This Lifetime. | Edward Heffron

III.

"Nana," Amelia exclaimed, bashfully, "Please tell me you went back." The older woman laughed, gently braiding her granddaughter's long brown hair.

"Amelia," she laughed, "What kind of woman would I be if I didn't return when a handsome young man asked me to visit again?" With a twinkle in her eye, her grandmother continued her story.

Eleanor felt silly. And that said a lot since she always kept everything in order. She now stood in front of her mirror, trying to flatten the curls on her head. They were especially unruly today, and such a horrible day to be unruly it was. The redheaded boy had asked her to return today with more eggs.

With her nicest dress on, Eleanor bounded down the stairs, stopping only to tell her mother she was headed out. "Where are you off to looking like that?" her mother asked, barely looking up. Her mother's eyebrows scrunched in focus as she fixed up a hole in her brother's pants.

"Eggs, mother. They asked me to bring more," Eleanor responded, and her mother grinned, nodding towards another basket of fresh eggs. With a hum, she sent her daughter on her way.

Eleanor walked the same path she did yesterday, except this time, she wore her church shoes. They didn't crunch on the gravel as her regular shoes did, so she tried her best to walk as slowly as possible as to not scruff them up. As she neared the house, she saw him.

He was standing where he was yesterday, tending to a garden. His red hair was all spikes on his head, making Eleanor smile to herself. Maybe today was a day for unruliness for both of them. He noticed her approaching and stood, dusting off his trousers. His eyes landing on the basket in her hands, the young man let out a snort.

"What are the eggs for, doll?" he asked, pointing at the basket with a spade.

"I thought you told me to come back tomorrow with more," she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion, "So I brought more. They're fresh."

For some reason, that made him laugh even more. Luckily, he fished out a couple of coins and got the eggs from her. Handing it to her, the redhead smiled. "Maybe you should bring more tomorrow," he joked, but it flew right past Eleanor's head. She took a mental note to remember to tell her mum they wanted more.

The young man gestured at her to stay put, tossed his spade on the ground, then headed inside with the eggs. "So," he began, rubbing his hands together, "I'm Babe. Since we're neighbors and all, we should probably get acquainted, right?"

"Of course," she nodded politely, playing with a loose thread on her dress. She wish she had something nicer if she knew he was going to speak to her. "I'm Eleanor, uh, Robinson."

Babe tipped an imaginary hat, "It's a pleasure to meet you Eleanor, uh, Robinson. You sell eggs to everyone in town?"

"No, but I think my mother wants me too," she frowned, "This is the first time I was actually excited to deliver eggs."

"Why?" Babe asked, his cheeks turning red, "Because I'm so charming?"

"Oh," Eleanor gasped, blushing as well, "No, its just you guys buy so many."

Babe frowned, but then shook his head and let out a laugh, "You're an odd one, Eggs. You mind if I call you that by the way?"

Any other person and Eleanor would say yes, she did in fact mind. But this was Babe, and for some reason, everything he said sounded like good intentions.

"I don't mind at all."