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Willie stood in his kitchen getting snacks together for Flori’s visit. Living and attending

school in the city meant his sister in-laws sister would visit. He didn’t mind, he liked company. He didn’t have an many friends in the city as he had back on the farm. Eliza was at work and he didn’t have work today, so he was cool to spend time to Flori. Fresh, apples, peaches and grapes were sat out with some water, classic Willie, he liked his food fresh straight from the farm. Even months in the city hadn’t gotten him to try fast food, he just refused.

“Alright, now that’s done.”

Florianne tapped her chin lightly as she looked at her outfit in her full length mirror that was in her room, she was more or less having a minor wardrobe malfunction. She blew out a light breath and decided on a conservative, stylish and comfortable dress. Its not that she was going anywhere fancy but when it came to visiting with family, it was unsure what they were going so it was hard to decide. She lightly brushed through her hair and picked up her purse before opening her door and walking out and then pausing to make sure the door was locked.

She arrived at Willie’s place and let out a small sigh of relief at least she was dressed to casually visit with family, as far as she knew Willie and Her were the only ones attending school in the city. Since her sister had married one of Willie’s brothers she had been busy dividing her time between work and spending time with her husband. She hadn’t made that many friends yet so she still had a ways to go, she had never met anyone yet and she just started so it was a little nerve racking. She walked to Willie’s front door and rang the doorbell. She brushed a stray strand of her hair from her face and waited for him to answer.

Willie came to the door and pulled it open grinning, “Hey Flori. Glad to see you made it okay. I set out some snack for us to munch on. I didn’t really know what you wanted to do, but we can decide that now that you are here. My roommate is at work, so it’s just us right now? You remember her right? Eliza, owns the farm down the road from my family’s farm?”

He didn’t know if Flori remembered the tiny teen, Eliza and Willie had a bit of a lull in their friendship until about two years ago. He moved away from the door and motioned for Flori to follow him grabbing the snack from the kitchen briefly before making his way into the living room. “Apple, peaches, and grapes. Hope thats okay, didn’t have time to cook anything.”

Willie plopped down on the couch and kicked his feet up onto a little ottoman. “So Flori, what have you been up to lately?”

Florianne walked through the door looking around she wasn’t sure if she had visited him before or not, but amidst the move from living under her parents roof to living on her own it was a little hard to keep track of if she had been or not. She blinked and pondered over it for a few minutes before answering “I vaguely remember her but can’t say I do completely” she told him and helped herself to a fresh peach.

She tilted her head to the side “since when did you cook?” she asked him. If she remembered correctly the first time they met she was pretty certain that he didn’t, but then again she wasn’t even sure how long ago the first meeting was. It seemed that the first time her sister met her husband she was more of a city girl but when she went to the farm she enjoyed it, the relaxing environment and the idea that she was working to put food on the table.

She shrugged a bit “Not much, I suppose. Just started attending Crystal Academy so I’m still adjusting to the layout of the school and finding where my classes are” she told him before she plopped on the couch beside him. She bit into her peach and glanced at him “what have you been up to,since I haven’t seen you since the wedding” she told him.

Willie smiled, “you will get to meet her again someday soon I’m sure. Not sure how well you to might get along, but she’s a sweetie and a free spirit.” He grabbed an apple and took a bite and nearly choked laughing when she asked about his cooking.

“I didn’t cook, doesn't mean I couldn’t. Mom had all boys, she taught us all, she was determined to have sons that didn’t make their wives do all the cooking. Your sister is probably being spoiled by my brother. Though probably also being harassed by mom want to teach her new recipes. Yes, I can cook though, which is good since I live alone and Liza doesn't often cook, since she works at a restaurant.”

He munched on his apple a bit more and listened to Flori talk about her life. “Yeah, its been awhile hasn’t it. I’ve been doing much the same as you, school work and exploring the city. I go home on the weekends a lot to help my family, but I’m finally getting use to city life and I even made a few friends. Just a few. Do you like Crystal? I like Hits well enough, I think it will get me a good start towards engineering!”

