocturnal, so they’re usually asleep around now.’
‘The bunny is fine, thanks. I am actually here to work,’ Carrie laughed, nuzzling Benjamin. ‘I just want to take him home, though! It’s been years since I picked up a rabbit. Or any animal, I think.’
‘Take your time. It tends to be quiet here when the kids are in school,’ Jon said. ‘Here for the usual, Rory? Thomas was saying we’ve got some great purple sprouting if you’re interested.’
‘That’d be great, yeah. We’ll go up in a minute and see what there is.’ Rory watched Carrie with amusement. ‘When I can separate this one from the new love of her life.’
‘Aww. But Benjamin’s so cuuute,’ Carrie crooned, stroking the rabbit’s ears. ‘I really want to take him home with me.’
‘Carrie. Think of the children,’ Rory said, faux-sternly.
‘Oh, I know, I know,’ she sighed. ‘I suppose we’d better get on with what we came here for.’
‘You can come back and see Benjamin whenever you want.’ Jon took the rabbit from Carrie gently.
‘It’s fine,’ Carrie laughed. ‘Though I do think it’s sweet you guys have this for the kids.’
‘Ah, well. It’s not much, but it’s something to do for the little ones. And sometimes the school brings a little group up here and we do projects with them about planting, sustainable farming, that kind of thing.’
‘That’s so nice.’
Carrie and Rory watched as Jon returned Benjamin to his rabbit friends, and they all walked past the rest of the animal enclosures and along a dirt pathway towards the polytunnels.
‘Yeah, it’s a good place to work. The air’s so clean up here, and we all get a free organic lunch every day. Can’t complain.’ Jon adjusted his knitted hat. ‘Anyway. Duty calls! I’ll see you guys later. Good to meet you, Carrie.’
‘And you,’ Carrie called after him. ‘Seems a nice guy,’ she added, to Rory.
‘Yeah. Salt of the earth. They all are, up here.’ They walked along companionably. ‘Here. You’ve got rabbit fluff on you.’ Rory reached across and brushed her sweatshirt gently, and she recoiled slightly at his sudden intimacy.
