Jayamos
Farmer
16 Winter Y6
The last couple of days have been quiet. Yesterday I took Herc with me to buy hay from Marnie, but nobody was home; still, it's good taking him to see the corner of Cindersap Forest. And the hay was much needed. Today we went to the Night Market for just a little while. Herc was wide-eyed with all the different things to see. When he's older I'll take him down on the submarine. Not sure when to introduce him to the mermaids; there wasn't time tonight, anyway.
But we checked out the produce merchant, and the traveling merchant, and Lupini's paintings; I wasn't thrilled with them this time. There weren't a lot of people at first, but they gradually filtered in—Caroline, Vince by himself, then Maru and Demetrius. Haley said hi, a little stiffly. Elliott too, as we were leaving, graciously. Robin and Seb were at the entrance to the beach just as we were going out, and Seb said, "Bit late to be keeping him up, isn't it?" to which it seemed better to just keep heading home and not say anything at all.
Fortunately Sam was shortly behind them, and I had a just-harvested cactus fruit from the greenhouse, perfectly ripe and well wrapped up, to give him. "Must be the life, cactus fruit every day," Sam said, and came all the way back home with us. He said he didn't mind not going to the Night Market. "I enjoy it but it's pretty much the same every year. This is all shiny and new, why would I miss it?"
Herc was babbling a mile a minute as we put him to bed, and I sent Sam downstairs to work his will on the cactus fruit. Fortunately being out a little late meant Herc was more tired than excited and he fell asleep long before I finished reading his bedtime story to him. And I've rearranged the furniture so Sam and I could really enjoy sitting by the fire. Among other things.
17 Winter
Sam must have been sincere about enjoying himself last night, because there's a note from him this morning! I make a hasty call to Leah. "Can I redeem that date night card?"
"Things are heating up, eh? Okay, you have to get home before midnight so I can hear all about it. I will definitely be bringing popcorn. Metaphorically, at least." she says.
I end up coming back by 11, and she and I break out some ancient fruit wine.
"So...?" she says, one arm over the back of the couch, holding a cup of wine and some fabulously well-aged cheese I got out of the mining chest—it's not like it's doing any good there, we might as well enjoy it.
"I'm just gonna say, Sam's family is snoopy," I start out, and summarize the evening. "Where's a closet when you need it?" I asked rhetorically.
"I was not expecting a hetero relationship to be leading you into the closet," she says, smiling wryly.
"Forbidden love, or something. It all felt... really high school? I told Sam we gotta get him out of his parents' house. Even with Herc upstairs and the baby monitor transmitting his every breath, it's a lot easier to get romantic here."
"So... it's sounding more and more like you have plans to get him out of his house."
"... Yeah. I'm not expecting you to approve, it's a whole can of worms, but..."
Another wry smile. "What you lack in foresight, you make up for in entertainment value. But ever since you said that about being a single mom, I haven't wanted to stand in your way. Not that it would ever stop you."
"I might be growing a tiny bit of foresight... to be honest I'm most worried about Seb's reaction. One of his best friends getting with his ex. And Abi... she's been the most helpful with keeping Seb and Herc connected, and I just keep thinking she's not going to like this."
"Does she have to?"
"I keep thinking as long as they care more about Herc than about me it'll be OK, but it's a lot easier if we can at least kind of get along. And Seb and Abi both... let's just say they are both in touch with their anger."
"OK, Seb I get, but Abi... why will she care?"
"There's something I haven't told you." And I tell her about Spirits Eve. "I mean, I'm not totally sure it was a date date rather than her taking pity on me, but... there's always been something going on there."
"And on your side?"
I sigh. "I don't even know. But I can't figure her out and Sam's an open book."
18 Winter
I'm glad to hand Herc off to Abi rather than deal with Seb being snide—and she and I have agreed that 12:30–5:30 will work better for all concerned. As far as I know, Abi doesn't know about Sam, who seems to want to keep things private. Open book doesn't mean he's indiscreet.
That doesn't mean I'm not super nervous when I arrive (ACTUALLY ON TIME), but Herc's glad to see her and she swings him up on her hip as naturally as can be. "Ready to see your papa?" she asks him, and he burbles happily, and I feel jealous of the three of them. I can't sort out who I'm most jealous of. All of them, apparently.
"Thanks for being the ambassador," I say.
