The Wild Card [Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands]

Chapter 14

Stepping outside, Colette stretched, taking care not to spill her cup of coffee. Even though the sun was just rising, it was already quite warm. There wasn't so much as a cloud in the sky, so she gulped her coffee and hurried to start watering her crops. She'd finally cleared enough of her fields to have room to plant some tomatoes, corn, and melons, and she had to water them early to give the water enough time to soak into the soil. Once it heated up, the water would evaporate too quickly.

After turning on her sprinklers and checking to be sure they were set properly, she hurried off to care for her cow and hen, turning them both out into the grassy pasture. Gannon was already at work on the stable, and he expected to finish that day—three days ahead of schedule. He'd been reluctant to allow her to assist him, but it appeared she'd been of some help, after all. And tomorrow, Vaughn should arrive with her new livestock.

Spotting her approaching, Gannon climbed down from the ladder where he was perched. "Mornin', lady. Just need ta finish a couple a' things more an' it'll be done."

"That's wonderful, Gannon. Thank you so much for all your hard work! What should I do today?"

"Wallll... I aim to finish puttin' in the 'lectric an' pipes today. Lights an' all that. The only thing left what needs doin' is the floors. Yer can paint the outside, though. Paint's by the door."

So she spent the day painting the exterior and trim of the stable in the same dark red and white as her livestock barn, stopping just long enough to grab a quick lunch at noon and again in the early evening to put her cow and hen away for the night. Gannon finished up midday, tested the lighting, fans, and plumbing, then departed. He warned her that she needed to stay off the cement for two days, to allow the sealer to cure completely. Once the floors were ready, she could lay down the stall mats and move Arthur in. She left the fans running all that day to help the sealer to dry more quickly, since she couldn't have the doors and windows open until the floors were usable.

She was a fast worker, thankfully, and by evening she'd dabbed the last touch of white on the trim. She stood back to admire her handiwork, then with a tired sigh, she packed up and went to take a shower.

The sun was already down by the time she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in one towel with another wound around her long hair. Too worn out to go anywhere, she changed into a pair of short pajamas and threw together a salad, then sat down to eat it while flipping through a magazine and listening to the news on the radio. To her dismay, she heard that a tropical depression was developing, and looked to be heading toward the islands. It was expected to hit within a week, and it was as yet uncertain if it would intensify to a tropical storm or possibly even a typhoon. With a groan, she carried her dishes out, washed up, and collapsed into bed.

The next morning, after finishing her chores, she checked on the stable floor. It wasn't quite dry, though, so she switched the fans on again and closed the doors. After cleaning up, she went on into town.

The cleanup from the earthquake had taken a few days, but now all the repairs had been finished and the mess cleared away. The geologists had taken another look at the island, but as it had risen several inches since their initial investigation, they advised against opening it to tourists yet.

She sought out Will, who was just emerging from the cabin of his yacht. "Good morning," she called from the dock, and he leaned over the railing to wave to her.

"Good morning yourself! How are you this fine day?"

"As well as can be expected," she replied as he stepped down the gangplank to join her. "Did you hear about the storm?"