The Green Family Story - Chapter 2

 Generation 1: Living off the Land
You've always dreamed of running your own farm...living in the country, enjoying the fresh air, avoiding the rat race.
Goals:
1. Complete Freelance Botanist and Angling Ace (founder), and Big Happy Family (spouse) 
2. Reach the top of the Gardening career
3. Max the gardening, fishing, and flower arranging skills (founder) and the parenting skill (spouse)
4. Get married...but no woohoo before marriage
5. Have at least three children, and at least one boy and one girl
6. Grow a garden with all types of plants (except the Outdoor Adventure plants)

7. Catch every type of fish (except the Sulani fish)

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Another day, another meal in the park. One of the vendors nearby was selling corn, and it tasted pretty good after a bit of time on the grill. I'm still no great chef, but I think I'm learning. The cool morning is just warming up as I finished my breakfast, when out of the blue I got a call from Minkz!



We'd gotten along so well the afternoon we hung out, that he was the first person I shared a little more of my situation with. He knows that I own some land, but basically have nothing else to my name and have been living in parks and gyms since I got here.



He told me I should make myself at home, and even let me use his shower (my first shower in a private bathroom in I don't know how long).



Then he introduced me to his Mum, who made me a sandwich and made me feel just as welcome. Her name is Christian, and her and Minkz live in Oasis Springs in a cute, comfortable little place, just the two of them. Minkz told me yesterday he never met his Dad; it's been just him and Christian his whole life, and they're really close.



I can see why. Christian is so lovely. She made me feel right at home, and not at all ashamed for needing to take advantage of their hospitality.



Later that evening, before I headed home, she told me I was always welcome and should stop by any time I needed anything - a meal, a shower, even a bed. How generous is that? I only just met her son, and while we hit it off right away and I feel like I've known him for much longer, not everyone would welcome a practically homeless teenager into their life no questions asked.



I left my tent the next morning to head to school in the best mood. Rested, clean, and feeling like someone cared. It was the best feeling in the world.



My little garden was coming along too. I fished up this strange seed in the park...who knows what it's growing in to, but I'm intrigued to find out.



I'm feeling so good, in fact, that after school I have plenty of energy to not only get my homework done, but also read a gardening book for a while to learn more about how to care for my plants.



I'm quickly able to put my new knowledge to use, adding more plants to my garden, using seeds I've gathered from wild plants growing in the places I've been exploring. Bluebells might not be able to feed me, but I've found a local florist willing to buy any quality flowers I can grow.

 

It's a good thing my garden is starting to produce a tiny bit of income, because bills were due today. You wouldn't think a tent would generate much in the way of bills, but I have to pay taxes on the land I guess. In the grand scheme of things it's not much that I owe, but when you have a few hundred to your name, losing $90 kind of hurts.



Not too much later, I received a phone call from Christian directly - not even from Minkz! - inviting me back around. I think she wanted to make absolutely sure I felt welcomed back, and I have to admit I was hesitant to invite myself over again. I know Christian was being genuine in her hospitality, but I didn't want to impose. Minkz made me promise to come over every day unless I had other commitments, and even helped me catch up on homework as he's been able to keep up, while I've fallen behind because of my rocky start at the school.



While Minkz and I worked, Christian fired up the grill and made us an incredible meal. I could smell it from inside as she cooked and it made my mouth water. I haven't had a decent home-cooked meal since...well, since my Gran died, I guess.



I tell her about my Gran and the inheritance she left me, and choosing to buy my land, and she tells me a bit more about her life here in Oasis Springs, raising Minkz as a single mother.



Then she insists I stay the night, saying it's too late for me to get the bus home safely. Minkz gallantly gives me his room and kips on the couch. I can't believe the generosity of this family - Minkz is thoughtful, kind, and doesn't make me feel at all lesser for not having a home of my own. And his Mum is the most welcoming person ever, opening her home to me like this. I can't deny that having a night in a REAL bed is an incredible treat.