"My pleasure," she replies. "Herc's fun, and Seb's loosening up. You bring out the best in your daddy, don't you, Herc?"
"Glad to hear it," I say, not sure if I'm glad.
"Yeah, he has to stretch a bit, but it's good for him. Gets him out of his cave."
"Kids are harder than frogs, I guess," I say.
"What?"
"Nothing, I'm glad this whole thing is working," I say, give Herc a kiss goodbye, and head off to bomb the quarry.
I still can't manage to remember to get Herc down for his nap in time and up to the Mountain House in time and carry bombs for the quarry, let alone get my mining blessing, so the Dwarf makes a tidy little profit out of me and the haul isn't great. But mega bombs make a very efficient way of clearing the quarry. And the noise and smoke and running around picking everything up makes me feel better. I'm telling myself there'll be two groups, Herc and Sam and me on one side and Herc and Seb and Abi on the other, and it'll be fine, right? Once Seb and Abi make the adjustment. And me.
19 Winter
The last couple of weeks have been more profitable than ever. I would never have thought that being a single mom would be good for my bottom line, but I guess obligatory staying home and tending things is good for business. Plus Herc and I have nearly completely cleared out my backlog of truffles.
20 Winter
I wish I could have brought Herc along to give Evelyn her chocolate cake, but I can't work it in along with his nap. George is grouchy, Alex isn't home, and Evelyn's decorating the Winter Star tree, so there's not much chat. It is what it is.
I can never manage a clean, Seb-free handoff with Sam, because they come into the house together, but I come close by leaving Herc with Jodi a few minutes early. Which means a happy wave from Sam and a frosty glance from Seb as they pass by.
Thank goodness for the evening routine. Leah and I are caught up, so once I've passed out beers, I have pizza with Shane, who's in a good mood, not least because the Zuzu City gridball team is looking good for the playoffs.
And then Sam comes in with Herc, and we have our usual walk home, and this time Sam reads Herc his bedtime story, or at least the first few pages before Herc zonks out, while I decide it might be time for something stronger than cactus juice and Sam agrees enthusiastically once he comes down. And for the time we're able to spend together I can enjoy contentment. I could get used to this... Am I ready to?
The last couple of days have been quiet. Yesterday I took Herc with me to buy hay from Marnie, but nobody was home; still, it's good taking him to see the corner of Cindersap Forest. And the hay was much needed. Today we went to the Night Market for just a little while. Herc was wide-eyed with all the different things to see. When he's older I'll take him down on the submarine. Not sure when to introduce him to the mermaids; there wasn't time tonight, anyway.
But we checked out the produce merchant, and the traveling merchant, and Lupini's paintings; I wasn't thrilled with them this time. There weren't a lot of people at first, but they gradually filtered in—Caroline, Vince by himself, then Maru and Demetrius. Haley said hi, a little stiffly. Elliott too, as we were leaving, graciously. Robin and Seb were at the entrance to the beach just as we were going out, and Seb said, "Bit late to be keeping him up, isn't it?" to which it seemed better to just keep heading home and not say anything at all.
Fortunately Sam was shortly behind them, and I had a just-harvested cactus fruit from the greenhouse, perfectly ripe and well wrapped up, to give him. "Must be the life, cactus fruit every day," Sam said, and came all the way back home with us. He said he didn't mind not going to the Night Market. "I enjoy it but it's pretty much the same every year. This is all shiny and new, why would I miss it?"
Herc was babbling a mile a minute as we put him to bed, and I sent Sam downstairs to work his will on the cactus fruit. Fortunately being out a little late meant Herc was more tired than excited and he fell asleep long before I finished reading his bedtime story to him. And I've rearranged the furniture so Sam and I could really enjoy sitting by the fire. Among other things.
17 Winter
Sam must have been sincere about enjoying himself last night, because there's a note from him this morning! I make a hasty call to Leah. "Can I redeem that date night card?"
"Things are heating up, eh? Okay, you have to get home before midnight so I can hear all about it. I will definitely be bringing popcorn. Metaphorically, at least." she says.
I end up coming back by 11, and she and I break out some ancient fruit wine.
"So...?" she says, one arm over the back of the couch, holding a cup of wine and some fabulously well-aged cheese I got out of the mining chest—it's not like it's doing any good there, we might as well enjoy it.
