Chapter six

I entered one of the built up tents outside with the intention to assist the interns and help get the covid tests done but became distracted when I saw a familiar face amongst the crowd of patients in the queue. A blocky grey haired and wrinkled old man. I spotted him by his bright and colourful overall, that you could recognise a mile away.

I walk towards him with a massive smile on my face and a thousand feelings flooding my mind.

" Farmer Bryce, what are you doing here ? " I asked surprised and filled with joy to see him after all these years

" You leave the farm and then label me as farmer Bryce " - he laughed and took a closer look at me

" I'm sorry uncle Bryce, I'm so happy to see you after all these years " - I smiled and pulled out my clipboard to fill in his details

" You made it, you achieved your goal ... are you happy now ? " - he asked truly concerned

I tried to ignore his question because it would bring up the topic that I was not prepared to talk about right now. Just thinking about the time I spent living on the farm had my mind overworking and replaying memories that I try to keep hidden away.

" why are you here " - I asked avoiding his question and taking a seat beside him

" I was experiencing a slight temperature so I assumed the right thing to do would be to get tested. I don't want to put any of my animals in danger " - he winked at me and let out a slight dry cough

" firstly, you can't infect your cows, goats or pigs with the corona virus uncle Bryce and... the city , I meant what are you doing out of the settlements and in the city ? " - I curiously asked knowing that he has a whole farm to take care of.

From what I remember he raised fields crops, orchards and vineyards. He was involved in agriculture, growing vegetables and fruit for commercial purposes. As well as owned a poultry farm and livestock farming mostly to sustain his family and rarely sold them.

" Just arrived with a truckload of vegetables, I'll be traveling back to the farm tomorrow if my test comes back negative " - he informed me and filled in his details on the patients form.

" I'll get you your results as soon as I can " - I said and glanced over at Dr Wright that was trying to attract my attention from across the tent.

" When are you and zayn taking a trip and visiting us ? " - he asked with a huge smile on his face.

Zayn? Zayn has been my best friend since primary school. He was my next door neighbour for fifteen years before we ran away to the farm together. I caused him to ruin his perfect relationship with his family, we dropped out of school to spend a year in a remote rural settlement where no one could find us. We went back after a year but his family didn't forgive him and he took all the blame for my sake. We completed highschool together and he was my dream prom partner. Zayn was my first kiss and healer of my broken heart. I fell in love with him at the farm. I was in terrible state, emotionally and physically. Every inch of my body ached and I was emotionally unstable from what I've experienced before running away. But zayn took care of me, hand and foot and never let a tear fall from my eyes. I guess he was just looking out for me and had pity over me because of my situation. I took it the wrong way, I assumed he had fallen in love with me too and years later I still held on to our time at the farm. The day I met Dr Adam, when I treated his dislocated knee and mistook him for a patient, I found out that Zayn was dating someone new and he told me that he had never experienced love until he met her. That's the reason I was so on edge that day, that's the reason I let myself ask James to come home and had slept with him that night. Finding out Zayn was dating someone else is the reason for my current relationship with Dr Adam.

A relationship where love is absent and lust is the core that connects us both.

" It's been insane at the hospital for months since the pandemic hit, I haven't seen him since April " - I said trying not to mention his new girlfriend

" Well, when this is all over. I expect a visit from you both. I think I deserve that " - he said slightly breathy

Our time at the farm was difficult, especially for two teenagers that had no money and no place to live. Farmer Bryce found us one day when zayn tried to steal an egg from his chicken. Terrified as anyone would be, he ran away expecting to be chased or caught by a police. Instead he ran into a cow and cracked the egg on his face after his fall. Farmer Bryce welcomed us into his family and took great care of me during the most difficult period of my life. We tried not to give him every detail because we were afraid that he'll report us and that we would be taken back home. But his family treated us as their own and were very caring towards us. He gave us little jobs to help him with at the farm in return for food and shelter. We lived there for an entire year and became so attached to the animals.

My favourite time was harvesting because we got to watch different seeds that we planted grow into crops, vegetables and fruits. It was interesting learning the different ways that each fruit or vegetable grew in. Zayn had become so good with milking the cows that he even named each one of them.

" You deserve alot more then that, I'll forever be grateful to you for what you've done for me" - I thankfully said and woke up from beside him and opened the swap test.

" You are strong and you are a warrior. I hope one day that your daughter learns about you " - he said bringing up the one thing that I tried to avoid. I sighed as a tear escaped from my eyelids