Finally, to top off a great visit, I'm able to pick a few ripe cherries at the park across the road before Minkz and I have to head to school. 



Pretty soon I fall into a routine, heading back to Minkz' house with him after school almost every day. We do our homework, his Mum cooks us dinner, and I grab a shower if I need it. Occasionally I stay the night though normally I head back to my tent, feeling bad about making Minkz sleep on the couch even though he insists he doesn't mind. I really like Minkz though, and I don't want him to only think of me as the homeless girl he's friends with...so I attempt some flirting. Badly. It's very awkward. Minkz doesn't seem to mind though!



He and I hike out to this beautiful place called the Bluffs one weekend. We're the only ones out there and find a gorgeous old pool to swim in, surrounded by water lilies. It's a wonderful day, even though a thunderstorm rolls in. Actually, the storm made it even more beautiful, I think.



Well, at first it did. Then poor Minkz got struck by lightning! It was terrifying. Luckily he was okay, just a bit dazed, but it just about gave me a heart attack. It's pretty cool to be able to say you went swimming in an ancient pool in a thunderstorm but I don't think we'll try it again any time soon.



It's a stormy time of the year I guess, because I've been going to sleep with storms crashing around the tent a lot lately. Sometimes, the lightning leaves rare metals behind, and I've been stashing them in the hopes of selling them some day. Anyway, after the bluffs Minkz came to my farm for the very first time, and I showed him around. He was impressed by the land and the garden I've started, and I have to say...I think you know a guy is right for you when you feel proud to show him your tent and cooler, which are the only things you have, instead of embarrassed.



I don't rely entirely on Minkz and Christian to get by though. As welcome as I feel at their house, I've been looking after myself for a while and I can still make do with the gym for showers from time to time. It's useful for meeting people too, like Nalani, who might be the prettiest person I've ever met and who I convinced to buy one of my frogs as a pet.



Selling that frog actually meant I could buy an old table from a secondhand shop, jazz it up at bit, and start selling the things I collect right from on my farm instead of having to track people down to buy things. I just posted a yard sale message online and in no time at all people started coming by. 



One of my past customers - Bjorn, remember him? He bought frogs off me for his kids before - saw my name on the ad and swung by. He bought one of the dolls for his kid too, though I think he was just being nice.



And then he...made it super awkward by making out with this woman, who I happen to know is NOT his wife, right there in my yard. This neighbourhood is really into sharing the love around at the moment, you know? I'm sure his wife knows and doesn't mind...I wish they'd do it elsewhere though. They scared off my other customers.



Even so, the yard sale was a success, making back the money I spent on the table and decorations, and I couldn't wait to tell Christian and Minkz about it.



Christian is cooking again, of course. There's always a new delicious meal to try when I visit.



Minkz and Christian are both so excited for me when they hear about my yard sale set-up. Between that and my garden, I now have a couple of ways to pretty reliably earn money. I feel like I've come a long way from that first day in the park, when I barely scraped together enough coins for a meal.



After dinner, Minkz and I thank his Mum and head out to his local park, where I make grilled fruit for dessert. A few other people our age are hanging out there, and I meet a girl called Morgan Fyre. She goes to a different school than us, so I haven't met her before, but we gel immediately. She and I both believe in being good people - kind, thoughtful, and caring.



Of course, I'm mainly there to spend time with Minkz, and we're definitely getting closer the more we get to know each other.



In fact...I hadn't planned on it, exactly, but the mood was right and all of a sudden I found myself kissing him for the very first time...
It was perfect, in the quiet of the park under the stars. I was so happy as I headed home that night, I couldn't stop thinking about him...and it turned out to be the perfect end to my high school experience.



Because, that very night, it was my birthday. I hadn't told anyone that I was finally old enough to leave school, find a job...be considered a real adult. I quietly celebrated by myself, but I didn't mind. I could have told Christian and Minkz and they would have thrown a party for me, had a cake, the whole nine yards, but I wanted a moment by myself to celebrate making it this far.