Robin and the Red Crow

Chapter Eight - Both a Doctor and a Salesman

The small girl at the front desk of the post office shook her head after sorting through the pile of letters she pulled from a basket under her desk.

" I'm sorry sir, no letter from you brother has turned up yet." The small girl said begrudgingly. "I'll be sure to keep my eye out for anything from a man named Otto and send word to Miss Ivy's shop as soon as I see something"

"Ah...Well...Thank you very much for looking."Robin said, disappointed. Robin almost wished he could go back behind the counter and sort through the letters himself, just in case, but knew that they would never allow him to do so, local or not.

Robin felt frustrated, he had already been at Sunshine Acres for almost an entire month at this point, and couldn't help but feel like he might be overstaying his welcome. He had intended to only be at Sunshine Acres for a few days, not a few weeks. Not that Holly or Jo had said anything to make him feel that unwelcome. It was only his own anxieties that left him feeling like a burden. Although, if anything, the ladies seemed to be more hospitable each day, as if he was part of the household, and not just a guest.

To Robin's surprise, he was starting to feel that way as well.

Initially, Robin's days were filled with tediously cleaning the decor of the house, but now that he had managed to get the majority of that finished, he had found time to do other things as well.

When Cookie stayed behind, he would go on walks with her in the pasture behind the house, using the books on plants from the library to see what was growing in the wild prairie. Sometimes he would take the Nanahound along the old roads that ran alongside Sunshine acres, enjoying the views of the countryside and the sounds of nature. Other days, he filled his time with baking and trying new recipes, experimenting with different ingredients to suit his own tastes. On those days, he found he especially looked forward to the ladies' return. They became very honest and yet increasingly praiseworthy judges to some of his cooking concoctions.

Truthfully, Robin wouldn't mind staying at Sunshine Acres for a bit longer. He only wished his brother would respond.

After leaving the Post Office, Robin made his way over to Miss Ivy's Jewellery Shop. As he strolled along the streets of Adel, he looked around to admire the small town once again.

Robin noticed that he always saw several repeated faces each time he came into the town of Adel. However, unlike in London, the people here would walk up and start talking with him when they noticed he was new in town and not just passing through. It had shocked Robin at first, and looking back, he had been a bit rude to the first couple of strangers he met. However, now he had gotten used to it, and realized it was a common thing for people in this town to do.

Another curious thing was that after meeting him once, the people of Adel would wave at him and greet him as if he had lived here his whole life. It initially puzzled Robin, but it also made him feel at home as he walked the streets, greeting people as he walked. Even strangers waved at him, wishing him a good morning as he walked by.

As he approached Miss Ivy's Jewellery Shop, he realized he had seen if before on his first day in town. It was a simple and small shop in the corner of the square, a coral light pink color with a light green awning, with the name painted on the awning in chipping gold letters. He glanced into the shop window to see Holly and an older gentleman talking at a case near the front of the store.
As Robin pushed open the glass door beside the window, a small bell rung out, causing Holly and the customer to look up at him in suprise.

"Welcom- Oh, Robin! How did it go at the post office?" Holly asked, her surprise turning into a smile as he entered the store.

"No such luck, but I sent a letter to my family, so we shall see what they say." Robin said, sliding off his summer jacket to hang on the coat stand by the door.