Opinion
Chelsea smiled, carrying on her arm a wicker basket lined with a gingham fabric. The basket was light; it contained a single carrot, lying on the bottom, orange flesh standing out starkly against the faded red material. It was Fall, and the air was as crisp as the vegetable she was toting around was sure to be. But it wasn’t intended for her.
Oh, no. That particular Fall day, with the sun overhead and the calendar left behind in her farmhouse turned to the tenth day of the season, a Wednesday, was the day that she was going to get that stubborn animal trader to eat the darn carrot.
Literally.
“I don’t like carrots,” he had grunted in her direction when she had tried to offer him some the year before, when he was still fairly new to the village. She had blinked – who harbors such a dislike against a vegetable, for Goddess’ sake? – but hadn’t pushed the issue, seeing as he was a stranger, and even more than that, he was entitled to his own opinions, stupid as they may be.
But things had changed that year. If he could laugh in her presence, a genuine laugh, then surely he could eat a stupid little carrot.
Or so she thought.
“What’s that?” Julia asked the second Chelsea tried to slide in through the door of the Animal Store unannounced; a hard task, considering Mirabelle had tied a bell to the handle that clashed against the wood every time someone opened it. She winced, and shuffled her feet.
“A present.” Vague was not her game, try as she might.
Julia’s eyebrows shot up. “A present?” Her eyes slid across the room, where Vaughn was slouching against the counter, not paying attention to or hearing the girls’ conversation. “For who?”
Chelsea smiled. “I guess we’ll see…” She walked across the room, right to where the sulking figure was standing. Again, she was not a master of subtlety.
Vaughn finally regarded her when she stood directly in front of him, smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Hi, Chelsea,” he said. He looked at the basket. “What’s that?”
Chelsea’s grin brightened. “Something.”
Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Ooo-kay.” He turned his head away, pulling a small notebook out of his pocket.
Her grin faded a little bit. “Well? Aren’t you going to ask me what it is?”
He looked back up at her. “I thought I just did.”
She scoffed. “Well, you didn’t pursue it.” She reached into the basket, trying to build suspense by pretending to dig around, before pulling her hand back out, clasping the orange rod in her fist. “Taa-daa!”
Vaughn stared. “Is that a carrot?”
She nodded. “Yup.” She wrinkled her nose as she thrust it at him. “Here.”
He stared a little more. “Why are you giving it to me?”
”Because I want you to eat it.”
Sighing, he shook his head. The rim of his cowboy hat covered his face when he ducked. “Chelsea, we’ve been over this before…”
”Why don’t you like it? It’s just a carrot! They’re healthy!”
“Because I don’t like it, okay?” He made a disgusted noise and tried to push her hand away. She pouted, and he turned away, looking for an escape.
“Just try it,” she coaxed.
“Why should I?” His voice was low, but had an edge of steel in it. He was getting annoyed.
Chelsea smiled sweetly. “Because you love me.” He didn’t have to be facing her for her to see the splotchy red color rise up on his neck, in his cheeks. Even his ears were tomato red. “See? Your face is the color of a vegetable. It’s a sign!” She poked him with the top. Somewhere in the store, Julia giggled.
Vaughn, obviously trying to regain his composure, turned back with a bored expression. “Gimme the stupid carrot,” he snapped, reaching out and grabbing it from her. He took an exasperated bite, crunching loudly. His nose wrinkled, and he spat out the little mouthful he had taken. “Blech. That was disgusting!” He glared at Chelsea. “There. I tried your stupid carrot. Happy now?” He pushed the remains back at her, trying to ignore the satisfied grin on her face.
“Yes, I am.” She paused. “Do you want to know why I’m happy?” Vaughn gritted his teeth. She stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed him on the cheek, pulling his hat off and placing it on her own head. “Because it means that you really do love me.” She smiled sweetly, gathered her belongings, and skipped off before he had time to react. She still had the hat on her head when she called, “Now, see? Carrots aren’t that bad.”