Florianne listened to Willie speak nodding her head as he talked “I’m sure, I will at one point.” she told him. She was also curious to know how well they would get along if they did meet, but right now her main focus was getting settled into Crystal Academy and figure out where all her classes were. It was a stress factor trying to figure your bearings and what not when you just move somewhere. It was a hard move for her parents since they didn’t want to let her go yet but she was pretty certain they were still a little upset with her moving out, but she knew they would come to accept it over time.

The good part to living on her own she didn’t have to follow her parents rules and she could be herself and act like her age. She smiled at the thought, but she did promise her parents that she would call to check in on them to tell them how her life was going and how school was going. She took another bite out of her peach and chewed thoughtfully. “I give your mom props for being determined to teach all her boys how to cook, not many guys know how to do that” she told him.

“That’s good that you have made a few friends that’s better than where I’m at” she told him thoughtfully. “Crystal is an interesting school all the students there are like classy and sophisticated” she told him. “Can’t say I’ve made any friends yet, still trying to figure out where everything is in that school” she said to him and took a last bite of her peach she had before reaching for an apple. “Haven’t exactly figured out what I want to do yet, but I’m sure as the semester goes I’ll eventually figure it out” she told him.

He nodded at Flori still munching on his apple and grinned, “my mom is a tough lady. She had seven boys after all. Dad of course didn’t mind a little rough and tumble, neither did mom, but she could reign us in like a pro when we got too rowdy. With Dad we’d just drag him into all the noise making, then he’d get fussed at by mom too.” He laughed lightly thinking about it. He really loved his family. It was very interesting to add Flori and her sister though. Girls in the family other than their mother was something new, but not bad.

He finished off his apple and started to munch on some grapes. “I bet you’ll figure it out in no time at all. They have stables there, I’ve thought about getting a job there because it would be nice to be able to work with the horses. I’ve have experience with them, grooming, riding, cleaning the stables and all. I think I will wait until the school year is over though, they will probably need someone more during the summer.”

He finished up his grapes and decided against another handful, “It’s a nice day out. We should go for a walk, or go to the park or something.”

She nodded her head “I’m sure she is, after that many boys. It is quite impressive. My mom only had me and my sister so, it wasn’t too bad but then dad always thought of us as his little girls even though we aren’t anymore. They were a little hesitant about letting me go and moving out to live on my own” she told him as she thought about her parents. She took another bite of her apple and chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. “Didn’t that get a little chaotic though?” she asked him.

“I’m pretty certain I will, I’m still young so I have time. Maybe I’ll be equestrian rider or maybe a fashion designer. I could try also doing both, but I’m not certain yet. I do enjoy being around horses, its like they know what to do when a rider is down or something” she said thinking about it as she reflected back on her riding lessons. She enjoyed her riding lessons and always looked forward to them. She glanced at him “I’m sure they would, but you will never learn unless you try” she told him shrugging a bit.

She finished up her apple and nodded her head “I think that is a good idea, Not sure what we would do at the park but we’ll figure out something” she told him.

Willie laughed, “yes it was very chaotic at times, but we are farmers so we were up so early we tuckered out pretty early. Mom could usually get us all to bed by seven and have a few hours peace. We have each other to keep company with and you’ve see the bike course right? They just set us loose on that if we had too much energy, but there was never a shortage of work to do on the farm though, if we we’re getting too mischievous.”

He got up off the couch and went to grab his keys, “don’t worry I’m definitely going to apply. If not, guess it doesn’t really matter. I sort of already have a summer job anyway. Have been doing the same thing for two years. With grown sons and us not expanding the farm, I can help out on the Satchlyn farm without to much issue of not having enough hands on our own farm.”

He motioned for Flori to follow opening the door for her and waiting for her to head out. “If not the park there is an ice cream shop nearby. We can get ice cream, my treat.”

Florianne nodded her head as she listened to him speak “That is a very valid point” she told him and stood up stretching a little and making sure she had everything with her. She wondered how her sister was doing, the last time she had seen her it was during the wedding. She would need to add it to her to-do list to call up her sister. “That is a good way to waste energy” she had to admit, Willie’s parents were clever and she admired that about them.

She nodded her head once again “That’s good as long as you have something to occupy your summer” she said, now that she thought about she had yet to figure out what she was going to do for summer when it came around. She would need to figure that out too, so much to figure out.

She followed him and walked out the door waiting outside for him to lock the door. “I could use some ice cream” she told him.