Ambrosia Apples, the Fruit of the Gods

Timmy and Felicity were thick as thieves, or so the saying goes. As soon as the sun rose Timmy was knocking on Felicity’s door asking her mom if she could come out and play, and they caused mischief until the sun went down and their parents called them in for dinner. After dinner, they would talk through their homemade soup can phones. During the summers they would light ants on fire, pour salt on snails watching them shrivel up, and other non-felonious childhood activities.

One of their favorite summer activities was sneaking into Farmer Hobbs’s apple orchard and climb the tree. They would swing from the branches plucking the juicy, crispy apples, spitting the seeds at one another, and when they were finished they threw the cores to the ground. Several days later Farmer Hobbs posted a sign warning trespassers to stay out of his orchard, or his dogs would attack.

“Timmy let’s go. I’ve seen Hobbs’s dogs, they’re not chihuahuas,” Felicity begged.

“Come on. Don’t worry about it. We’re so far away from his house he won’t have time to catch us.”

“Timmy, no, let’s play on the rope swing at Pearson’s Pond,” Felicity responded earnestly.

“Nah. Come on,” he said ducking under the fence. “Don’t you want some apples? You know Farmer Hobbs has the best apples around.” Felicity followed Timmy apprehensively. They crept further into the orchard, the trees casting shadows over them. “Come on! This way.” Timmy urged Felicity on.

Felicity grabbed onto Timmy’s shirt as she followed him into the orchard. “Hold on.” They stopped to listen. Felicity held her breath, both of them stood there frozen, as the leaves rustled, Felicity exhaled and Timmy turned around “Relax Lissie, it’s just the leaves.”

“Yeah” she gulped “just the leaves” she forced a smile as he picked a leaf out of her strawberry-blonde tendrils.

“Don’t worry. We’re on the other side of the orchard than we were last time. He’s probably walking around over there,” he pointed in the opposite direction.

They walked for a few more minutes, “Here. I’ll give you a boost.”

Felicity grunted as Timmy lifted her, “Got it” Timmy backed up as felicity swung her legs, and pulled herself up, Timmy climbed up next to Felicity. They caught their breath and smiled at one another. Timmy looked up and plucked a plump apple and handed it to Felicity “Here.” She smiled and told him thank you; he winked back and watched her bite into the apple. Timmy picked an apple for himself. The wind and chirping were silenced by their crunching. A ray of light broke through and landed across Felicity’s face highlighting her freckles. She looked up “I want that one” She pointed to a large ombre red and yellow apple.

“Your wish is my command.” Timmy stood up and started to climb the branches.

He climbed higher and higher “Be careful,” Felicity called after him.

Timmy reached for the apple, plucked it from its stem, and climbed down. He handed the apple to her “Here. It’s an Ambrosia apple. The fruit of the gods.” They laughed at his corny joke.

“Let’s pick a few more and take them home.”

“Why? There’s an orchard full of them, we can just come back and pick ‘em whenever.”

Felicity frowned. She didn’t want to get in trouble or have Farmer Hobbs’s rottweilers chase her down.

Timmy saw the concern on her face “Come on, let’s head back,” he pulled her up “I’ll jump down and catch’ya.” Timmy grunted when he hit the ground. He turned around and put his hands up “Go ahead, jump.”

Felicity landed softly in his arms and a moment passed before Timmy set her down.

In the distance they heard the dogs barking, “Hurry, let’s get outta here.” Timmy grabbed Felicity’s hand and pulled her along. The barking grew closer, Timmy and Felicity reached the edge of the orchard, Timmy hopped over the fence and waited for Felicity to climb over catching her on the other side.

Behind them, they heard Farmer Hobbs yell “Darn you kids. Keep off my property.” He pulled his dogs back and they growled and barked after them.

Felicity and Timmy ran all the way back to her house. They ran up the steps of her porch and stopped to catch their breath before going inside. “That was crazy,” she said punching Timmy on the arm.

“Hey! We got away didn’t we?”

“Barely,” Felicity said faintly panting. She rested her head on his shoulder, he leaned in and rested his head on top of hers. Their hearts beat in time with one another. They sat there and watched the sunset.

“Well, I should go home.”

“Oh, yeah it’s getting late. My dad should be home soon.”

“Same time. Same place,” Timmy said walking backward.

“Yeah. Sure.” Felicity told him.

He smiled and turned around.

“Timmy,” his mother yelled from his front yard. ”Oh, there you are. Dinner’s ready.”

“Ok Mom. I’m comin’” He looked over at Felicity and he waved at her. She returned the wave with a heavy sigh.

Summer turned to fall. Warm days turned crisp, with the brisk wind of autumn. Timmy and Felicity grew up, and Felicity went off to college.

Felicity was finishing her packing when her mom called from downstairs “Here. This is for you.” She handed Felicity an apple with an envelope.

