Shades of Her

"Tell me again, describe how you see them," I ask her as I sit atop the hill, overlooking the rows of tulips down below. I hear her giggle. "With my eyes?" she says. I turn my head and notice the playful look on her face. "You know what I mean," I respond, matching her tone. She sits up from her lying position and holds her knees close to her chest, there's a breeze that comes and goes, moving her blonde hair with it. She smiles when she looks at me. "Fine, Cas. What colour today?"

"Blue."

"Again? We did that one last time." She says, the tone of playfulness returning. I nod my head. "I know, but it's my favorite one."

"Ok, fine... close your eyes and imagine." I rest my eyes and let my mind wander with her words. "You're on an oasis in the middle of the desert, but you are not lonely or afraid, instead you are in a state of complete calmness. You see the paradise of the land; the palm trees that rival the exterior walls, and the water hole that welcomes lost travelers. You follow a stream right down to the water and sit along the side, from there you hear the waves crash against the rocky edges of the shore and the sound of exotic birds that fly above you. It's not too loud or too quiet. You can feel the heat of the sun on your skin; it brings you warmth and peace. There's sand beneath your feet-"

"I don't like the sand," I complain. "Can it be grass instead?"

"Yes, Cas. It can be grass, now shh, don't interrupt my story," She lies back down and continues. "Your hands hover above the strands of grass, and your feet meet the rising and falling water. The smell of the sea reminds you of your uncle's mill; where your father's boat is docked and your family's treasures are kept. You cup some water and take a sip, letting the cool liquid quench your thirst. It tastes sweet and nice, almost like blueberries..."

"Blueberries?" I question her, opening my eyes. "That's not really what I was picturing."

She's slow to respond. "I may have missed breakfast, and blueberries sound so good right now." Her stomach makes a sound in agreement, and it causes us to laugh together. I get a feeling that I could never be happier.

***

"You're late." She says matter of factly. "The tulips have already bloomed." I see her on the hill with a notebook in hand; she received it from her grandmother before her passing last Christmas and since then, it's always been with her.

"What colours are they this year?" I ask, curious to know how she'll describe it.

She looks over the field with a smile, taking in the vibrant flowers. "As red as the sun's heat, and as yellow as... a moment of laughter between friends."

I take my place adjacent to her on the hill. "Sorry that I'm late, I was at the farm. I meant to arrive earlier but one of the chickens escaped and my uncle wouldn't let me leave until I had caught it." My voice is rough from work, and my face is sure to be hot from being in the sun all day, but she doesn't say anything even when I know she can tell.

"Did I miss anything at school?"

She holds her book on her lap and looks down at the tulips. "It was career day. They had experts in almost every profession visit the school, there were booths set up in the cafeteria. I grabbed a few pamphlets about future careers that you might be interested in, even though you plan to work on the farm your whole life, I just wanted you to know that you had options." She takes some of the pamphlets that lay beside her and hands them to me; the careers listed from construction to business to teaching.

"Thanks, these seem interesting," I pocket them for later. "But I have to keep working at the farm, my family can't provide for themselves if I decide to quit and go to college."