Chapter 83

Henry took a deep breath, looked away from Summer and Logan, and spoke up, "What's done is done. No one wanted this to happen. It's our first time farming, and mistakes are normal. We'll all chip in again, and on Sunday, we'll buy new seedlings and plant them."

Gabe and Charlie were always Henry's staunch supporters. Gabe added, "Exactly. It's no use crying over spilled milk. What's done is done. We need to move on."

Though the others weren't as optimistic, they knew there was no other choice. Everyone had been there when they watered the plants at noon, so there was no one person to blame.

No one said another word. Henry finally broke the silence, "Alright, let's drop it and get cooking."

When Lily and the others came to the kitchen to cook, Summer and Logan had already finished making their meal. They sat down to eat, seemingly indifferent to the earlier events. Summer had made a simple dish of smashed cucumbers, which was refreshingly crisp. Each bite they took seemed to echo loudly, reminding the others of their own failure.

Summer and Logan didn't mean to rub it in. They ate quietly, just as they had cooked, not saying a word. After finishing their meal, Summer heard someone call her from outside, "Ms. Summer."

Curious, she went out and saw Amy standing there with a basket. Summer smiled and asked, "What brings you here, Amy?"

Amy, holding the basket, said, "Ms. Summer, I gathered some extra wild greens while foraging for pig feed. Chickens love these, so I brought some for you and Mr. Logan."

Understanding that Amy was expressing her gratitude, Summer replied, "Thank you, but Logan and I can forage for wild greens ourselves."

Amy walked to the chicken coop and emptied the basket, still looking shy but determined. "Ms. Summer, it doesn't take me long. It's no trouble."

Not wanting to linger, Amy quickly said, "I should go now," and ran off before Summer could respond.

Watching Amy leave, Summer sighed and returned to the kitchen, finding Logan already cleaning up. She joined him at the sink to wash the dishes.

Logan didn't seem particularly interested in why Amy had come. Summer, rinsing the dishes, said, "She brought us some wild greens for the chickens."

Logan's tone was neutral, "Us?"

"Yes, she mentioned you specifically," Summer explained.

Logan replied, "I've never helped her."

Summer thought for a moment, "Maybe she's grateful that you didn't chase her away when she used to sneak into the school to listen to lessons."

Logan looked at Summer, "Well, in that case, I won't refuse her kindness."

After washing the dishes, Summer and Logan went to sort the wild greens. They chopped them finely and mixed them with cornmeal in an old enamel basin with a few small holes in the bottom. To ensure the chickens grew well and laid eggs, they couldn't rely on wild greens alone.

With the greens and cornmeal mixed, they didn't immediately feed the chickens in the coop. While it was still light, they let the chickens out to feed and stretch their legs. To distinguish her chickens from Logan's, Summer had tied twine around their legs, making it easy to separate them later.

As Summer and Logan tended to the chickens, Henry's group finished cooking and sat down to eat. Except for Gabe, who tried to lighten the mood, the others were still visibly upset.

Henry didn't like seeing them so down. Life had its ups and downs, and one needed to learn to not dwell on setbacks. After dinner, he, Charlie, and Gabe went out to find a place to relax, chat, and smoke.

Before long, Sophia joined them. While Charlie and Gabe recounted their city exploits to impress her, Sophia was more interested in Henry's past, especially his relationship with Rachel.

Henry took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling upwards as he listened to Charlie and Gabe's animated stories. Sophia sat close by, her eyes occasionally drifting to Henry, searching for any hint of his thoughts.

Charlie was in the middle of a story, "…and then, just as the cop turned the corner, Henry pulled us into this alleyway, and we were safe. Man, those were the days."

Sophia leaned in, "You must have some incredible stories, Henry. What was it like?"

Henry shrugged, his gaze distant, "Those days were different. We were young and reckless."

Sophia smiled, "Tell me more about Rachel. You two seemed close."

Henry's expression tightened slightly. "Rachel was… special. We had a connection, but it's complicated."

Gabe, sensing the tension, quickly changed the subject, "Hey, remember that time at the river? That was a close call!"

The group laughed, but Sophia's mind was still on Rachel. She knew there was more to the story, but tonight wasn't the night to press further. As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, she made a mental note to find out more about Rachel and her past with Henry.

Back in the garden, Summer and Logan finished feeding the chickens and returned to the community center. The night was settling in, and the air was cool. They sat on the porch, enjoying the quiet.

Logan broke the silence, "You think they'll figure it out?"

Summer nodded, "They have to. It's a learning process. We all make mistakes."

Logan smiled, "True. We just have to keep moving forward."

The stars began to twinkle overhead, a reminder of the vast world beyond their small community. Despite the challenges and setbacks, there was always a new day to start fresh.