Misfits

7.2 | eavesdropper

An hour later, Grandpa returns to find three metre-squared crates overfilling with apples.

"I wasn't expecting you kids to be done so quickly, and you've picked so many apples," Grandpa says, his eyebrows rising halfway up his forehead.

"Turns out we work very efficiently as a team," I say proudly. I twist my head in Cole's direction. "Also, I won."

He rolls his eyes. "Emma added apples to both our crates, so really there's no way to tell who actually won."

"I appreciate you kids had fun while doing this. Though perhaps you were a little too good at picking..." Grandpa picks up an apple from the top of one of the crates. "Some of these look a little unripe. Could've done with an extra day or three."

"Really?" I peer into the crate, picking one of the apples and noting the greenish hue. He's right. I raise my head up to pass my grandfather a sheepish look. "Sorry, Grandpa."

"We should have been more careful," Cole apologises.

"It's alright. Some of them will naturally ripen anyway, and the others can be repurposed. Just because something doesn't fit its original use doesn't make it worthless."

"Are you sure it's okay?"

"Yep," Grandpa smiles, return the apple back to the crate. "So don't worry about these. These are perfect the way they are."

Despite my grandad's words, I feel my shoulders sink further. I run my hand across the rim of the wooden crate. "Sorry again, Grandpa. I should've known."

"It's really fine, Cassie. You don't need to look so glum. You kids have worked hard today, you should go in now."

"We can help clear up," Emma offers. "We couldn't possibly leave all this mess."

"That's right, Grandpa. We'll clear up the mess. You should go back in, I'm guessing your client will be arriving soon. You can at least trust us with this much."

We eventually coax Grandpa into leaving, but within minutes of us starting the clean up, an alarm rings from Emma's phone.

"Right," she releases a sigh, "the meeting."

"It's fine," I say. "Cole and I can sort all this out. It isn't much, you can go ahead."

"Alright," Emma reluctantly sets down the sack in her arms, taking off her garden gloves, "I'll see you guys in a bit."

Emma waves us goodbye and starts walking back towards the farmhouse.

"Okay, so how about I take this in while you—" I cast a glance at Cole to realise his eyes are still fixed on Emma's departing figure.

"If you want to go after her, you can," I say. "I can tell you're worried."

Cole pulls his gaze away, meeting my questioning stare.

"No, it's fine," he replies. Though his eyes are on me, it seems as though his thoughts are elsewhere. His mouth parts as if he is about to ask me a question but then he shuts it again. He turns his head away. "She should be fine."

Cole asks me to repeat what I was going to say before, and we complete the rest of the clean-up without any further setbacks.

With only a few items left, I send Cole in the direction of the house with a box of spare bits and pieces, while I take the last few items to the barn.

"You wouldn't know where to put these, so it's better if I go," I tell him, to which he responds with a nod.

It has been a while since I've helped my grandparents with the farm-work. They have hired staff who mainly run the place under their supervision, so there isn't much for me to do, but I like being able to help out the moments I can. It keeps my mind busy, so I have less time to think about other complicated thoughts.