Fall Romance (Title TBA)

11 - Blackberry Picking

"Hey," Juliette said when she finally called Alonzo back. It was early afternoon and she had had her coffee and a shower. She was sitting on the back patio, watching chickadees fly back and forth between nearby trees and the bird feeders hanging on the wooden fence. It was a chilly morning, so she had a thick blanket around her shoulders.

"Hey," he said; his voice sounded cautious. "You okay? Haven't heard from you in a bit."

"I know. I'm really sorry about that."

"It's okay. I know you're going through a lot right now. I get it. I just... want to be there for you. That's all."

"I–" Juliette pressed her lips together tightly, sighing. "I know. And I love that you do. I just wish I knew how to let you."

Silence followed. Juliette traced the hippos on her pajama pants (yes, she took a shower and got right back into pajamas).

"Are we okay?" Alonzo finally asked. "Like... are you feeling weird about... this? Us?"

Juliette let the question sit.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make this about me. But if this is too much right now, that's fine. Like, we don't have to be anything but what we've always been to each other. Your friendship means the world to me. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." Juliette rubbed the space between her eyebrows. She loved him for never pressuring her to do anything more than she could handle, or anything more than she wanted. He extended that kindness to every person he ever met, just genuine patience and kinship with no expectations or demands. "Yours means the world to me, too." She closed her eyes as a breeze swept by, lifting strands of her hair. "I have been feeling really disconnected from San Diego. Everything about it feels like some strange, faraway dream. Not that I'm completely comfortable here either – it's like I stepped into a different kind of dream entirely. None of this, none of anything, feels... real. Especially because this trip is temporary. So, everything is just so f***ing weird right now."

Alonzo waited for her to finish; she could see him nodding in her mind. If they were face to face, he'd be gazing intently at her to absorb her every word.

"And... there's this guy here," she confessed.

"Oh?" he offered.

She and Alonzo had made it a point to remain open to other connections even as they explored what could develop between them. They held no secrets, so she was unsure why she had been hesitating to talk with him as long as she did.

"Yeah. It's not anything at all, really; he's an old friend from literally grade school. But he's been really kind to me, and I've been enjoying his company a lot. And he's got this kid who is so cool. I'm not looking for anything with him, though, you know? He lost his wife a few years back, so I'm not trying to intrude on his life like that. I'm just enjoying getting to know him and his kid."

"Well, that sounds wholesome," Alonzo said. "You like him, though? I mean, is he easy on the eyes?"

Juliette sucked in a breath. "Yeah.... He's super hot. And smart. And kind. He's a philosophy professor. I dreamt about him last night."

"Sounds like you like him," Alonzo laughed.

"Yeah, but maybe it's just grief-brain. They say it does funny things to a person."

"Could be," he said. "But it's okay to like somebody up there, even if you're not going to stick around. Maybe something casual is just what he needs to propel him into whatever is next for him too."

Juliette leaned her head in her hand. "Maybe." She smiled, feeling a wave of tiredness hit her as last night was still catching up with her. "I really love that we can talk like this."

"Me, too," Alonzo said in that low, sweet way he had. "You know I love you no matter what. Do what you gotta do up there. Don't worry about me. I'll just be happy to have you home when the time comes." There was some commotion in the background, laughter and shouting. "All right, I gotta go before Kathy uses one of those tiki torches to murder me. She's in full event-coordinator mode right now. Wish you were here for all this!" 

Before Juliette could even share the sentiment, she heard Kathryn shouting Alonzo's name before the phone call cut off. 

When Juliette napped that afternoon, it was without the tension in her heart and mind that she didn't even know she had been holding.

~~

The next day, after Juliette had fully recovered from her hangover, she met up with Ian and Keats at Cynthia Howard Farms for their blackberry picking adventure. Thankfully, Ian had previously texted her clear instructions on how to prepare for the day: 

"Wear long sleeves and heavy duty pants you wouldn't mind getting a bit torn up as there will be tons of nettles and thorns to contend with. Thick gloves will protect against thorns as well as spiderwebs hiding in the bushes. As for footwear, tall, sturdy boots are preferable."

"How do I look?" Juliette asked, pulling down the bill of her rainbow unicorn ballcap and then doing a twirl in her big boots, jean overalls, and thick green woolen sweater. She pulled a pair of gardening gloves from her back pocket.

"Perfect!" Ian exclaimed, carrying two paper cups in one hand. He and Keats wore much the same as Juliette; the trio looked like they actually might know what they were about to get themselves into.

Keats handed Juliette a medium sized plastic tub.

"You put your berries in there," he explained. "They're way better than plastic bags 'cause mine ripped one time and all my berries went everywhere."

"Oh no!" Juliette laughed. "The tub makes perfect sense. Thank you both for bringing me here. I'm excited to pick some berries!"

"Of course," Ian said. "Thanks for joining us. I got you a coffee." He handed her one of the paper cups; it was warm and steaming. "Now it's officially a coffee date."

"Oh, right!" Juliette said, unreasonably excited for coffee. "Thank you!" They tapped their cups together, then took a sip. Juliette grimaced. She hadn't meant to be rude, but she couldn't control her face fast enough. She hoped Ian didn't see.

But he did, and he chuckled at her. "Yeah, the coffee here is kind of crap," he looked thoroughly amused, "but that's not what people come here for."

The farmlands were buzzing with people here for the season. The blackberry fields were massive, with rows and rows of orb-filled bushes waiting to be stripped.

"Some pointers," Ian said as they made their way to the fields. "Never pick from the bushes closest to the road. Lead in fossil fuels isn't what it used to be, but we like to avoid the possibility of pollution from passing cars as much as possible anyway."

"Ahh," Juliette said, listening closely.

"Only pick them if they're completely black," he continued. "Any hint of red and they're likely not totally ripe. Also, if they're matte, they're probably overripe. Black and shiny is what you're looking for."

"Black and shiny," Juliette repeated. "This is fascinating."

"What am I missing, Keats?" Ian ruffled up the boy's hair.

"Don't pick low to the ground," Keats added, "because dogs might have peed on them."

"That's right," Ian said with a laugh.

Juliette grabbed his arm, her eyes wide. "Oh, my goodness. I hadn't even thought of that. You two really are pros at this."

When they reached the edge of the field, Keats ran ahead down one of the rows.

"Don't go too far, kid," Ian called after him. "Wait for us to catch up."

"I'm gonna find the good ones for us!" he called back.

Ian shook his head with a crooked smirk. Juliette's eyes were bright, her own smile wide. This was going to be a good day.