Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 150878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 754(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 150878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 754(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
I thought about that. I didn’t disagree with her. Even if that particular existence, for the time being, wasn’t likely being lived by anyone. Now the Midwest was in survival mode. But I got her point because I hadn’t wanted that life either. I never had. I had wanted more than that. I wanted to be rich and famous and adored by millions. I wanted to eat organic produce and grass-fed animals. Who didn’t, if they had the choice? Who wanted to worry about bills or money or losing their property the way my parents were?
And I could see wanting to be surrounded by the great outdoors. I liked nature. I’d grown up in one of the most beautiful places in the country, natural beauty all around.
“What did you do before this?” I asked. We were skating around the fact that the world was changing drastically, but honestly, I needed a few moments—at least that—to pretend that life was somewhat normal. We’d been stranded. We were on a road trip and depending on the kindness of strangers tonight for a meal and a roof over our heads.
“I was a corporate executive, and Tom worked in finance.”
“Wow. You really did live the rat race.”
“Oh, we were deeply entrenched in the rat race. We were rich by most standards. Young and fashionable. We were invited to all the right parties. We wore all the best brands. And we were miserable, numbed out on pills, and on the verge of divorce.”
“So, you decided to give it all up and move out here in the hopes of saving your marriage?”
“In a nutshell. It wasn’t just our marriage that needed saving though. It was we as individuals. We had everything society had told us would make us happy, and yet we were miserable. Why? What were we missing? We needed to figure it out. And then I listened to this radio show about a couple who moved to Maine and bought a blueberry farm, and they seemed so happy. At peace in a way I’d never known anyone to be. The next day, I looked up farms for sale and this one was listed by an older couple with no children who had decided to retire and downsize. Pumpkins, I thought. Pumpkins it is.”
“Just like that?”
She smiled. “If you understood the depth of my misery, you would understand the lack of fear. The decision was made in desperation, but it’s been the best thing we ever did.”
I took that in, not as surprised as I might have been had I heard the same story a few weeks ago, especially in light of what I’d been thinking about regarding happiness and gratitude and taking simple pleasures for granted.
Jane and I were both quiet for a few minutes as we sipped our wine. I stared at Tuck, deep in conversation with Tom as they now stood nearby, Tom pointing into the distance. Tuck wavered through the flames, his shifting form somehow making him all the more beautiful.
“He’s very handsome,” Jane said. I glanced at her to see her eyes on Tuck right before she gave me a smile.
“We grew up together,” I said, turning my gaze back to him. Funny how his form was still familiar to me even though he’d grown from a teen to a man in the time we’d been apart. He still had that particular stance though, and he still cocked his head just so when he was focusing on something. Or someone. “I used to watch him through windows like this when I was a little girl.” I’d had such a deep crush on him.
“You’re a beautiful couple.”
“Oh. No. No. We’re just…friends,” I settled on. Was that the right description of our relationship? Yes, yes, I thought so. We’d grown closer in the past few days, an understanding developing between us, forgiveness being sought by both.
“Oh. Really?” She frowned. “I didn’t get that impression. You seem…close. He watches you constantly.” As if he knew we were talking about him, or to prove Jane right, Tuck glanced over, his eyes finding mine.
“Tuck and I are complicated.”
She took a drink of wine. “Situations like the one we’re in tend to clarify things rather quickly.”
I let out a breathy laugh. “Maybe. Or maybe things just get more muddled.” I took a sip of wine as well and looked back over at Tuck, the fire crackling between us making him seem like nothing more than a memory. “You know how you think that if your childhood crush showed up, you’d realize he was just that and nothing more?” I murmured. “And you even think that maybe you had really bad taste back then that has nothing to do with the woman you became?”
Jane smiled. “Yeah. Sure, honey. It’s usually true. I used to have a thing for the Karate Kid. He was it. He was the goal.”