and Internet access, but Edna had wanted nothing to do with it. And every time Rachel checked her Blackberry, trying to keep up with events at Conrad/Phelps, Edna scolded her and had even hidden it for a while yesterday.
“Not that I’m, uh, anxious to get back to the city or anything,” Rachel said as she found a ripe apple and proceeded with the grab, twist, and pull method, “but can you refresh my memory on exactly how long the harvest will take?”
“Well, I usually hire a few hands, but this year money’s a little tight, so I only have one high school boy, Betty Cahill’s son, comin’ to help in the afternoons and on weekends, startin’ tomorrow. That—plus the fact that I’m not movin’ as quick as usual these days,” she added, “is sorta why I called on you .”
Ugh. Rachel didn’t like hearing Edna was low on money—although it didn’t surprise her, given that the orchard was a seasonal business. And again, she remainedunsure whether or not Edna was faking the whole knee thing. She’d been certain of it when she’d gotten Edna’s call, and just as certain when she’d arrived. But maybe Edna was moving slower than usual. And climbing up and down ladders all day was pretty hard work.
“Anyway,” Edna went on, “the harvest has to be done by the apple festival, the first weekend of October.”
Rachel had gone on plucking apples, but at this, she stopped and looked up. “Apple festival? What apple festival?”
And Edna blinked, as if it were a silly question. “Why, the annual Destiny Apple Festival. It’s a big deal around here—I can’t believe you don’t know about it. Takes place right on the town square—we got apple pie eatin’ contests, bakin’ contests, bobbin’ for apples, caramel apples, apple butter, apple cider, apple sauce, you name it. People come from miles around.”
Rachel was still dumbfounded—because there’d been no apple festival when she lived here. “How on earth did this apple festival start? And when?”
“Well, it was my idea, of course.” Edna’s tone implied Rachel should have known that. “Suggested to the town council about ten years back that Destiny needed a fall event and that an apple festival was as good as any. Frankly, between me and you, the festival is what keeps me in business. Sure, I get folks who come to pick a bushel or two on weekends, but this orchard provides every apple used in every pie or fritter or dumplin’ at the festival—without it, the Farris Family Apple Orchard would be history.”
Rachel barely knew which fact to contemplate first. That she had to hand it to Edna for creating her own festival to keep the business solvent? Or that—dear God—Edna expected her to stay until October!
A few words Chase had imparted before she left suddenly rang in her ears. Take the time you need with yourgrandma, but don’t stay too long, if you know what I mean. It was actually his higher-ups who held Rachel’s fate in their hands, and Chase had given the advice kindly, from concern—but it hit her so hard now that she got a little dizzy. She had to grab onto the ladder with both hands to steady herself.
“Good Lord, darlin’—you all right?”
Still holding on tight, Rachel began to feel less woozy. “Yeah, fine,” she lied. “Just lost my balance a little.”
Of course, she could just tell Edna—the whole thing, about her job, and that she’d expected to be leaving in a couple of weeks, as opposed to six , and surely Edna would understand. And even if spending didn’t sound like the wisest move right now given that she had a fifty-fifty chance of soon being unemployed, she could just pay for the usual hired hands. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d bailed out a loved one with a check.
“Well, you be careful,” Edna said. “Wouldn’t wanna lose my apple pickin’ partner.” Then she sighed, her face taking on a sadder, more confiding expression. “Ya know, darlin’, I don’t like
“Not that I’m, uh, anxious to get back to the city or anything,” Rachel said as she found a ripe apple and proceeded with the grab, twist, and pull method, “but can you refresh my memory on exactly how long the harvest will take?”
“Well, I usually hire a few hands, but this year money’s a little tight, so I only have one high school boy, Betty Cahill’s son, comin’ to help in the afternoons and on weekends, startin’ tomorrow. That—plus the fact that I’m not movin’ as quick as usual these days,” she added, “is sorta why I called on you .”
Ugh. Rachel didn’t like hearing Edna was low on money—although it didn’t surprise her, given that the orchard was a seasonal business. And again, she remainedunsure whether or not Edna was faking the whole knee thing. She’d been certain of it when she’d gotten Edna’s call, and just as certain when she’d arrived. But maybe Edna was moving slower than usual. And climbing up and down ladders all day was pretty hard work.
“Anyway,” Edna went on, “the harvest has to be done by the apple festival, the first weekend of October.”
Rachel had gone on plucking apples, but at this, she stopped and looked up. “Apple festival? What apple festival?”
And Edna blinked, as if it were a silly question. “Why, the annual Destiny Apple Festival. It’s a big deal around here—I can’t believe you don’t know about it. Takes place right on the town square—we got apple pie eatin’ contests, bakin’ contests, bobbin’ for apples, caramel apples, apple butter, apple cider, apple sauce, you name it. People come from miles around.”
Rachel was still dumbfounded—because there’d been no apple festival when she lived here. “How on earth did this apple festival start? And when?”
“Well, it was my idea, of course.” Edna’s tone implied Rachel should have known that. “Suggested to the town council about ten years back that Destiny needed a fall event and that an apple festival was as good as any. Frankly, between me and you, the festival is what keeps me in business. Sure, I get folks who come to pick a bushel or two on weekends, but this orchard provides every apple used in every pie or fritter or dumplin’ at the festival—without it, the Farris Family Apple Orchard would be history.”
Rachel barely knew which fact to contemplate first. That she had to hand it to Edna for creating her own festival to keep the business solvent? Or that—dear God—Edna expected her to stay until October!
A few words Chase had imparted before she left suddenly rang in her ears. Take the time you need with yourgrandma, but don’t stay too long, if you know what I mean. It was actually his higher-ups who held Rachel’s fate in their hands, and Chase had given the advice kindly, from concern—but it hit her so hard now that she got a little dizzy. She had to grab onto the ladder with both hands to steady herself.
“Good Lord, darlin’—you all right?”
Still holding on tight, Rachel began to feel less woozy. “Yeah, fine,” she lied. “Just lost my balance a little.”
Of course, she could just tell Edna—the whole thing, about her job, and that she’d expected to be leaving in a couple of weeks, as opposed to six , and surely Edna would understand. And even if spending didn’t sound like the wisest move right now given that she had a fifty-fifty chance of soon being unemployed, she could just pay for the usual hired hands. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d bailed out a loved one with a check.
“Well, you be careful,” Edna said. “Wouldn’t wanna lose my apple pickin’ partner.” Then she sighed, her face taking on a sadder, more confiding expression. “Ya know, darlin’, I don’t like
Similar Books
