Strawberry Farm

The second daughter of the Lawrence family looked so cheerful this morning. After having breakfast with her family, she decided to go for a take a walk to a strawberry farm on the outskirts of the city. Wearing a simple and pretty gray dress, Martha styled her hair in half-parted pigtails.

She went with her friend Gabriela, the daughter of a landowning marquess in the border region. And after traveling a long distance, Martha and Gabriela, who were riding in a horse-drawn carriage owned by the Lawrence family, finally arrived at the strawberry farm.

"We came at the right time, Martha."

"That's right Gabriela! I hope everyone can feel how sunny and cool it is today."

"Look Martha! The strawberries here are so fresh. We'll have no trouble pick them."

There was a middle-aged man dressed as a plantation worker, approached the two of them to welcome them to the farm that he managed.

The man, wearing a cowboy hat and plaid shirt, brought them two rattan baskets.

After a brief conversation, the man invited the two girls to begin their work, girls to start their activities. Martha and Gabriela began to pick, and picking each of the selected strawberries. Then they put them into the rattan baskets, which had handles tucked into their arms.

"There's still plenty of fresh-looking fruit, Martha. But I think this is enough." she showed Martha the contents of her basket.

"You picked them very fast Gabriela. I don't have as many strawberries as yours."

"Well, am I not wrong? See who's there?" the man in the white shirt who had stepped closer had interrupted the conversation of the two girls there. Making both of them turn their heads in the direction from which the voice came.

"Ah, you're Daniel!" said Gabriela. And Martha just smiled slightly at Daniel."

"Did you guys just finish picking?" his eyes seemed to glance at the baskets in their hands.

"Of course! Did you come to pick strawberries?"

"Ah, no Gabriela. I came to work here part-time."

"Ah, I see."

"Are you unwell, Martha? Why are you doing nothing?" Daniel asked pointing to Martha.

Martha, who had been smiling occasionally while listening to her two friends talking, finally spoke up too.

"Me? Of course I'm very healthy Daniel. Hahaha."

"You don't like seeing me here?"

"It's not that Daniel. I just didn't expect to see you today."

"Hmm. Well, sometimes the world just seems so small, doesn't it?"

"Ah yes Daniel, if we may know... What are you doing in this strawberry farm?" Martha asked conversationally.

"I help my uncle pick and sort the strawberries that will be sold to the kiosks at the market."

"Are you kidding me Daniel? How could you do all that while wearing white?"

Daniel swallowed, his eyes widening at Martha's words.

"Martha! You're very concerned about that. Or, are you just concerned about Daniel?" Gabriela spoke in a teasing tone to her friend beside her.

Of course, her question made Martha and Daniel become a little wrong behavior. Until the time Martha realized from all those seconds of silence.

"Ah. Hahaha. Of course I pay attention to many things, Gabriela! You don't say things like that. Isn't that right, Daniel?"

"Yes! Of course Martha is. What Martha said is true, Gabriela. I was close friends with Matias. And Matias once told me that his sister was very attentive to the plants around their house."

"Ah, I see!" said Gabriela.

"Well, it's time for me to get to work. If you'll excuse me." he bowing slightly to the two girls. "And you Martha, you don't have to worry because I'll be working in my gardener's apron." he added before turning to leave Martha and Gabriela.

***

If it's a sunny day for Martha, it's a different story for Nivea. The day that she has to go through is the same color as the dress Martha is wearing in the distance. Nivea's day was gray. Ever since she arrived at the bakery, Nivea felt like throwing a temper tantrum for no apparent reason.

"Clara, I've told you so many times. Don't put your a bottle opener anywhere! Why did you put it here? You must always put it back where it belongs. Hurry up and return it to the lemonade cabinet!"

"I'm sorry, Miss." she said weakly as she approached his lady to take the corkscrew from Nivea's hand.

"Miss, didn't you bring the tool to the kitchen table yourself? You came back inside after opening the lemonade in front of the lady in the blue dress earlier." said Seri.

"Really? How could I have forgotten that? And you Seri, why are have you been arguing with me so much lately?"

"I'm sorry miss."

Everyone fell silent. Nivea sighed and walked away with her hands around her waist. Up ahead, behind the booking desk she had to work hard against her emotions, which seemed unstable. Nivea must still appear welcoming and serving every customer who came there.

"Seri, what's wrong with our lady?" David asked in a whisper.

"Hmm. I don't know, I think there's something wrong with her."

"Before, Miss Nivea never got angry for the little mistakes we did. Had she been in a normal state, she would have... she would have put the tool back in the cupboard herself. Without having to yell at me first."

"Yes! That's right, Seri." said David who was crushing a bunch of grapes on his table.

Seri sighed, "I hope you can forgive her, Clara."

"There is no problem with Seri. Maybe she is not in a good mood. I can understand." she smiled at the end of her sentence.

On the other hand, Nivea herself did not know why her heart felt very uncomfortable. I don't know what kind of things were raging inside her chest. She herself could not express her feelings with a series of words.

What was clear was that Nivea still wished she could meet her grandfather again in her sleep. She wanted him to explain the meaning of the story he told her in her dream last time. And whether reincarnation is true? Or is it all just fiction and even a joke that doesn't make any nonsense?

Nivea desperately wanted to know the answer. Now she stepped over to where her lemonade cabinet was. She reached for one of the bottles from there. And without realizing it, she unscrewed the lid with her bare hands, just as David was delivering the bread that had been just finished being spread with jam.

David gaped in astonishment. "Huh? How could you do that, miss?"

Nivea was surprised and turned around, "What? Ah... Hahaha. You're right David! This bottle must be opened using a tool. But when I'm in a bad mood, I seem to have superpowers."

"You're joking lady."

"Yes! Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Give me the bread!" Nivea's two hands grabbed a wooden tray that David was carrying. She tried to the topic and began to busy herself with arranging the warm breads in the display case.