Among the Honey Crisps & Ginger Golds

Among the Honey Crisps & Ginger Golds

By: Scarlet A. Wolfheart

I picked Alley up on a cool crisp Autumn day. She was dressed in a big comfy sweater and leggings that fit all her curves right. She had left her hair down and flowing in the breeze. I am always so surprised by how she could take my breath away. Her beautiful auburn hair flowing down her back glistening in the early morning sunshine. Jumping out of the truck I go around and open the door for her, and she gives me one of those beautiful smiles of hers and it makes my heart flutter. Watching her climb up I admire her almost devotionally. Shutting the door, I run around the front of the truck jumping in. I look to her asking if she is ready and another megawatt smile crosses her face as she nodded her head yes. Smiling back at her I put the truck in drive heading toward the Bryerman Farm. We both have been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Our first date had been the same time last year. Apple picking at Bryerman Farm.

It had been a year full of surprise as I quickly fell head over heels for this beautiful spit fire of a woman sitting next to me. She thought today was just going to be another in a long list of fun dates. Little did she know that tonight would be incredibly special. It is a decent drive to their farm from Alley’s house, so we jammed country music on the way, singing too loud with the windows down hair blowing all around her face. She caught me staring once and blushed to her toes. I often wonder how I got so durn lucky to find her that day in line at the grocery store. The lady in front of us had a ton of coupons and was taking a while, I had a buggy and she had been holding all her stuff and struggling with the load. I told her she could set her stuff down in my buggy if she wanted. She did and we started to talk, and the rest is history. Our first date had been magical, and that day I knew I would marry that girl someday.

Her favorite song coming on turning to her I grin, “You’re as smooth as Tennessee Whiskey, You’re as sweet as strawberry wine,” I sing to her as Chris Stapleton belts it out from the speakers. Smiling back, she sings along squeezing my hand. As the song ends, we pull up to the front gate of the farm. I look over and say, “I love you, Alley.” She squeezes my hand and says ditto in the cute way she has a habit of doing. Pulling up to the front of the building that once was the barn now is their store front putting the truck in park. I jump down hurrying around the truck to open her door and help Alley down. She slides down my side as I help her down. I take in her scent of lilac, lavender and something sweet that I cannot ever place.  “You sure smell good today, Alley.” She blushes again but whispers, “Thank you. So, do you, Tucker. I love this shirt on you.” Tipping my hat, I say thank you ma’am in my best southern drawl. She giggles. How I love the sound of her laugh. Breathing deep, I realize I’m a tad nervous. Grabbing her hand, I guide her toward the entrance. Entering the store, we are hit with the sights and smells of autumn and a fall harvest. Going to the counter, “Hello, we need two baskets for apple picking. I had called in advance for a table. Tucker, Tucker Austin is my name.” The lady behind the counter grins wider. “Oh, yes, Tucker. We have you down right here.” She hands us two baskets and tells where to get a cart to pull it along. As we walk away, the lady speaks up at the last second saying that we should also check out the dahlia garden while we are out there because it’s been a late season and it’s still in full bloom. The lady gives us a small basket and a pair of clippers so we could pick some of the blooms. Smiling at her I take it and place it in our wagon. Taking Alley’s hand in my right I grab the wagon handle in the left and we head out. “Tucker, we should pick the flowers last, so they don’t wither.” Smiling I nod knowing that she is right after all.

We head for the orchard where they have the most beautiful display of apples for us to hand pick. Entering the patch, I glance at her face. Seeing the wonder on her face never gets old. One day she wants a big farm and lots of kids. She wants a small orchard of her own and flowers everywhere she always says. She wants to raise our own food and chickens in the yard. It’s what I dream of, too. She is like the dream woman if I ever had one. 

Pulling her toward the row of Ginger Gold it’s one of my favorites its sweet but has a hint of tartness. I stop in front of one with low hanging fruit. Alley is rather short at 5’4 compared to my 6’4 height. I want to make sure she can reach them. I pull off the first one grinning at her with a mischievous grin I take a bite just as she was saying I shouldn’t. She just shakes her head, and I wrap an arm around her pulling her close offering her a bite of it. She giggles but takes a bite. Moaning slightly, “It’s so good and juicy,” she says. Nodding I start pulling some off the trees. She notices the row beside these is Mcintosh apples and are good for pies. She starts picking those. She had mentioned she wanted to make a pie from what we picked today. Sighing contentedly, I turn back and pick a few more Ginger Gold then glance around to see if I can see anyone that works here but didn’t see a soul. I walk toward her and snake my arms and lift Alley up to where she can reach one that was higher up. She laughs out loud but grabs the apples in her reach. Putting them in the bucket she turns to me, “You know, just picking them yourself, mister, is much easier.” “Yes, I suppose, but this is much more fun,” I reply. She shakes her head but grins back, “Of course you would say that.”

She says, “I think I have about half a bucket. That should be plenty.” And starts to head back out of the aisle. I hurry to grab the cart and catch up to her. I must make sure and guide her the right way, so the surprise is not ruined. Catching up, “Where to now my lady?” She quirks a smile at my best attempt at a gentlemanly voice. “Well, I want to get honey crisp. You know they are my favorites.” Nodding. Of course, I know, I think to myself. “Yes, but they are way down at the end we should check these other rows first that way we can end up at the dahlia field.” She nods agreeing as we slowly walk down the path to the next row. Which happens to be the biggest Fuji apples ever. Her eyes went wide, “Tuck, those are huge. Even bigger than I remember them being last year.” Nodding, I agree.