Her mom stood there perplexed, while Felicity smiled knowingly, “Thanks, Mom. I need to go finish packing.” She ran upstairs and threw herself on her bed.

Lissie,

I risked my life to bring you this. [Felicity chuckled]

Don’t forget me at your fancy college.

Timmy

“The fruit of the gods,” she sniffled as she wiped away her tears.

During her first year, Felicity was undeclared. She took a wide array of classes from anthropology to astronomy, college algebra to creative writing. Felicity was focused on graduating as quickly as possible. Every Friday her roommate invited her to parties, but she declined instead she would video chat Timmy.

“Have you been in Farmer Hobbs’s apple orchard lately?” she asked hopefully.

“Nah,” he lied, “that’s kid stuff.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

They talked for hours, and sometimes just had their quiet moments. In the background, Felicity’s inebriated roommate was trying to unlock the door but was having trouble sticking the key into the keyhole.

“Well, I better go help my roomie with the door. If I don’t let her in she’ll just sleep in the hallway,” she chuckled.

“Yeah. I should let you go. You probably have some chemistry test to study for.”

Felicity half-smiled “Bye.”

“G’night. Sleep tight.” Timmy responded

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

Felicity reluctantly ended the call and let out a huge sigh.

Timmy closed his laptop and reached for an ambrosia apple, a few apples rolled off his desk, “the fruit of the gods,” he softly muttered. That night he slept with his window open. The sweet and spicy smell of apples floated in through his window, and visions of Felicity climbing up the trees, eating Farmer Hobbs’s apples, and the sun bouncing off her shiny hair stuck to the back of his eyelids.

Felicity’s second year came and went, she was still undecided with 60 credits. The college sent her a letter telling her if she didn’t choose a major soon she would be put on probation, and lose her scholarship. The summer between her second and third years she went home to visit. Her parents gave her advice, and she pondered it.

Timmy took her to Farmer Hobbs’s orchard, and they hopped the fence and climbed their favorite tree.

“I don’t know what to do? If I don’t select a major I won’t be able to go to school in the fall.”

A hopeful smile flashed across Timmy’s face “That sucks.” He choked trying not to sound too excited. He did a horrible job of covering it up, Felicity saw right through him, as she always did.

Quiet passed between them, “Do you want an apple?” Timmy broke the silence

Felicity shook her head in acceptance and pointed to the one she wanted. “Your wish is my command.”

Timmy climbed higher, clutching from branch to branch, finally he reached the apple Felicity requested and climbed down. He handed her the apple and said “Here. It’s an Ambrosia apple. The fruit of the gods.”

Her sadness melted away, and hope flooded over her. “I know what I want to do now.”

Timmy smiled and sat down by her on the branch. “I’m happy for you,” the words were stuck in his throat.

They sat for hours holding each other. The sun went down, and they continued to hold one another. Their parents called them to dinner like they did when they were younger, and they continued to hold one another. When they were ready to go, Timmy jumped down and caught Felicity.

“Wait.” Timmy pulled Felicity back. “We need to carve the tree.”

“But Farmer Hobbs will know it’s us.”

“He’s known for years. He won’t care.”

Felicity gave him the glare, but he didn’t back down.

TC + FP

4 EVER

Timmy grabbed a low-hanging apple and handed it to Felicity, “for the road.”

The end of August came and Timmy watched Felicity drive back to her fancy college, to get a fancy degree.

Winter turned to spring. The Snow melted and the flowers bloomed. Felicity graduated from college with a bachelor’s in classical studies and drove home. She parked her car in front of her house and ran over to Timmy’s. She knocked on his door. “Hello Mrs. Collins. Is Timmy home?”

“No. He’s…”

Felicity turned and ran away before Mrs. Collins could finish her sentence. She dashed to Farmer Hobbs’s orchard as fast as her feet could take her. Waiting in anticipation by the fence was Timmy.

“I knew you would be here,” Felicity panted heavily.

The sunlight cut through the shade of the apple trees. Felicity’s green eyes flickered as Timmy lightly brushed her cheek.

“I missed you every day,” she told him.

“I know, you can say I missed you too, I guess” he smirked as he raised his brow.

They both laughed, with a hint of awkwardness. He leaned in to kiss her, softly, sweetly.

“After you.”

She pulled away, grabbed his hand, and led him into the orchard.

Spring turned to summer. The soft air turned blistering. Timmy and Felicity married and had children of their own. Farmer Hobbs grew old, and his dogs weren’t as fast or as scary as they used to be. When Felicity and Timmy hopped the fence, the dogs no longer growled at them but licked their hands. Timmy reached up and plucked two crunchy ambrosia apples and gave them to the dogs; they laid down on the cold dirt and ate the apples. Timmy gave Felicity a boost and climbed up after her. They sat on the branches eating Farmer Hobbs’s ambrosia apples, the fruit of the gods.