Page 27 of Earth-Bound

“How long have you been doing that?”

“Since I was a kid. I used to work odd jobs for cash, and I discovered I was good with plants. It made sense for me to just keep doing that. Especially since I can always get a job when I move on.”

Terrund had been leaning towards me, nodding in a way that made me feel as though I was the absolute centre of his world while I spoke, but he suddenly sat back and blinked at me. It was as though I’d startled him.

“You move around a lot?”

“Yes. I like the open road.”

“Oh.”

There was a lot going on in that short word. I couldn’t work out what he meant by it.

“That a problem?”

He took a deep breath, calming himself, and then he asked, “You’re not moving on from here any time soon, are you?”

“No.”

He breathed out a sigh of relief. Strange.

I thought for a second. “I’ll stay and get Broadmire’s garden in order first. Should take me about another month or so.”

Terrund looked like I’d slapped him. His eyes were huge and hurt, and I had the overwhelming urge to put my hands on him, to comfort him and draw him to me in a tight hug.

I clenched my fists to stop myself from reaching for him.

Eventually, he broke the awkward silence that had started to build up between us. He cleared his throat.

“So you won’t leave for at least another month?”

“Probably not.”

“You will tell me before you leave, won’t you?”

“Uh, sure, if you want.”

Was it me, or was this guy getting strange?

He took a breath. “Then we have a whole month together. Perhaps you could help me to re-learn the land nearby? I have been… away for a long time.”

“You want me to tell you about the land?”

“If that would be agreeable to you.”

“Uh, sure. I’ve been working around here for a while now. Where do you want to start?”

“Start near the apple tree.”

A little part of my brain began to wave a red flag. The apple tree? The one I’d seen him walk out of?

No, I hadn’t seen him walk out of it, I reminded myself. That had been a trick of the light.

I clarified. “The one by the house?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” said Terrund, and he smiled at me again. I’d missed that smile. It made something in my chest ache to see it and I wanted to keep him smiling. I didn’t know what I’d said to make that smile go away before, but I didn’t want it to happen again.

Behind me, Broadmire butted into the conversation for the first time. I’d actually forgotten he was there.

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