Lemons of Life

Chapter 4 - Till Death Do Us Part

Several days had passed and Amyris found himself exhausted from all the physical work he had put into his grove of citrus trees, as well as the emotional exhaustion from visiting his adoptive father, Myron, who continued to remain weak and bed-bound. He leaned against a large orange tree that sat towards the centre of the grove and slowly slid his back down the smooth trunk until he sat at the base, looking up at the brilliant blue sky above him which no longer felt in line with his own mood as it normally would. His eyelids closed until all he could see was a light darkness as the sun seemed to seep through the thin covers, intently listening to the whispering breeze and the loud chirps from the regular visitors.

Memories flashed though Amyris' mind. He remembered the day he was adopted into the village that quickly became his family as everyone had pitched in to help raise him into the young adult he had become. Myron was a true role model of a leader who had led a peaceful life and one who only knew of compassion and kindness to everyone around him. There was nothing that man took for granted or didn't appreciate and Amyris felt truly grateful to have been able to grow up with such a man in his life. While the other villagers were kind and accepted him in, Myron was the only one who fully supported Amyris' endeavor to grow and cultivate various kinds of citrus fruits that could potentially become a rich resource for the village. However, Amyris' hope for that result dwindled along as Myron's condition progressed.

Amyris sighed heavily as he stared at his feet. Deep in thought, several hours passed by and the bright sun had been swallowed by darkening clouds that seemed to threaten rainfall onto the earth. The snap of a branch broke Amyris' focus and he slowly glanced around him until he spotted a familiar figure step closer.

"Diana!"

The woman waved cheerfully. "Hello!"

Amyris scrambled to his feet with a wide grin that grew across his face. "It's really nice to see you again! I didn't know if I would."

"Sorry," Diana started as her cheeks reddened, "but that's kinda the life of a hunter, ya know?"

"Do you have any thrilling tales to tell from your travels and new places you've been?"

Amyris' eyes sparkled with excitement, awaiting to hear about new places that he would one day visit to trade produce from his famous grove. The idea excited him even more. Though, he did catch a glimpse of reluctance that crossed the woman's face and his own grin seemed to falter with worry. Had he said something wrong? Was she just not comfortable with talking about her experiences? Amyris had no idea and it made his head swirl. Diana had been the first person he had met outside of his village, so maybe the customs of friendship were different for her? Or even worse, did she not share the same feelings of friendship as he did? All sorts of questions and uncertainties flooded his mind as if a dam had burst.

Diana's small chuckle quieted Amyris' mind and she spoke with a soft tone. "I apologize for being taken aback. I am not used to anyone taking such an enthusiastic interest in my stories."

"What? How can that be?" Amyris exclaimed as his eyes widened and his jaw hung slack. "I have never left my village, so I have no idea what any other place is like. Well, I have heard stories about Athens from my aunt and uncle who live there."

"I, too, have an aunt from Athens. It is a beautiful place."

The conversation turned silent as Amyris and Diana found themselves staring at each other until they both burst into laughter from the awkward pause, but it was also interrupted by a low rumbling of the clouds above as they spat raindrops onto the grove. Amyris' eyebrows scrunched together as he looked up at the menacing clouds. Reluctantly, he gave a small smile to Diana.

"I should go. I need to check in on my adoptive father back in my village."

"Is he not well?"

Amyris shook his head slowly and clenched his fists. "No. The doc has no idea what the disease is either."