Uncomplicated 3.7: Of course

      Something smells just awful in this house. Walking over to the fridge, I discover the source.

     Ugh! That is FOUL! I try in vain to fan the air away from my face. I gag.

     I quickly remove everything nasty in my fridge and easily fill an environmentally-safe trash bag. Almost all the leftovers from Serenity's birthday party have spoiled. I tightly seal the bag and throw it in the recycling bin. Later, I'll work on turning it into compost.... after my stomach settles.

      It doesn't work! My stomach refuses to settle down! I have to run to the bathroom and be sick.

     After that, I feel somewhat better and decide to start my day.
      I like to get a little gardening done before taking a shower, and that plus not having any neighbors, I go ahead and spend the first part of my mornings in my pajamas.

      Something about my tomato plant sets off another wave of nausea.
      Bonnie is at home this morning, so she sees me as I run off to the edge of the water and upchuck what's left in my stomach. I don't want to leave a mess in my beautiful garden.

     I decide to take a shower now, knowing that will make me feel cleaner after having been sick twice this morning. The shower feels so good! I stay in it longer than normal, enjoying the warm water on my face.
     "Your typical five minute shower has turned into thirty," Bonnie points out as she comes over to do the laundry. "I'm starting to worry there won't be any hot water left for me." She's taken more showers at home ever since Edward put up the little fence. She also, obviously, has decided to give living here another chance. Her band practices in the yard, and they're getting pretty good. The livestock hates them, though.

     "Oh!" I exclaim in shock. I've wasted natural resources for my own selfish purposes! "Sorry." I step down out of the shower and hold my head from suddenly feeling woozy.

     "Are you okay?" Bonnie asks, and I quickly drop my hand and spin into my everyday wear.

     "I'm fine," I tell her and get back to work. It's true. The rest of the day, I feel just fine.
     As I work on my garden, Luke calls. We've started getting real serious... and frisky. In fact, one day while he was in between stake-outs, he came over. All of a sudden, the outdoor shower looked very inviting, and we decided a little woohoo was in order.
     I wonder how much Bonnie knows about Luke and me. She knows we're dating, but sometimes, I get that 'mother' look from her like she suspects we're more than just seeing each other. She'd better not start giving me a lecture. She has no room to talk! Serenity has more than once rolled her eyes as she's climbed into bed without her mother at home. Bonnie claims that all the late nights are due to her band, but she's not fooling anyone.
     Luke invites me to a party at his house a few nights from now. Of course I'll come! Oh boy, will I ever...

     This evening, Serenity comes out and tells me something's wrong with our toilet. I honestly hate this thing. I've been wanting to get a composting toilet, but Bonnie put her foot down with an absolute no, no way in hell. So, I get out the plunger and hope for the best.
     I can't get the darn thing to work! What do I do now?

     Well, he did say he'd help if needed, day or night, I think, remembering something Edward said what feels like ages ago. But that was when he was my landlord, not just the one still holding the deed for another year or so. I decide the worst that could happen is that Edward will say he can't come help.
      He answers the phone in a curt, business-like way. I swallow and ask for the help I need, hoping I sound polite and not desperate. I don't know how well that works. At any rate, his voice softens, and he says, "I'll be right there."

      I hear his car pull up from where I stand at the clothesline, and I walk around the corner of the house to meet him. A small smile pulls at the corners of his mouth when he sees me. Immediately, I start into an apology.
      "I'm sorry to call you out like this. I realize you don't have any obligation to come help me fix my dern toilet, but I just don't know what else to do." Then, I realize something. "I probably should've just called a repairman. I wasn't thinking clearly. Sorry." As I talk, both his smile and shoulders start to droop.

      "Ana, I don't mind, but if you don't want me here, I can go," he replies sadly. He takes a step backwards.
      "Well, you're here anyway, so thank you for coming out, even if you don't really have to," I say to hopefully stop him from leaving.
      "Of course I'd come out if you need me. All you've ever had to do was ask," he tells me with that same look he had when I told him I wanted to buy the property. "Let me go have a look."
       "Okay," I say and then want to die of mortification. Edward is going to go discover a nasty mess in my bathroom, a bathroom as part of something he himself designed. He'll see it as an absolute disaster. I feel like I've disappointed him, like I've failed. Why didn't I think of this before I called him? A repairman wouldn't care because it'd be something he sees all the time. But Edward... Well, it'll be tough for the architect to witness the destruction of something he loved.
     He stops more water from coming in and somehow manages to fix the clog. Then, he proceeds to start cleaning up the mess. "No, it's okay. I'll do that."
     He merely looks at me and then walks to the sink to wash himself up. We go back outside to stand and talk again.

      "Now, in order to avoid that happening again..." He goes on to explain how to better use the water-efficient commode. "It only really gets like that if it's been used too much."
      I blush in the darkening light. Used too much. Yes, I've been using it much more frequently. Maybe I need to lay off the orange juice.

     "Ana, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," he tells me. I guess he saw my blush.
     "But I am. You come over for the first time in months only to walk in and see a disaster. I don't want you to think I'm a slob," I tell him, and I suddenly want to cry. Why would I cry over this? Yes, I'm a little bummed, but it's not worth crying over.

     His voice carries a heavy weight of sincerity when he says, "I would never, not in a million years, call you a slob. You're an amazing woman, Ana. You've taken this dream I had and turned it into a thriving reality, even thinking of ways to make it better. If only everyone would follow your example."
     I can't help but blush again at the tremendous compliment. I think I've... really missed Edward being around, even if I didn't used to like it, and even if I can't look at the intense expression in his eyes right now. He's been the only one that understands why I want to live like this.
     "There are ways I could do it even better, but I think Bonnie would have a nervous breakdown," I say with a small smile. "If we had weather in this save, I could trap water in a cistern above the roof and stop using the washing machine, washing my clothes by hand to avoid using the electricity. I've been meaning to tell you to consider designing larger windows to take advantage of the natural light."
     "Have you any idea how refreshing it is to hear that?" he says quietly.
     I look at him questioningly.

     He explains himself. "Everyone else thinks I'm nuts. 'Crazy Edward wanting to save the world one tiny house at a time, wanting to turn people into sardines.'" He laughs at his self-mocking. "I've discovered where the real problem lies, so I've decided to run for mayor."

     "That's a wonderful idea! Not that I know much about this town, but I'm sure you'll do swell." I just said swell. "If you're looking for anyone to practice speeches on, give me a ring." Now who's going native?
     He looks thrilled in a surprised way. "That... would be... wonderful. I actually have one speech prepared, but it's at home. Could I... come by and read it to you?" He asks about the same night of Luke's party, and I tell him I'll be busy. His eyes droop, and his shoulders slump.
     "But the next night would be swell." What's happened? Why can't I just say 'good' or 'fine'? I blame time spent with Luke and his buddies.
     Edward smiles a small smile at me. "I'll be here." Then, he mentions how he can see I'm exhausted, that it must be quite late in the day for a farmer, and he leaves with a happy wave.

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