Sunflowers (Jerry Baynard x Reader/OC)

3- Home Sweet Home

Vivian's POV.
After my short day with the Cuthbert's and... Jerry, I finally got home. I opened the door and I was met with my big family scattered around the house, yelling at each other. Everything a complete chaos.

"You stole my journal!" Grace, my sister shouted at the twins Ben and Brody.

"No, we didn't! It was poppy!" Brody shouted from one of the bedrooms.

"She's two, you idiot, what's she going to do with my journal?!"

"Sorry we don't have it." Said Ben. Grace kept banging on the bedroom door as the two boys kept it closed from the other side.

"Ooh, who's Peter?" Brody mocked.

"Stop reading my journal! I'm telling mom!"

Well. It was a chaos. Like always. But it was home. I ignored the three that were having the journal issue and went to see what other drama was going on around the house. I decided on going to the kitchen, there was always something happening there.

When I entered the kitchen I found my three oldest siblings scattered around the small kitchen table with a deck of cards.

"You bastard! You cheated!" Leo, the oldest one accused.

"Are you mental? Of course I didn't." Aaron, the youngest of the three shouted back.

"I think you did." My other brother, Thomas backed up Leo.

"Ha! It's two against one! We win." Leo and Thomas high fived each other.

Well, that was just normal at this point, I went to my mother's bedroom where I knew the others were. I quietly open the door and make my way in. My mother's eyes turned to me and she gave me a smile. "Oh, you're home. Good. How was it with the Cuthbert's?"

"It was... decent." I tried to sugar coat the day's events. "Is she better?" I pointed to poppy in my mother's bed. She was the youngest. Only two years old. And she was battling a very high fever. She had been for the past week. We were all hoping for the best.

"She's very strong." My mother whispered as she stroked my sister's hair as she slept.

"Where's Julie and Carter?" I refer to the last of my siblings.

"They're outside playing. They made a new friend apparently." She smiled. "So tell me better about this day of yours. You got to meet the other worker, isn't that right?"

I cleard my throat, giving myself time to think of what to say before I responded. "Yes. I did." I sigh. "He's, um- he's very... hard working."

"Oh, that's good, I suppose. Do you think you'll become good friends?" She asked as she covered Poppy with a blanket.

I thought back to my conversation with Jerry about how work is work and we shouldn't make useless, personal small talk to try and thrive a friendship that will never exist. Oh, he made it very clear that him and I are only workers. Not friends or anything else. Merely workers.

"Sure." I said with a not-so-convincing smile, but it was convincing enough for my mother to believe. She was very easy to lie to, which at times was helpful for me, but it was not great for when she had to survive the outside world.

"What's his name?" She asked with more interest.

I looked at her, noticing that look in her eyes. "Jerry."

"Is he... cute?"

"Mother! Please, stop." I knew my conversation with her would tuen into something like this.

*****

"Good morning, miss Cuthbert." I say as I enter the house. I find her in the kitchen, lighting the kettle.

"Oh, Vivian. Didn't expect you so early." She wiped her hands on her apron. "We agreed on 8:00 am."

"Yes. And it's 7:45." I pointed to the clock above her, hanging on the wall.

"Oh, well... join us for breakfast then." She invited, but I quickly shook my head. The sooner I was done working, the sooner I could get away from Jerry.

"Thank you for the invitation, but I'll skip. The barn needs tending to."

"It's alright. Jerry's already there taking care of things. Sit down. Have some tea. Anne and Matthew will be down in a second." I guess I could stay for a little bit. I took a seat by the table and Miss Cuthbert put a cup of tea in front of me. "So how are things going with Jerry?"

"Uh... it's okay."

"Wonderful. I'm happy you get along."

"Yeah." I wish. "I am too."

Suddenly the front door opened and I knew exactly who it is.

"Just in time for breakfast. Have a seat." Miss Cuthbert commanded Jerry towards the table. His posture stiffened as he saw me sitting by the table. He immediately looked unhappy.

"You know what, Miss Cuthbert. Not today. I'm not hungry." The boy lied. Marilla looked up at him in confusion.

"But Jerry..."

"Don't worry about me, Miss Cuthbert. I'm fine." The boy walked out without another word and went back to tending the farmhouse.

"That is very odd. There has not been a day where that boy has not accepted my food." She shook her head at the boy. I finished up my tea quickly and stood up. I grabbed a cloth and started putting a piece of bread in it and a chunk of cheese. "Are you still hungry, Vivian?" She asked as she saw me gathering little bits of food.

"No. But, I'm sure Jerry's hungry." Before she could reply, I left quickly and made my way to the farmhouse with the cloth in hand. Maybe- just maybe- this would bring peace between us.

I found Jerry feeding the horse. I didn't say anything. I respected our agreement and kept silent, but I walked towards him. I could tell he knew I was next to him, he just dodn't want to acknowledge me. I took his hand and put the cloth in it. He looked down at it confused, but then he opened it, finding the treats inside. His gaze softend for a second, only a second, but then he bundled up the cloth again and threw it on a pile of hay, the same cold expression back on his face. "I already said I'm not hungry." He strutted away from the farmhouse in a tantrum. For some reason, it brought a pinch to my chest. For what reason did he think he should be so cruel?

I sighed, petting the horse. "What have I done to deserve this?" I asked the poor horse. "You probably know, don't you? He probably vented to you about me." I scoffed at myself, talking to a freaking horse. I reached down and grabbed the gloth that Jerry rejected. I opened it up and throw the cheese in my mouth and feed the bread to the horse. "His loss is our gain."