31 A Strawberry Weekend

A week has passed, and Ziggy was released in the hospital. Doctor Miles, who was his personal doctor, insisted on keeping him on Richmond Ranch so he will be well-taken care of.

The Montreal's who had also been investigating the suspicious incident consented. They knew that it would be better for Ziggy to have company rather than to stay alone in his apartment. They knew well how this son of them didn't like servants running in his little apartment and how he felt uncomfortable staying in their other properties in Hampshire.

"I can't wait to graduate in Rivendell, I'm tired of going to school" Ziggy complained one Saturday morning. He did not attend the classes the previous weekdays due to his hospitalization. Now, his homework has piled up. He studied the list on his desk and chewed his lower lip.

The three best friends were in Xhemin's ranch laboratory doing school homeworks.

"It's our last year in Rivendell, so we should enjoy every moment" Xhem murmured distantly without turning her head, her eyes were on her Macbook.

"No more school and no college for the three of us after this" Huzey added as he took a sip of his scalding tea. He was at one corner, reading a book.

"The three of us decided not to. Anyways, Rivendell's diploma is equivalent to a college diploma" Ziggy continued to chatter. He was in no mood to start his paperwork.

"We can make better things if we are not constrained in school," Huzey said firmly. Eyes still on his book but was following his friends' conversation.

"True but Ziggy needs the approval of the Medicine Board so he can have a license" Xhemin reminded the two. Although Rivendell graduates were considered college graduates, they needed some special licenses to be able to practice other professions, especially those that were in the medical field. Ziggy was aiming to become a doctor like Doctor Miles and so he needed those licenses.

Xhemin on the other hand knew how ecstatic her two best friends were about the idea of being free from school. She was however doubting the idea the last few weeks that her strawberries had not grown. She felt that she was not capable enough to stop going to school. She needed to learn more perhaps. More of things about Botany or anything of that sort.

"That's going to be a long process. I still need to complete my training with your grandad. If I'm good enough then that's the time I'll ask the country's medicine board to allow me to take the medicine exam" Ziggy said casually and shrugged.

"So Huzey, are you sure you want to start your project before graduation?" Xhemin turned to Huzey when she was reminded about his plans of submerging his recent life-size sculpture collections under the sea of Hampshire. He meant it to become an underwater museum and at the same time a fish sanctuary.

"You have already started yours, so I better start mine"

"But mine is a complete failure. Maybe the professors are right,  my self-project is a little too ambitious"

"Too ambitious or not. You were still able to grow healthy vines. That's already an accomplishment, " He pointed out.

"But a vine without fruit is not useful at all," She replied with dismay. Until now she couldn't figure out what's wrong with her plants.

"How are you planning to make the fish sanctuary? I mean it's impossible to scuba dive and build a life size sculpture underwater" Ziggy asked in curiosity as he turned to look at Huzey.

"My plan is for my collection to be lowered by crane into the shallow waters of the loch," Huzey explained.

"Incredible" Ziggy mumbled, bemused. "I really did think you are going to make the sculpture underwater"

"It's not possible to sculpt under water. I have to make it in a dry area then I'm going to push it over under the sea"

"And it's going to be a home of reefs and fishes" Xhemin was far more astonished by the idea. She always adored how Huzey made his arts functional and beneficial to the environment.

"That would be my first project after Rivendell apart from the local art schools I'm planning to put up" He added.

Ziggy, who had been looking at the piled up papers in front of him cupped his head, making it look like he had a headache. Truth was he doesn't know how to start his tasks. He was far too lazy today to start the whole thing.

"Ziggy does your head still hurts?" Xhemin asked when she noticed his actions. Due to Ziggy's recent accident, she had been so attentive to his gestures these days.

"No, I'm fine"

"Ziggy…." Huzey also drew a gaze to Ziggy and  called for his attention," I don't think what happened to you is an accident"

"I know" Ziggy agreed evenly. Knowing that the topic was a bit off for Xhemin, he added immediately "I also realized I have pissed off too many people lately"

"Could it be the Lagdameo's?" Xhemin asked hesitantly. For days they had avoided the topic of Ziggy's suspicious incident. Now she took all the courage to ask, but for some reason, her heart ached a bit.

"Whether they are responsible for it or not,  your beast has nothing to do with it" Huzey emphasized knowing how the topic made her feel.

"I know, but still-

"You don't hate people because of assumptions" Ziggy abruptly answered, cutting her off. Even though he didn't like the Lagdameo heir, he didn't want to make her best friend feel bad for the mess he created. "Also, nobody knew what happened yet"

The room sank in silence after that. Impliedly the three just decided not to pursue the current conversation for Xhemin's benefit. They  went on with their individual tasks pretending the conversation never happened.

A minute later, the laboratory's door opened with a loud bang revealing Ang, the Dugmoch's stable master. One look at him, one could tell he had run all his way to the lab.

"Little Miss! You need to come with me!" He called for her in an almost scream.

"Ang? What happened?" Xhemin, bothered by Ang's behavior, asked in an instant.

"Your plants! The strawberries! Fruits have sprouted!" Ang exclaimed as if he couldn't believe what he just said.

"Are you serious?"

"See for yourself," Ang replied instantly, knowing the news was somewhat unbelievable.

As soon as she heard Ang's reply, Xhemin hurriedly ran from her laboratory to the field where the strawberries were planted.

She went on one of the beds of berries and hurriedly checked one of the vines and her expectations did not fail her. The strawberry plant she had planted began forming flower buds within their crowns. Some of the vines also have sprouted fruits although none of them were ready for harvest yet.

Due to her frustration and Ziggy's hospitalization, she had not come to check on her plants for the last few weeks. From the looks of it, it seemed that the fruits had sprouted a week ago already.

"Goodness gracious!" She murmured as she continued to move forward, relentlessly, ever bent, following the end of the strawberries bed. Her hands checked the vines one by one. Even if she had seen the whole thing in her eyes, she still couldn't believe it. "Ang! I've successfully made it! I have successfully grown strawberries!"

"Congratulations Little Miss!" Ang who was delighted about the little Miss' success was almost teary-eyed.

Xhem continued to roam around the field, suddenly her mood uplifted. She jumped and danced cheerfully in the middle of her strawberry plants.

"Strawberries! Strawberries!" She sang in high spirits innocently, not knowing what trouble her little experiment brought in.

Sooner, one could wish strawberries had not grown in Hampshire under the hands of the great doctor's secret heir.