Blueberry Season (July) Part 6

 They finally reached the small stone bridge, and Lisa felt herself suddenly choke up, remembering her talk with Stephen here. She had been frightened and unfair and had hurt Fabian. It was inexcusable. Steve had been wrong about one thing, though. Getting Steve's, God's and Fabian's forgiveness had been relatively easy compared to the chore of getting her own.

 "Hey!" Fabian stopped and gently lifted her chin. "What's wrong?"

 "I am so sorry," she said, swallowing and trying to hold back the tears. A few escaped.

 "What brought that on?" He pulled her into his arms and held her. "I think we both established that we're both sorry. We're both new at this and we're going to make mistakes."

 She looked up at him.

 "What do you mean you're new at this?"

 "I've been trying to tell you all evening, Lisa, and I'm really messing it up. I love you. You are the first woman who has ever heard me say that, because it's the first time I've felt it." He ran his fingers through her hair. "No obligation on your part -- I just want you to know it. I'm not going to love you more or less because you will or will not put out. I will love you just the same because you are Lisa." He saw her wince. "I not only love you, but I am in love with you. Okay?" She smiled.

 "Okay. I'm in love with you, too. Thank you for taking me back. I was afraid I had ruined everything."

 "Same here, so thank you." He kissed her, then held her for a long time. Then, still holding her close to him, he started them off walking again. They finally reached Lisa's grandmother's place. There was a very bright light over the garage. He walked her to the door of the pie kitchen.

 "Do you need anything?" she asked. "Eggs?"

 "I would love some eggs," he told her. "The last dozen you gave me were wonderful."

 "Using me for my chickens?" She raised an eyebrow, and the light was just bright enough that he could tell her eyes were sparkling with mischief. He pulled her into his arms again.

 "Your chickens, your blue eyes, your cute freckled nose, your sense of humor, the way you smell .... I could go on, but we'd be here all night and people would talk."

 "Or Grandma would get annoyed," she said, looking over at the main house.

 "Let's just say I love you and leave it at that." He kissed her gently. "Oh, and kissing you is like potato chips."

 "What?" Lisa burst out laughing.

 "Shh! Don't annoy your grandma." Now he looked over at the main house, then back to her. "Kissing you is like potato chips -- I can't stop at just one."

 "You are silly, Fabian. Let me go get your eggs." She pulled a set of keys from her pocket and went into the pie kitchen. She returned a few minutes later, laden with a bag and some small boxes.

 "What's all this?" he asked, smiling.

 "Your eggs, some lettuce, carrots and a cantaloupe." She handed him the shopping bag. "And here's something for your dinner tomorrow." She indicated the two small boxes. "One is a blueberry tart and the other is a chicken pie. I made some for the diner. They go fast, so I'm making sure you get one. And both look small, but you can still share. I don't know what you did with all those raspberry pies."

 "With all those what?" Fabian was confused and appalled.

 "Oh, not long after we broke up, someone went into my kitchen and took all of the pies I had baked for the diner plus a dozen eggs. That wasn't you? I thought it might be revenge or something."

 "Lisa, I would never do that. I love the eggs, and your pies are awesome, but I would not break the law to get either thing. And I don't know what I would do with more than one pie, either. What did you do when that happened? I know the diner depends on you."

 "I made more pies." Lisa shrugged. "I always have extra pie crust shells in case of an emergency. It's okay."

 "It is not okay. You made twice as many pies as you needed to. Did they pay you for the ingredients?"

 "Fabian, there is no such thing as "pie insurance". If I don't have pies, I can't sell them. So no, I did not get paid for replacing the original four pies. Really, it's okay."

 "No, it is not okay. I didn't steal them, Lisa, but I have a good idea who did. I am going to pay you for them."

 "Fabian, no. I wish I hadn't said anything."

 "But you did. How much did Anne and George give you for the original four pies?"

 "I only said something because I wanted you to know that it was okay if you did take them. I would have gladly given them to you."

 "But you didn't give them to me. Someone stole them. One of the people who works in my family's carnival. And they took eggs to make you think it was me."

 "Fabian, please. We just got back together. I don't want to fight about this."

 "Then don't. Tell me how much the diner paid for the original four pies, let me pay you, and that's the end of it. Believe me -- I will get the money from the person responsible. And if you don't tell me, I will ask Anne and George. And I will tell them you had pies stolen."

 Lisa started to laugh

 "You fight dirty, Fabian DiSanti. I feel ssooo sorry for your sisters! All right. They're not cheap, I'll warn you. And there were four of them."

 "I already told you I intend to be reimbursed for this." He pulled out his wallet. She quoted him a figure and he didn't even flinch; he just handed her the money.

 "I am so sorry," she said.

 "Stop that."

 "You can't be making that much this summer ...."

 "Lisa, stop it." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. "I have plenty of money, sweetheart. Stop worrying about it. Amazing how much you can save when you don't have to pay rent. And your parents are both college professors at the same college you attend so you get a break on tuition. And you win violin contests ...."

 "Okay, okay, I get the point, Mr. Moneybags." Lisa laughed.

 "A chicken pie?"

 "Chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes ...." She saw him look over his shoulder at the chicken coop and laughed again. "No one you know. I promise."