I follow her down the aisle as she painstakingly picks the ones she thinks is best and hands them to me. I follow her along the row just admiring how beautiful she looks out in the orchard sun, making her red hair sparkle like fire. When she raises her arms up you can see all her curves. “Enjoying the view?” She turns to me catching me off guard and ask why I’m not picking any. “Well, Darlin’, to be honest I was admiring the view,“ I say. She glances around and then back at me “It sure is beautiful here. One day I hope we have a place like this of our own.” Nodding at her, I chuckle, “Yes, me too. But that wasn’t the view I was admiring.” She turns to me blushing, but that chin over shoulder look can stop me dead in my tracks. It reminds me of how adorably cute she can be. But she is a devastatingly sexy and beautiful woman. It’s not just in looks though. She has the biggest heart and loves to care for people. That’s how I know she will make a wonderful mother. A sight I can’t wait to see, her body carrying our child so full of life. Shaking my head to clear that out of my mind, I brush a tendril of hair out of her face, “You’re the most beautiful creature on earth.” I slide my hand in further into her lush hair. Pulling her close I kiss her softly but demanding. It takes our breath away and for a second, it’s like everything just fades away. I hear her sigh into the kiss and her body leans into mine and for a second the two meld into one. Releasing her I hold her up just a second or two longer so she, too, can come back down to earth. Smiling, she looks up at me and says, “That makes everything else in the world right. One kiss from you and my life just suddenly makes perfect sense.” “Funny how I feel the same,” I add.

She turns and glances at the bucket. “I think we have enough of these. If we aren’t careful, they will take up all the space we have in the buckets. Onto the next row then?” She nods and we walk the short distance toward the end of this aisle. We pass the aisle of Rome, Empire, Red delicious, and Golden Delicious and come up to the Gala which is her dads favorite she walks down to pick him a few to take back just for him. Just like her to always think of others. I reach up to grab the one she’s trying to reach and bring the branch gently down to her level. She smiles and picks that one and a few more. “They really do have a big selection this year, Alley.” She nods as we are heading back out to the main aisle, “They sure do.”

Glancing at our buckets, she says, “We need to grab a few Granny Smiths in that next aisle then head to the Honey Crisp or there will not be any room for them.” “Hunnie, do not worry. You will get your favorite even if I have to buy whole bucket of them.” Laughing she glances sideways at me, “I would get fat if I ate a whole bucket of them.” Wrapping my arm around her waist, “I’d be fine with that. I’d love you anyway no matter. When we’re old and grey and even if your hair falls out.” She smiles as I quote one of her favorite songs. Deciding with the sun fully up and the day heating up we better head that way. We stop at the Granny Smiths so she could pick a few. Then head to the Honey Crisp.

Looking up as we turn down that aisle, I take a deep breath to try and slow my racing pulse. I see the beautiful arrangement of flowers on the table with the crisp white tablecloth and the chairs covered in red check pattern wrapped with a Burlap and red velvet ribbon bows with a little rose at the center on the back of each chair. They outdid themselves. Candles are lit and flickering on the table as we move closer. Shyly glancing Alley’s way trying to judge her expression, you can tell she is a tad confused and excited. Walking closer she gasps at the glasses and flatware all laid out for the two of us. She looks at me. “This all is for us?” she asks. “Yes, darling. It’s for you. It’s all for you. One year ago, today, was our first date and I wanted to show you today just how much you mean to me and how special that day was in my life.” Moving I pull out her seat to help her sit. By the time I got to my seat one of the servers from their farm café appeared to pour sparkling cider to us both. Cider made from their apples, it is very crisp and tart on my tongue. Looking over the glass to smile at her she squirmed a little in her seat glancing around seeing we’re all alone. She says, “This is the most beautiful surprise ever, babe. I love you.”

Brunch was served. Wonderful dishes containing apples. Who knew there were so many dishes that contain apples?  After the apple tart, we get up to pick her Honey Crisp apples which are crisp and thin skinned and super sweet no wonder it is her favorite. Not like she needs to be any sweeter. Leaning over as she puts the last in the basket, I sneak a kiss. She giggles after I let her go. She looks to me, “Is it time to go the flower patch?” I smile and nod knowing secretly the dahlia is one of her favorite’s flowers. Grabbing her hand, we head back down the row of apples toward the flower patch. My hands start to sweat on the way there even the one in her hand.

As we turn the corner, I can see the spot they had ready for this moment and urge her that way as she oohs and ahhs over the giant white dahlias that border the outside row of the garden. Turning the corner, she sees the rug laid out and the circle of arrangements full of color and so many different types of flowers. I don’t know all the types, but I bet she can name each one. Walking toward the center I pull her close and hug her tight letting up only to give her a sweet kiss. Letting go and looking down into her eyes, “Alley, my life changed that moment over a year ago and I can’t imagine what my world without you in it would be like now. You are the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning. You’re the very last thing I think of when I lay my head down at night. When I look out on my next 30 years, I see you by my side, with children as pretty as their momma and strong like their dad. I see us growing old and learning together. Buying that farm and living off the land. I want to make you happy and make even dreams you haven’t even dared to dream just yet, come true. I want to be that man you see in your past, present, and future.” Bending down never letting go of her hand I reach in my pocket with my left-hand kind of hard since I put the ring in my right pocket. Struggling I finally grasp the ring looking up at her hopefully. She is smiling from ear to ear with tears already running down her face. I raise the ring to where she can see it clearly. “Alley Bell, will you do me all the honor and become my wife forever and always? I love you more than life itself and need you by my side always.” I smile up at her waiting for what seemed like forever for her reply. Looking into her tear-filled eyes she smiles down at me so choked up that all she could do was shake her head yes. I quickly slip the ring on her finger and stand up wrapping my arms around her swinging her around in circles kissing her. I can’t believe it she said yes to a poor ol’ country boy like me. I promise her, god and the children to come I’ll never stop making her smile, laugh, and love for all my days to come. To the Future Mrs. Alley Austin, she will sure make a beautiful June bride!