Flowering Passion

Tidal Waves

   Jill Bluebell was unsure of what to write in this letter asking about the status of her now deceased father's farm. It was unexpected. He always dreamed of a small town life filled with farming and his many paintings.

He made his dream come true one day years after another family tragedy years before that point. Jill had heard about how happy he was to make a deal with a farmer there to make his dream come true. Even dabbled in logo design to create the art on the milk bottles and egg cartons. He passed without warning in his sleep one day soon after settling in. He had died younger than most with a smile on his face.

Overwhelmed with emotions, Jill reminds herself she chose to remember who he was as a person a while ago, rather than constantly replay the credits. But she still hated the timing of it all. Never got to visit him there it happened so fast.

Jill is still nervous about her handwriting, her possibly stupid questions, if she can even do this, and other fears. With a deep breath, trying to put her fears aside she writes her name below the sentence

I want to try working on the farm.

After a period of letters and phone calls between and her father's old farming partner Takakura, Jill found herself on that same farm. It was in a small and humble place known as Forget-Me-Not Valley.

The spring breeze didn't do nearly enough to cool her off as Takakura showed her the ropes of her new job. It felt surreal. When he finished, he questioned yet again if she was sure, and also reassured her that she wouldn't be alone in this, that he would also be doing his share of work around the farm in addition to helping her out. She promised "Takakura, my father supported my dreams, I want to support his, even like this,"

" ... I hope you find what are looking for here," Before Takakura made his way to his cabin to freshen up, he turned around "You are a lot like him, he would definitely be proud,"

Jill smiles. She walked to her cabin to do the same as well. Her was mind bustling with thoughts and questions about her new surroundings. What was that other farm by the river she saw earlier? Were they friendly there? Was the beach she saw earlier a good fishing spot? What was that building she saw by the farm entrance earlier? Were they welcoming to new neighbors?

After she walked out her front door feeling much cleaner, Takakura was waiting for her. He was going to introduce Jill to everyone in town he could. Some questions passed, and Takakura decides to introduce her to the family that runs the Inner Inn by the farm first.

So many people and new names. Some introductions blurred together in her head. Jill felt bad since they were nice, but socializing like this can be draining at times. She probably wouldn't be spending much time at the local bar herself.

She found out while they were getting to know each other, that her name was Vesta and that she owned the farm with her brother Marlin. He seemed to be the loner type like Takakura, but more aloof. The two men seemed to get along though. Jill was talking to Vesta, and a girl around her age named Celia Clover. She worked there too. She seemed shy at first, but when Jill asked her about farming and her job, she seemed to open up instantly.

"I'll go make us all some more lemonade," Vesta announces as she goes inside their house. "Celia, do you enjoy working on a farm like this?" Jill asked after drinking the last of her drink. Surprised, she answered, "Of course! My job is bringing a rainbow of life to people's tummies from nothing but a seed and love," Jill was taken aback at such an optimistic view on farming. The passion alone she has for something as mundane as growing crops could be enough warmth for them to grow.

The sun sets and as the two head back to their own farm, Jill starts to think about her own path in life. If someone can consider herself so lucky and happy to farm, maybe she can find the happiness she has been looking for too?