Chapter 147 - Growing Plants

Manuel placed a huge pot on the table as he served us a dish full of vegetables and rice cooked in coconut milk and Curcuma. 

"Thank you." I smiled, the dish was so colorful and emanated a scent of so many tastes and spices.

When I tasted it I was amazed at the taste of the vegetables they were so natural and fresh, I looked around at the ancient wooden furniture, the agriculture tools hanging from the walls.

Everything was so rustic that I hardly imagined Cameron could own such a place, yet he still looked like he belonged there.

He was so sweet with his grandfather's brother, talking to him tenderly and informing people there about his work and then he even asked them if we could go to collect eggs in the hen house as soon as we finished lunch. Even if that place was inherited and he was the one in charge of the farm he still makes it sound like he was a guest.

I had never realized the beauty of nature and the calm which come along with him, maybe in the future, it would be amazing to rent a house in the countryside with Cameron. 

After eating and complimenting Manuelito, Cameron and I walked to the hen's house to collect eggs. I had never done that and I struggled walking without dunking in the soil. As soon as we opened the door the chickens targeted me, making me widen my eyes and want to turn around to run away.

Then I understood they weren't targeted at me, instead, they were targeting at the basked of feed I was carrying. 

"You have to give them the food and when they stood up to eat just run to get the eggs."

At first, hearing Cameron's explanation I thought that was easy but when I took one step inside I immediately regretted underestimating that work. The hens ran toward me so I immediately let the basket of feed down but the chickens gathered there and began tapping to fight for food.

I ran to get the eggs but when a few chickens finished eating and understood my intention they charged me.

"Oh no!" I screamed afraid and I heard Cameron giggle as I ran as fast as I could outside before closing the door behind me.

I took a deep breath as If I just risked my life as Cameron couldn't stop smiling amusedly.

I waved the two eggs I managed to catch before escaping and he nodded, clapping his hands.

"Good start!"

"They looked so angry!" I complained.

"It's fine, they are not used to seeing you. Watch!" He said.

He opened the door again and let a glimmer open so that I could see him. He walked inside slowly and quietly, he poured the basket down to spread the feed around so that all the chicken could feed. Then, still, very quietly, he walked to the eggs and slowly picked most of them. Until finally he ran outside.

"That was perfect, couldn't expect less from you!" 

He chuckled at my comment and then took my hand before walking to the garden. He explained to me that at first they only used to keep their salads, tomatoes, and onions because those were the easiest vegetables to harvest. He also told me he wanted to expand that farm, even more, he was so enthusiastic as he spoke, looking forward to letting me visit all the amazing plants that the farm held.

Then he bent down to pick a blueberry and he leaned in closer to my lips, when I bit it he kissed me right away.

"I love you, Lily." He said out of nowhere.

"I love you so much it hurts. I wonder how is it even possible to love this hard. It's as if all the years I had spent repressive in love were balanced by this unconditional crazy love I feel even inside my bones."

I bent down as well picking a raspberry, I leaned in closer to his lip as he delicately bit it. I placed another kiss on his sweet peachy

"I love you too Cameron I feel the same about you." 

He smiled at me as he looked straight into my eyes and then told me, "wait a second." 

I saw him turn around and head to a chair, where there were baskets of fruit and vegetables, He picked those up and put them to the side to get the basket with him as he reached me. 

When he laid down I noticed there were seeds inside, he got a handful of those and then poured some in my hand.

"We should grow plants and come back from time to time. To check how the plants are and take care of them."

I nodded, I liked that idea as if the plant was the result of our love that we had to water it and take care of it daily not to let it dry out.

We kneeled and dug two little holes where we put the seeds in before filling the holes again. Then he poured some water in and stood up.

"I hope they grow and we will visit them a few times in a year until they turn in trees." 

I smiled.

"And we will be there when they grow Lily. We will be there to watch them grow. Because we will stay together forever."

I mentally recorded what he said to me and put it in the back of my mind to let it sink there enough so that the next time I would feel doubtful about our relationship I will remember that.

We walked past his plants and from time to time we stole some grape or berries from here and there. The light breeze and the birds chirping made me feel safe and at peace in that place. I had always underestimated the power of nature and gardens.

"What do you love so much about gardening?" I asked as he sat on one chair and pushed me to sit on his lap.

"I wish I had more time to fully see their growth and their progress. I like giving plants life and seeing them grow just because of me, it's such an amazing reward that goes beyond money and success. It's like creating life and knowing that their growth fully depends on you." 

He pointed at a plum plant, "when I was a kid that plant never grew, but now look at it. Full of plums. Being immersed in nature makes you realize what the most important things in life are." 

I agreed with him, sometimes we forget about what's truly important opressed by the course of our lives and problems. At the end of the day, we had to remember that our happiness is something we can achieve easily and life is much less complicated than we think. 

"I had never thought I would bring a girl here." He broke the silence. "You helped me to grow and trust people. I feel such a better person since I met you. I even raised my workers' salary just because." He chuckled. 

"Oh, you did?" I pretended to be surprised, "they should thank me with a rate of their monthly income then." 

We both laughed until I stood up and dug my hand in his hair. "Did I hear it wrong or are you thinking of a future with me?"

I asked as he gripped around my hips again and pushed me on his lap.

"I do. I hope you like the future I will provide us. I am not sure if I can give you kids right now but I am sure I can make you happy." 

I smiled as I caressed his cheek, "I know. Making me happy is still enough for me."

I accepted the constraint of not having kids with someone like Carl who mistreated me, underestimated me, and that I didn't love. I could accept it too for someone like Cameron who had lived such a traumatic past.

"I just want to spend the rest of my life like you, living like we are living right now. Without useless arguments and scenes bjt with someone like you who pushes himself over his limits just to prove to me how much he loves me. That's what I want today and for the rest of my life Cameron." 

For now, my main goal was to be happy, for once in my life. Stop caring about if and buts and just live him to the fullest. The issue of him not being willing to have kids wasn't so important to me now, that was still a dream of mine but I could exclude it for the moment to focus on other things like my company and maybe who knows also marrying and moving together.

I wanted to do concrete things with him but at the same time, I wanted to enjoy our relationship in the simplicity of it without adding too many things to the package or rushing things, which could only complicate our fairytale.

"I am happy like this Cameron.. I am happier than I had ever been."