Roses and Sonatas [Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns]

Chapter 24

I stopped by Cam's stall after my talk with Laney, feeling self-conscious after my outburst. He was busy with a customer, so I just idly looked over his displays of flowers as I waited. I decided on a whim to buy some for Kana and Mikhail. After a moment, I made up my mind to get some for Cam, too, just because he was so kind and patient and because he often mentioned how much he loved to receive flowers.

After his customer bustled off, her arms filled with flowers, he turned to me with a smile, saying, "May I help you, miss?"

I grinned and replied, "Yes, sir, I'd like three rose bouquets, please, and some pink rose and carnations seeds, too."

"Three?" Cam asked, dropping his play-acting in surprise.

"Yes, please, Cam. And... I'd like to apologize for earlier. Some of your comments reminded me so much of... of Ruby, and it all came flooding back. That's why I was kind of hard on you. Not because I think you're a reckless idiot or anything, but because I've already lost one friend that way. I... I couldn't stand it if something like that happened to you," I said, looking down at the ground.

Cam came around from behind his counter and lifted my chin up. He looked into my eyes, saying slowly, "I promise I won't do anything reckless. And I won't go riding alone on the mountain until you or Georgia give me clearance. Okay?" I nodded, feeling relieved. He kissed my forehead and returned to his counter, then deftly made up three beautiful bunches of early spring roses. I paid him, and he handed them and the seeds to me.

I admired the sweetly-scented bouquets, then picked out one and handed it back. He took it, looking puzzled, and asked, "Is there something wrong with this one?"

I smiled at him and said, "No, it's perfect. That's why I'm giving it to you." His face flushed with pleasure as he accepted the gift, and I blew a kiss to him as I ran off to quickly make finish my errands before hurrying home to do my chores.

After I finished tending to my farm, I put the remaining bouquets into vases and filled them partway with water, then placed those into a small box to make it easier to carry them. Hurrying into town, I first stopped at Gombe's seed shop to buy seeds for my delayed spring planting.

Next I hurried over to the clinic. I stopped in to say hi to Kana, but finding Georgia sitting there reading to him as he dozed, I just cautiously set the flowers on the table by his bed and waved, not wanting to interrupt her reading or his nap. Afterwards, I found Dr. Ayame and asked about Kana's progress, which she reported as very favorable. "That man heals amazingly fast. I think he'll be able to go home in a day or two, though he'll still need plenty of help. Hiro will go over once a day to help him with personal care—bathing and so on—but I'm hoping Georgia's father can spare her for a while to help with the horses and critters there. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if he was fully mended in a month, two at the most." I gasped at how soon she suggested he could be recovered—he must have some amazing healing powers indeed, if he'd be healed from such a severe break by then.

Then I asked about Mikhail, and Dr. Ayame scowled. "I don't know what to say about that one. He seems to have lost all interest in anything. You'll probably find him in bed, where I left him—I doubt he's even changed out of his clothes. He doesn't answer when I talk to him. He doesn't do anything. If he doesn't come around soon, he's going to just waste away." I blanched, shocked by her prognosis.

She gave me a hard look and said, "Tell me again exactly what happened yesterday." I went over the events again, then at her request, I gave her the full story of my history with Mikhail, including the various rivalries going on in the two towns. She nodded when I finished, looking thoughtfully at me. "Yes, I see. Now it all makes more sense. For the record, I believe you can add Dirk to your list of admirers. He talks about you almost nonstop lately when he delivers the mail. Maybe even Hiro, although I think it's more just a bit of a crush in his case—I think deep down he's really in love with Nori. And Kana appears to be warming to Georgia. So that leaves... ?"