A sweet taste of Companionship.

It was the beginning of October and the fall season was just beginning, and I was happy from seeing and smelling all things fall which is my favorite time of year. I was apple picking today at a local orchard and was enjoying my time in the sun there was a good group of people today just enjoying the weather and helping the orchard. One of my favorite things to do during this holiday is to learn new skills and things. So, choosing apple picking as my first activity on my list for this season was a good thing.

I had just finished up another basket when I heard giggling and saw a tree shaking near me, I smiled at this thinking well someone is enjoying their day.

I went back to my filling up another basket with apples and suddenly felt something small run into me, I looked down and saw a little blond-haired girl hiding behind my legs giggling. I smiled saying, “Well hi little one, where are your parents?” she giggled and pointed towards the tree from earlier and I smiled just as a young woman with the same colored hair came into view and I froze taking in a breath. She was breath taking I was just thinking well this fall season has just gotten better.

The young child hugging my leg giggled and hid again when the woman came closer shaking her head and saying,” I apologize for my child there she is being a sneaky little thing today.” I lightly giggled and nodded my head saying, “Well that is fine, I see you two are enjoying apple picking.” The little girl stuck her head out to this yelling,” Momma gonna make apple sauce and pie I love pie!” in an excited high-pitched voice before giggling and hiding again.

I giggled at her reaction and just shook my head telling the mother, “She is an adorable little girl.” The woman blushed thanking me saying, “Rhea baby we got to go back to picking some more apples.” The little girl giggled shaking her head saying,” Stay here.” I looked down at her and said, “Hay little one, more apples means’ more pie.” She squealed and giggled then pointed at the baskets of apples I had already filled. I blushed because there was like six baskets full. I mainly wanted to pick apples to enjoy the day and help the orchard owner, but I also was planning on making several apple dishes and was going a little overboard on my apple picking.

I giggled and said, “Yes I have picked a lot huh.” The mother looked at both of us smiling and I looked at her saying, “My name is Olivia Winter’s by the way, uhm and if she is tired you can have a few of my baskets of apples.” She blushed and said, “Yes she is tired that is why she ran from me. My name is Andrea Philips, and it is nice to meet you to and this little one as you know is Rhea and we have been out here for a few hours now.”

Rheas stuck her head out still holding my leg saying, “Momma, want home and, and pie.” She yawned and laid her head on my thigh. At this I couldn’t help but aww and looked back at Andrea asking, “Mind if I pick her up?” she looked at me for a bit contemplating letting me pick up her child before nodding, so I squatted down and said ,”Hey honey, you want me to hold you?” she giggled and nodded reaching up for me. I picked her up cradling her in my arms and saying,” I haven’t held a child this small since I saw my niece and nephew last Christmas.” Andrea gave me a look before smiling and saying, “If you were serious about the apples how about we get one of those wagon’s they have and head back up to the main building I heard they where serving drinks and different homemade apple dishes.

I smiled and nodded before we both headed to grab a wagon before grabbing our baskets of apples, I had seven all together and Andrea and Rhea had four. I was still holding Rhea but we managed to get all our apples in the wagon before both of us begun pulling it back to the main building, Arron one of the owners came out smiling saying, “Well Olivia I see you went over board in two hours again.” I blushed and giggled saying, “I only got seven baskets full the other four are Andrea’s here.” He laughed and said, “Well as usual you make my day for everyone who comes to pick apples to buy and use you always get more then needed.” I laughed saying, “I know but I like to help you out a little here and there.”

Shaking his head, he said, “Well you ladies enjoy the food and drinks and how many are you taking today?” I shrugged looking over at Andrea asking,” Uhm how many were you needing?” she blushed saying, “I have the four but needed at least two more.” I giggled and just looked back at Arron saying, “I’ll take them all today, I plan on trying out some new recipes.” He smiled and nodded before saying, “Well good luck to both you lovely ladies and Olivia be sure to bring back samples you know me and Karan love it when we try something new that we didn’t make ourselves.” I nodded and said, “I will, and I’ll be sure to bring some of the apple wine you love so much.”

At that he clapped his hand saying, “OH goodie that stuff is so good it’s like you got it from the apple god herself.” I giggled at his reaction saying, “Well see you later I think this little one here and her mother would love to eat some lunch.” He nodded and said his goodbyes before going into the building to check on his workers.

I looked down and little Rhea was passed out in my arms and I smiled before looking at Andrea saying, “Sorry about that I’ve known the Green family for years now and we always get to talking when we see one another.” She just smiled saying, “That is all right getting to know people is a good thing. Me and Rhea just moved here last month from Seattle it was time for a small town compared to a big city.” She smiled and so did I before we started walking towards the picknick area they had sat up. we got drinks and food setting down and just talking about our morning. Rhea was still asleep by the time we finished, and Andrea looked at me smiling saying, “Isn’t your arms tired yet?” I blushed saying, “Well you see my right one fell asleep about thirty minutes ago and I just didn’t want to wake her she is peaceful and adorable like this.”

Andrea shook her head saying, “Your silly but I’ll take her so you can get your arm awake because I’ll need your help with the apples again.” I giggled and nodded gently handing Rhea over to her mother and then slightly whimpering as I stretched getting my arm to wake up and get circulation back into my muscles. Andrea just watched me silently giggling so she would not wake Rhea and I said, “OH hush you.” She giggled again and covered her mouth as I made my final stretch popping my back and setting back down.

