INNOCENCE (Completed)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3    

"Evelyn! Hurry or we'll be late!" my mom shouted from downstairs.

"Coming!" I had woken up too late on this particular Monday. I had this country look-- I was wearing belted jeans, a white tank top and a cute unbuttoned red checkered polo shirt with its sleeves rolled up to my elbows. I plaited my hair in my usual ponytail then hurriedly ran downstairs and took a piece of bread, letting it hang on the side of my mouth while I was adjusting my boots.

After closing the front door behind me, I found my father crossing his arms at his chest in front of an opened truck door wearily saying, "You sure took your time."

"Hey! You fixed the truck. Nice." I shrugged, distracting him while trying to ignore his rolling eyeballs which implied his irritation that they were running late for work. The red rusty old pick-up truck carried mom's flowers and pots which were crowding itselves at the back of the truck.

"It's a masterpiece that needs a bit of new paint. Besides, what's the use of a handyman if he can't fix things?" he rhetorically asked. His mood was lifted after the compliment.

"Please let's go now! We're late. Late!" My mom was being frantic, pushing my dad in the driver's seat.

"I'm taking Orion. I'll meet you there."

"Okay sweetie. Just hurry!" My mom then slid into the front seat beside my dad who just turned on the engine.

We were headed to the town's biggest orchard. It has always been the number one source of food and income of our town. We also supply fruits from the orchard, which are the pride of our town, to the rest of the kingdom. It's where my parents have been working for as long as I could remember. Almost everyone in town works there aside from the town shops. The Whitlock family has been running the business for so long; they've been so kind and open to everyone. The only daughter of the Whitlocks is my best friend so I spend most of my summers there with her.

Upon arriving at the orchard, I was nearly thrown off Orion's back when we almost got hit by a speeding motorcyle coming out of nowhere.

"Watch where you're going jerk!" I blurted out angry before riding towards the stables just a bit adjacent from the manor and orchard.

"Evelyn, mia bella!" a man about in his late fifties or early sixties with a smooth old voice called out to me as he saw me from the stables.

"Uncle Francisco!" I grinned as I climbed off Orion.

He said as he hugged me, "How are you? Finally! You came back from the city. Couldn't wait to smell the country air, am I right?"

"Absolutely." I said still grinning at his usual jolliness.

A little girl, about ten years of age, peeked out of the stables before happily shrieking my name, "Eve!"

"Katie!" She ran leaping to my open arms. "Wow! You've grown!" She giggled at my compliment.

"Katerina has grown into a beauty, yes? She's becoming quite a handful." remarked Uncle Francisco.

"You are getting prettier Katie," I said as I poked her nose, her hands still around my waist. "Handful? Has she now? You're turning old Uncle." I jested, turning back to Uncle Francisco who heard Katie laugh after hearing the word 'old'.

"Oh, don't laugh at me young lady. Just because you have a horse now doesn't mean you are any better than this old man." he reprimanded her.

"You have a horse?" I asked Katie sounding surprised, and she nodded grinning back at me.