"I'm just gonna say, Sam's family is snoopy," I start out, and summarize the evening. "Where's a closet when you need it?" I asked rhetorically.
"I was not expecting a hetero relationship to be leading you into the closet," she says, smiling wryly.
"Forbidden love, or something. It all felt... really high school? I told Sam we gotta get him out of his parents' house. Even with Herc upstairs and the baby monitor transmitting his every breath, it's a lot easier to get romantic here."
"So... it's sounding more and more like you have plans to get him out of his house."
"... Yeah. I'm not expecting you to approve, it's a whole can of worms, but..."
Another wry smile. "What you lack in foresight, you make up for in entertainment value. But ever since you said that about being a single mom, I haven't wanted to stand in your way. Not that it would ever stop you."
"I might be growing a tiny bit of foresight... to be honest I'm most worried about Seb's reaction. One of his best friends getting with his ex. And Abi... she's been the most helpful with keeping Seb and Herc connected, and I just keep thinking she's not going to like this."
"Does she have to?"
"I keep thinking as long as they care more about Herc than about me it'll be OK, but it's a lot easier if we can at least kind of get along. And Seb and Abi both... let's just say they are both in touch with their anger."
"OK, Seb I get, but Abi... why will she care?"
"There's something I haven't told you." And I tell her about Spirits Eve. "I mean, I'm not totally sure it was a date date rather than her taking pity on me, but... there's always been something going on there."
"And on your side?"
I sigh. "I don't even know. But I can't figure her out and Sam's an open book."
18 Winter
I'm glad to hand Herc off to Abi rather than deal with Seb being snide—and she and I have agreed that 12:30–5:30 will work better for all concerned. As far as I know, Abi doesn't know about Sam, who seems to want to keep things private. Open book doesn't mean he's indiscreet.
That doesn't mean I'm not super nervous when I arrive (ACTUALLY ON TIME), but Herc's glad to see her and she swings him up on her hip as naturally as can be. "Ready to see your papa?" she asks him, and he burbles happily, and I feel jealous of the three of them. I can't sort out who I'm most jealous of. All of them, apparently.
"Thanks for being the ambassador," I say.
"My pleasure," she replies. "Herc's fun, and Seb's loosening up. You bring out the best in your daddy, don't you, Herc?"
"Glad to hear it," I say, not sure if I'm glad.
"Yeah, he has to stretch a bit, but it's good for him. Gets him out of his cave."
"Kids are harder than frogs, I guess," I say.
"What?"
"Nothing, I'm glad this whole thing is working," I say, give Herc a kiss goodbye, and head off to bomb the quarry.
I still can't manage to remember to get Herc down for his nap in time and up to the Mountain House in time and carry bombs for the quarry, let alone get my mining blessing, so the Dwarf makes a tidy little profit out of me and the haul isn't great. But mega bombs make a very efficient way of clearing the quarry. And the noise and smoke and running around picking everything up makes me feel better. I'm telling myself there'll be two groups, Herc and Sam and me on one side and Herc and Seb and Abi on the other, and it'll be fine, right? Once Seb and Abi make the adjustment. And me.
19 Winter
The last couple of weeks have been more profitable than ever. I would never have thought that being a single mom would be good for my bottom line, but I guess obligatory staying home and tending things is good for business. Plus Herc and I have nearly completely cleared out my backlog of truffles.
20 Winter
I wish I could have brought Herc along to give Evelyn her chocolate cake, but I can't work it in along with his nap. George is grouchy, Alex isn't home, and Evelyn's decorating the Winter Star tree, so there's not much chat. It is what it is.
I can never manage a clean, Seb-free handoff with Sam, because they come into the house together, but I come close by leaving Herc with Jodi a few minutes early. Which means a happy wave from Sam and a frosty glance from Seb as they pass by.
Thank goodness for the evening routine. Leah and I are caught up, so once I've passed out beers, I have pizza with Shane, who's in a good mood, not least because the Zuzu City gridball team is looking good for the playoffs.
And then Sam comes in with Herc, and we have our usual walk home, and this time Sam reads Herc his bedtime story, or at least the first few pages before Herc zonks out, while I decide it might be time for something stronger than cactus juice and Sam agrees enthusiastically once he comes down. And for the time we're able to spend together I can enjoy contentment. I could get used to this... Am I ready to?