c h a n t e l

Chantel nodded, eyes shifting from the animals to her husband. She had to admit, even though she'd been in town for the last four years, she'd yet to see anything like this. They were a rescue farm, and a lot of their animals they had were brought to them for the same purpose she assumed these were, but with those they'd had warning. Waking up to these animals on the front porch hadn't exactly been something she'd expected. As they got the animals situated in the barn and Chantel was able to look over them a little more closely, she exhaled, eyes only landing on Charlie once she'd cleared the first one for any signs of injuries. "This one's good to go, it seems." she paused. "How's the goat? You know they are the most resilient in most cases so he's the one I'm most worried for." @charliesxdavis

Chantel laughed, shaking her head. "I know. I have to make some dishes with cilantro on the side because a lot of the staff at my farm hate it." she admitted. "It's one of those things that I've grown to love, and even though I can't live without it sometimes I never expect other people to eat it just because I want to." she shrugged. "I'm sorry that it's not one you love." she admitted, though she was sure he'd gotten adjusted to making adjustments on meals with it more than not. When he agreed to getting her a water, Chantel nodded her thanks, taking another bite of her food, waiting for the other's return. "Thank you." she smiled only once he was back. "Did you change your mind once you got up there or did you stick with your gut?" @milesxvaughn

"Oh that makes me feel better." Chantel exhaled, eyes averting to the crack again and then taking her spot back on the knee pad she'd been kneeling on, continuing to pull weeds from the yard she was working so diligently on. "I haven't done anything that would make me think I had done this, but I did mow the grass early this morning and was scared maybe a rock did it. At least now I know it wasn't from me." she stated, eyes focusing on the other a moment later. Her smile widened when she saw the other's son. "Oh my gosh he's so big!" she beamed. "Look at you handsome!" @benjaminxjackson

Once the sitter had arrived and Houston was settled, Chantel knew she was able to fully focus on helping Charlie with the animals outside. She watched as he got them all situated with their leads, only taking the one for the goat once they were ready to go. "I didn't see any sort of injury either." she admitted. "Just thought it was weird they were just tied up out here. Makes you wonder what their story is. Are they nice? Or just animals that whoever used to own them couldn't care for anymore." Those kind of stories always broke her heart the most; so much trust came into raising and caring for farm animals, and there was always a bond there that both animals and people had for each other. So much so she couldn't imagine how these animals were feeling being in a new place. She hoped they weren't scared. It was only once they were in the barn in a place they were secure she let herself look over them. "I will say I'm shocked how well trained they are already." she stated. "Another reason why I think they may have belonged to someone hat actually wanted them." @charliesxdavis

"I am thankful that I didn't have that gene." Chantel laughed, knowing that a lot of people had that gene, the one that made cilantro taste like soap. "I personally love it." she smiled. "The more cilantro the better in my opinion." Though she respected the other didn't want or enjoy it. "You won't be disappointed, let me just say." she smiled. "But no, I'm okay -" she paused. "Actually if you could grab me a bottle of water, I'll pay you back!" @milesxvaughn

At the other's question, Chantel paused. She hadn't exactly though about which way she was going to prepare the shrimp; her plan was to use it in a shrimp scampi dish but now that he'd asked she was beginning to think she was less prepared than she'd thought. "Uh." she paused. "Well, I guess I could do some breaded and some just fried." she stated. "I'm making shrimp scampi, and I try to make enough for lunch that the entire farm staff can enjoy some too." she started. "I hadn't really considered doing a breaded shrimp but just frying it up with the pasta, but now I'm thinking breaded would make sense too." she exhaled. "So maybe I should get more than one kind?" @olliehoffmann