Smiling I asked, “So is fall your favorite time of year or are you just an apple fan?” she smiled and said, “I love apples but I also love fall to but pretty much any holiday that involves making homemade sweets and figuring out new flavors for dishes, making new recipes.” I nodded and said, “Same though fall is my favorite the color’s and smell’s remind me when I was little and my grandmother would be making all sorts of pies through out the week, she always had people buying them from her because they were so delicious.”

She nodded and said, “I wouldn’t doubt that from what little I know about you so far you seem to have a knack for cooking and different recipes as well.” We both just smiled and enjoyed the silence after talking for a bit and watching the leaves around us change colors as well as watching all the other family’s enjoying their day of apple picking. I was glad I chose to come today because you do not see such relaxed and happy people that often throughout the year.

We both looked at each other and I said, “I’ll go and back my truck up to the loading area and we can hall all the apples that way and I’ll drop yours at your place on the way home if that is alright.” She smiled and nodded saying, “That sounds good, I don’t know if I would have gotten so many in my little car.” I giggled and nodded getting up heading to my truck, I got to it and got in then drove over to the loading area and backed up. I saw Arron in my rearview mirror when I was getting out so, I walked to the back of the truck opening the tail gate saying, “So how is everything going so far this year?” he smiled and said, “Grate we actually sold five semi-truck loads full to a few local grocers and some out of state and Karan has been selling her homemade pies and other dishes like crazy. Have you begun selling yours at the local farmers market yet?” I smiled and said, “I’m starting a little late this year, but I have a booth set up ready for my first batch of wine, pies, and other goodies for Saturday. I am glad you two are having a good start this year with all the Covid19 stuff going around.”

He nodded and shrugged saying,” Yeah but we can’t let it affect our business if we do, we will be in a whole by the end of the year. Hey that woman Andrea I think you said her name was is a gorgeous woman have you known her long?” I blushed and shook my head saying, “No you know me I have been single for two long years now and I just met Andrea and her little three year old Rhea just today thanks to you and your wife having a apple picking day.” He laughed and said, “Well glad we could help be sure to ask her out now because I haven’t seen you smile this much since before Jacklyn passed.” I smiled a sad smile but shook it off and said ,”Yeah I know I miss her but I think it is time to start anew and I think Andrea and Rhea are just the two to make me open up again even if we just met a few hours ago. Now how about helping me load all these apples.” He smiled and laughed nodding, so we filled my truck up and said our goodbyes before I headed back to Andrea and Rhea.

I got to the table we had been sitting at and I see Rhea awake cuddled up to her mother playing with her hair while eating a sandwich. I smiled and said, “Aww now that is the cutest thing other then her sleeping other that I have seen.” Andrea blushed and giggled saying, “Thank you for the compliment and are you ready to load the apples?” I smiled and shook my head saying, “Already done, I ran into Arron again and he helped me load them into my truck so we are all good to go if you are ready I can follow you back to your place to unload your apples.” She nodded and stood up holding Rhea who smiled at me reaching out, I said,” Hey little one how was your nap?” I took her and held her close as she mumbles over her sandwich saying,” Gwood, momma gave me food when I waked.” I smiled and said, “Well that is good you need food after all the excitement today.” We had made it to Andrea’s little red car and I said, “Well little one I have to let your momma buckle you into your car seat now but we can see each other in a bit ok.” She gives me a pouty face but yawns and goes to her mother, I smile at them saying, “I’ll get in my truck and follow you.” She turned after buckling Rhea in saying,” Ok that is fine.”

We both go into our vehicles and head on our way. I followed her for about eight miles and she drove into a long driveway heading to her house and I smiled because it just so happens she is my neighbor, well she is like five miles from me but out in the country that is normal for neighbors. We pulled into the drive and I turned around backing up to her front porch for easier unloading. Getting out I just made it to open the tail gate when I felt little arms squeezing my leg, I giggled saying ,”Ok little one I have to open this up and need you to stay back so it don’t hit your little head, then you can sit down on it so me and your momma can unload your apples.” She giggled and nodded stepping back, I opened the tail gate then reached down picking her up and setting her on the tail gate saying, “Now be a good girl for me and don’t move around too much I don’t need you falling down ok.” She nodded just as her mother came up saying, “Like Olivia said baby don’t move around to much. And thank you for watching her, she bolted for you the moment I got her out of the car.” I smiled saying, “That is alright I am only glad she is safe and happy.” I smiled and began unloading baskets of apples, Andrea then looked at me smiling and began helping we unloaded six baskets which left me with five of them. We finished and I helped Rhea down again closing my tail gate then looking back at both girls saying, “Well ladies it has been a lovely morning especially meeting you two.” They both giggled and Andrea said, “I agree it was fun meeting you as well as your help with little Rhea here.” I smiled and said, “How could I not she is adorable, and you saved me from over picking apples as well.” She giggled at that and Rhea bounced up to me saying, “We see you again yes?” I smiled nodding then looking at Andrea and rubbing the back of my head before asking, “Uhm this is forward, and we just met but would you like to go out on a date sometime?” I watched her waiting for an answer, she blushed bright as a ripe apple and said, “Well now that is forward but I would actually love to, it has been awhile since I have went on a date but I look forward to our time together.” I smiled and blushed before saying, “Well I am glad and same for me as well, also I believe apple picking was my best first choice for the fall season.” She giggled at that and nodded before we both said goodbye and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.

I could not believe my luck and will forever be grate for apple picking in the future if this leads to a future with Andrea and Rhea. I got in my truck and drove away feeling happy and enjoying the fall season and the rest of this beautiful day.