Mirroring the Endless Night | Elliott x Female Farmer |

9. Sweet Summer Child

She remembered their conversation clearly: they'd exchanged hellos and he let her know he wouldn't have very much time to talk as the next bus to Zuzu City was mere minutes away, she'd complimented him on his hair (teasingly, as it was soaking wet from what she could only assume was a last minute shower), he complimented her on her outfit (which had notably been caked in dirt at the time), she'd given him her phone number and asked that he text her once he got to his hotel room, he assured her he'd stay in contact, then the pair said goodbye. They hugged for quite a long time yet the farmer found herself yearning for more as she watched him retreat down the beaten dirt path and towards the bus stop.

Hours after their encounter and true to his word, Maria received a text from Elliott as she'd been getting ready for bed. 'Safe and sound and positively cozy in my hotel room. Shaking off my nerves by indulging in a small amount of wine and watching that cooking program you showed me weeks ago. The premade food still peeves me but the show's host has an infectious personality so it's still rather entertaining. Regardless, I hope you have a lovely evening and night and dream some lovely birthday dreams -Elliott'.

There were many things about this text that charmed Maria. The fact that he brought up 'Queen of Sauce' and noted it was something she'd introduced him to, the mention of 'birthday dreams', and the way he signed his name at the end of the message despite already having his name saved in her contact list.

She'd quickly sent him a reply, unable to wipe off the little grin that played on her lips the entire time she typed. 'Very glad to hear that you're safe, though make sure you don't indulge in too much of that wine, I'm not sure it'd be a great first impression to the publishers if you showed up to the meeting hungover. Enjoy Queen of Sauce but be sure to get plenty of sleep, you'll need to be rested up before the big day. Sweet dreams future author :p'.

After sending her message she'd drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. A part of her was oddly sad when she woke up to no messages, but she reasoned it out with the fact that she woke up at six and was likely up before anyone she knew.

The creak of wood beneath her feet shook her out of her memories and she pushed those thoughts back as she untied her boots. She left the shoes outside her door, they'd been muddied from her quick trip to the pond.

"Orion?" she asked aloud as she pushed the door open, peering around her home. When she'd left this morning he'd been curled up at the end of her bed, but now the Burmese was nowhere to be seen. A shrill meow caught her attention and she turned around to see the cat sat at the bottom of her wooden porch.

"Wha- how did you get there?" she stammered, moving her leg aside so he could trot inside the house ahead of her. "... Little weirdo," she muttered, flicking on the switch for the rickety old fan that Robin had given her.

It slowly whirred to life, it's plastic blades creating a dull buzzing sound as they spun in fast circles to create a current. The farmer pulled up a stool close to the fan and plopped down atop it, sitting quietly and happily letting the rush of cool air wash over her.

Just as she got accustomed to the man-made breeze though, a sudden ringing from her phone filled the room. It was persistent, meaning someone was trying to call her. With a groan she got up from her seat, having to ignore the way her body ached and begged to rest.

Making her way over to the coffee table, she was able to see that her phone's lit up screen read Camilla, meaning her older sister was calling. After a quick mental debate she sighed and picked up her phone, pressing her thumb against the green answer button and holding it against her ear.

" Hola, niña! Feliz cumpleaños~" was what immediately came through as soon as she answered. She recognized her sister's voice, a bit loud though still smooth. Authoritative even when speaking cheerful Spanish, which came with the territory of being the eldest sibling.