"Everyone's always a little happier when there's food involved." Chantel stated, eyes focusing on her husband and then back at Houston, who had made his way to the living room. Eating in the recliner had become Houston's favorite way to enjoy snacks recently, and even though Chantel didn't necessarily love it, she'd learned to pick her battles. It was only once the sitter showed up and Houston's eyes lit up that she let herself join Charlie outside. Eyes landing on the llama, then shifting to the goat and the emu. "I have been wanting some new llamas around here." she stated, watching them. "They seem calmer than expected; scared but - "she paused. "I don't see any sign of stress which just makes me wonder why they are here." Davis' Farms was a rescue farm, and most of the time they were given animals that needed to be given a second chance. She was happy to see from the looks of things they were in decent shape. @charliesxdavis

Darius was sitting at a table, phone in hand when he heard a tiny voice sound in his ears. He looked up, his expression shifting subtly as he spotted the young boy. "Hey," he greeted back, lifting his free hand into a wave toward the toddler. There was a faint smile touching his lips. "You're not bothering me at all." He offered the assurance with a slight nod of his head. "Nothing wrong with being social," he gestured to the seat. "You're welcome to take a seat if you want, I'm not using the space." Frankly, Darius had been working through emails on his phone and could use the distraction. @chanteledavis

Chantel smiled own at Houston and then back at Darius as he greeted the toddler. "Thank you for speaking to him." she laughed. "I'm encouraging him not to interrupt people randomly but the amount of people that just don't even acknowledge him makes us both really sad sometimes." she added, pausing as she looked down at Houston or was watching the other with just as bright of a smile on his face. "Oh, are you sure?" she smiled, looking at Houston. "We'd love to join you, go on bud." she nodded, encouraging Houston to take a seat first. "Chantel, by the way." she smiled. At this point she was sure that she'd met everyone in Kismet Harbor, but, there was always room for more. "And this little blonde cutie is Houston." @dariusxnasser

"Uh-" Chantel paused, taking a look at the truck to hopefully remember the menu. "I think it's pretty much just chicken, beef or fish depending on when in the day you make it here." she smiled. "I got beef, the soft corn shells and they're amazing." she paused, taking a moment to sip her water that was in front of her. "I will say that I didn't get any modifications, whatever it came with is what I got on it, so I'd be mindful of that if you have any sort of allergies." a pause, looking down at her plate. "Looks like a corn salsa, heavy on the cilantro. In case you need to be mindful of that too." @milesxvaughn

Michael's smile was softened with Chantel's words. He hadn't felt like he had met too many people that dreamed of having a life like the one she had, but then again he didn't think people willingly shared their dreams. If they did, it left more of a chance for them to be ruined. A jinx, almost. "Mhm, yeah, I get that." He never thought he'd come back to Kismet Harbor and he didn't think he'd call it destiny as much as he would call it responsibility. "I'm glad it's all worked out, really." He stated sincerely. @chanteledavis

Chantel knew that living a life like the one she had wasn't for everyone, just as she understood that not everyone was expressive with their hopes and dreams as she was. And she respected it, but that wasn't going to stop her from expressing her own hopes and desires as well as brag about how much she loved that it was hers. "It's just odd, you know? We spent so much time here during summers just to end up back here years later." she smiled. "Even if you're only here for a little bit, it's nice to see you again." @michaelxpalmer

"I mean I don't blame him for favoring you." Chantel smiled. "You're kind of the best you know." she winked, though let herself chuckle as the other stated that what Mama said goes. "That's the way it should be but someone is in house is in his 'Mama doesn't know anything fun" phase." she laughed, though watched as Houston made his way back to the house. "We're gonna get a snack and call." she nodded. And for a moment it was just her and Houston inside, eyes only shifting from where Houston was contently eating his Cheerios to look back at Charlie. "That's good." she nodded. "I didn't consider that there could be other animals outside." she spoke. "Maybe someone should go check that no one is roaming around outside where they're supposed to be." she exhaled. "Sitter's likely about five minutes out at this point so I mean -" she paused. "I'm trying to do too much in my head right now, if you couldn't tell." @charliesxdavis