#durotos

“Hey!” she called out.

The man stood up with a start, mumbling under his breath. He turned toward her. “Yes? Can I help you?” He had the look of one who was being distracted from something very important and pressing, and she could see his patience wearing thin.

“That’s my house you’re taking photos of!”

“Ah, so you’re the one that’s living here now, then.” He put his hands on his hips and stared at the farmhouse a little too comfortably, Claire thought. “It’s definitely a change from last year, I’ll give you that. I can see you replaced some rotting wood. But I’ll have you know the textures of the old wood were amazing to get close-ups of!”

“Why are you here?” she asked directly, unsure of how else to address the issue.

He turned toward her, half indignant. “Why, I’m taking my yearly contracted photos. Would you want to be in any of these shots? I have a few poses in mind that would be absolutely charming!” He walked around her, as if scrutinizing a work of art.

“No thank you!” Claire didn’t mean to raise her voice.

He stepped back from her, scandalized. “Farmers… The old man never wanted to be in the shot, either, if I remember what my father told me correctly.”

“Why is this the first I am hearing about photographs?”

The man turned back toward his equipment, leisurely wiping the lens of his camera. “It sounds like a potential miscommunication from Town Hall.”

“Town Hall?” she parroted, allowing her hands to fall limp at her sides.

“Well, namely, Thomas.” Judging from the smirk he wore, Claire assumed he thought he was dropping a pretty big name. “Although I suppose most people know him as Mayor Schulte.”

Literally no one calls him that.

Claire held her tongue.

“Mineral Town has a lot of historical sites and landmarks. Their Visitor’s Bureau likes to keep their documents and photographs of the sights fresh.”

“Visitor’s Bureau?”

“What’s wrong with you?  Haven’t you ever seen a bonsai before?” He poked his head out of the door.

“Only in books,” Nina confessed with a smile.  “But even the ones I’ve seen there don’t look like this one.”

He frowned, but she continued.

“I can tell it’s happy.  You’ve done a fine job helping it grow and it’s thanking you with those flowers.”

A small smile formed on his lips.  “W-Well… I try.  Growing them isn’t easy.”

Nina’s grin was carefree as she extended her hands out to him. “Show me your others!  I can see them through the window, and I want to get a close up look!”

He wanted to laugh at this foolish young woman who hadn’t even introduced herself, yet was demanding to see the inside of his house. Still, there was a warmth about her that left him at peace.  He took one hand and shook it.  “My name’s Galen.  You live next door, don’t you?  The neighbors had mentioned someone new had moved in.”

She unceremoniously kicked her high heels off beside her and plopped down on the wooden planks, dangling her feet in the water.  It pushed her feet along, and she made no effort to kick against the current, as she was safely seated on the edge of the bridge.  The cool relief of the river felt so good that it caused the tears to return, but she made no effort to stop them this time.

She had perfected the makeup tutorials she researched for that particular outing.  Her best dress and a new, fashionable scarf – her hair perfectly curled, and a coordinating handbag that she only used on special occasions.  A date in the city, on the arm of the man who held her heart.

It was too good to be true.  It always is.