A Tale Of Two Halves

Chapter 5

I immediately feel a lightness in the kitchen. Usually, everyone was bustling about, rushing to get things ready for lunch or dinner. But today, as I enter the kitchen, everyone seems calm. Work is still being done, but people are chatting, leaning against counters, and even popping outside for breaks. Mama beams at me as she sees me.

"What's happened here Mama?" I ask, shocked at what I'm seeing.
"We're just ahead of time today sweetie," she says, although her face doesn't seem like she's been working that hard to prepare dinner up until this point.
"Come sit," she says, patting the same work surface that I had sat on yesterday when she'd sewn me up.
Hopping up onto the counter, I glance around the room. "What needs doing?" I say, although it's fairly obvious the answer is not a lot really. She hands me a bunch of napkins and asks me to fold them. My fingers get to work and I take my time making them into fancy swans - a secret skill of mine that I never got a chance to show off.

"So," Mama says, and I can feel that she has been waiting to ask me what was coming next. "Yesterday."
"Please don't lecture me Mama. I feel stupid enough about it as it is. I'll apologise to Jared."
"Sweetie I couldn't care less about that man," Mama laughs. "I want to talk about the young man who was in here yesterday. Harry was his name?"
"Hardin, Mama," I reply, although the smile on her face tells me she already knew that.
"Handsome young thing isn't he," she says, and I can feel my face blushing. "We're lucky he was around yesterday."
"I know," I say, and then something crosses my mind that I hadn't considered yesterday.
"Who came to get you from the garden yesterday?" I ask, although I somehow know what she's going to say.
"Your handsome Harry did," she says, smiling again.
"Hardin," I correct again. So I was right.
"Of course," she laughs. "I was collecting some carrots when this sweating bundle of a man sped right into the pepper patch. I was just about to give him what for when I heard him shouting your name. Poor boy seemed so panicked he was barely speaking sense. He managed to tell me that you were hurt and you were in the kitchen. Obviously that was all I needed to hear and I came straight here. The whole time back he was constantly asking if I'd be able to help you, if there was anyone else he could get who could help too. He was really concerned, Tessa."
I breathe in and take in her words. He seemed really concerned about me. Surely only because it was kind of his fault I hit my head. But that doesn't stop my stomach doing it's stupid little flips that seem to accompany anything to do with Hardin.
"He stayed the entire time Tess. He just paced back and forwards. At one point you stirred and he literally pushed past Jeremy to be by your side. How do you know this kid?" she asks with genuine interest in her eyes.

I spend the next few minutes recounting the events of the previous few days to Mama. With her elbows on the counter next to me, she leans on her hands and listens intently. When I finish, she just smiles.
"What?" I ask.
"Did that bump on the head make you dense, Tessa? The boy clearly likes you."
I scoff. "You're kidding right? He's a Rich, Mama. I've never heard anything so ridiculous."
"He might be a Rich sweetie, but he's not like any Rich I've ever seen. I think things are different where he comes from."
"What do you mean by that?" I ask. I had considered before that things might be different in other zones, but had never really allowed myself to give too much thought to it. What was the point? I'd never get to experience anything other than the life I have right now.

Before Mama can reply, one of the other Poors working in the kitchen shouts that it's time to serve. I grab my napkin swans and head to the dining room. As I am placing them about the tables, the room starts to fill with Richs, who grab plates of food and take seats around the room. I busy myself by serving as many Richs as possible in an attempt to avoid Jared, but I don't see him for the entirety of dinner service. Hardin is also absent, and it crosses my mind that they could be together. Maybe they've been called into the Leader's office to discuss yesterday's events? Maybe they've both been transferred to another zone as a result? My heart leaps at the thought of Jared leaving but then sinks at the thought of Hardin being gone.

Keeping busy means that the dinner service goes by fairly quickly, and I see the setting sun through the windows as I start to wipe the tables and put my now undone swans in the bin. I see one swan that is still standing, and head over in its direction. "Come on, little guy," I say to him, patting his little paper head and picking him up. I sigh, and head towards the kitchen to help with the washing up.

I push through to the kitchen, expecting to see the small team of Poors scheduled to clean dishes and tidy the kitchen alongside me tonight, but instead, I find Hardin. He is leaning against the metal counter I had sat on earlier, smiling at me.
"So, how about that walk home tonight?" he says.
Forget cartwheels. My heart is bloody flying.
"I..erm..the dishes," I stutter stupidly.
He laughs. "Do you see any dishes?" He holds his hands up in mock confusion.
I look around and take in the kitchen for the first time. It is spotless. Like cleaner than clean. No dishes. No mess. Suddenly, I understand why Hardin wasn't at dinner. He'd been waiting, in here, ready for the first dishes to arrive. Was this why he wasn't in class earlier? Why we were so ahead during the dinner prep? Surely not?

Sensing my shock, he fills the silence for me.
"It's my way of saying sorry. For hurting you yesterday," he says, looking down at the floor.
I shake my head. Sorry? He's saying sorry? Even though I'd practised the thank you speech I had planned in my head hundreds of times today, the words won't come to the front of my mind.
"Plus, I couldn't risk you having a reason to turn me down. Not after you so cruelly left me for your friend yesterday," he says, a cheeky grin back on his face.
I find my voice. "Oh god, I'm so sorry about that. Elsie, she can be a bit-"
"I'm kidding," he laughs. "But you could ease my pain," he holds his heart in mock pain, "by letting me walk you home tonight. I take it you've nothing else that needs doing here?" He smiles again.
He's got me there. There really is nothing that needs doing. Just another thing I now owe him for. Suddenly my thank you speech seems very silly and insignificant.
"Honestly Hardin, this is too much. You saved me yesterday. I don't know how I can even begin to thank you for that. And now this," I say, gesturing around the room. I feel my eyes begin to sting with tears. No one has ever done anything even remotely close to this for me before.
"Your swan", he says and I realise I am still holding the little paper bird.
"Sorry?" I reply, confusion etched on my face.
"I'd like it. Consider it payment. A token of appreciation if you will," he smiles, holding out his hand.
I laugh. "Okay. But I hope you understand how valuable these things are." I hold the swan out to him.
He bows grandly and takes the swan from my fingers. "I will treasure it forever my lady. You ready?"
I nod, flick off the lights to the kitchen and allow him to lead me out of the room, trying to contain the huge smile that kept threatening to fill my face.