Under a Pear Tree

My home is quiet, not even with my cat purring being heard from the other room. Sitting on my window seat, looking out into the orchestra naturally playing outside. Something about rain and her music brings memories to the frontest part of your mind.

I open the window to smell the freshness of the rain and with it, the smell of the pear orchard right in my front yard. I inherited the orchard just a few months ago. The weight can be felt on my shoulders. Taking a sip of my tea, I focus on what is most on my mind…

“I miss you, Grandpa. I don’t know why you gave me your hard work but I will try my best to make you proud up there”. The rain answers me back as if to reassure me that I will.

I get up and stretch, my short stubby legs aching from harvesting the day before. I walk to the kitchen and sit down allowing what sun from the clouds to shine through. I run my hands through my blonde hair and remind myself to take a bath later.

I pick up a pear and bite into it, allowing the sweet fruit to play with my tastebuds as I close my eyes. “This takes me back”, I thought. I smile as I think of my family visiting my grandpa, my teenage self not wanting to go but be home where my friends were…what a fool I was.

The doorbell rings, jolting me to the present. “Coming” I called as I walked to the front door and opening it to a smiling Joe.

“Hey, Joe. What brings you here?”

“Good Morning, Iris. I stopped by to give you some of our meat in return for some pears.”

“Oh! That’s right! I forgot to harvest some for you and your mom. How is she by the way?”

“Mom is doing fine, baking up a storm with the rain to push her aches out. She sends you her love and reminds you to ask for help if needed”.

I chuckle, “I will ask for help so I don’t get that lecture again after falling off the ladder yesterday. I have learned my stubborn ways”, as I continue to chuckle.

“I will let mom know” Joe smiles. “Let me go get that meat and I’ll help you with the pears now that the rain is slowing down”. I nod and head to the mudroom to get my boots on.

I help Joe with the carefully butchered meat to last me through winter. I take note as I see the pork chops to set aside for supper tonight.

“Thank you, Joe! I will definitely enjoy feasting on your family’s generosity throughout the months.

“You are most welcome, Iris”, picking up two wooden baskets to fill with the sweet fruit. “Shall we?” as he holds the door.

Outside, the sun is starting to peak through and the rain turning misty. “I harvested quite a lot yesterday so let's head six rows to the left. Walking next to Joe reminds me of walking through the orchard for the first time. I was with my grandpa as he persuaded me to follow him to help pick some pears for a pie later.

I remember that day as if it was yesterday “See under that pear tree, Iris? That is where your grandmother and I met before heading off to the war. We carved our names into the bark to remind us which tree is ours. We get the sweetest pears from this tree.” As we picked pears, I recall Grandpa beaming with pride.

“Grandpa, why do I have to come to help you if I’m not tall enough to even reach the pears?” I asked.

“My little Iris, that is what grandpa’s ladder is for” as he sat the ladder underneath the tree. “we don’t just want the pears from the branches, but the pears under the tree. They are the sweetest for pies.”

After that day, I couldn’t wait to help grandpa with the orchard. I loved the stories he told, the way he took care of his orchard long past grandma's death, with the same straw hat Grandma bought for him so many years ago. I spent the remaining week hearing stories and smelling the sweetness of the fruit around me.

“Iris?” Joe jolting me back to the present. “Are you alright?”

“Oh yes, I was just in the clouds for a little bit. This is the best pear tree in the orchard, the oldest as well. I saved these just for you and your mom” beaming with pride.

The rain starts to pick up again as we pick the pears. “Well this isn’t good. I guess we will be stuck under the pear tree until the rain lets off again”.

“I don’t mind Iris. I’m sure mom is too busy with her baking to take notice any time soon” Joe replied.

Standing underneath the pear tree, I find the initials of two people I love. “You see those initials? My grandmother and grandfather carved into the young tree before he left for war. My grandfather told me that story the first time picking pears with him. Ever since that day with my grandpa, I fell in love with the orchard.

“Iris..” Joe replied, as his green eyes looked into the blue of hers. “Didn’t you ask me the other day why I thought you inherited your grandfather's orchard? I think you answered your own question” as Joe pushed loose hair behind my ear.

I look up and blush, quickly looking down again. “I suppose you are right. I just never thought of myself as a pear keeper before” looking up at Joe again, noting the way his brown hair waves to the right of his ear.

His 6’2 frame goes to sit and rest against the tree as his legs stretch out watching the rain. “You seem a lot happier now that you are out of the city. This orchard suits you well, Iris.

We sat underneath the pear tree for a while, waiting for the rain to slow down. We talked about childhood, goals of the future, and our past hurdles.

“Looks like the rain is slowing. We best get going before it starts up again” as Joe helps me up from the soft ground beneath me.

“Thank you for helping me harvest some pears for you. I hope they are as sweet as I remember them to be.”

“Thank you, Iris. I always enjoyed your company, even after 10-years. I’m glad the rain made us wait a bit.”

Smiling as a blush creeps up my ears, “me too, Joe. Please don’t be a stranger. Biting my lip, “I’m making Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Bourbon and Pears tonight…if you wish to join me?”

“I wouldn’t miss your delicious cooking even through a rainstorm” Joe smiling back at me.

“Is 6:00 alright?”

“Works perfectly for me, Iris. I look forward to our date”

I blush even more, “can’t wait” I replied as we put the wooden baskets full of pears in the back of his truck.

As I watch Joe drive off, I realize I need to find a dress and start preparing tonight's supper. Before rushing in, I look back at my grandparents' pear tree. Smiling, “I know it was your doing to make us wait underneath the pear tree. Thank you, Grandpa”.

I walk into my new home and smile. Joe is right, I am a lot happier and never really noticed it between the pressures of success. Going from a Data Scientist to an orchard owner was quite quick. What hit me hard the most was realizing the time I spent away from the orchard. I missed spending time with my grandfather and was too focused on my career, that I wasn’t even enjoying.

“I am glad you trust me, Grandpa. I will succeed with time. You are right, I do belong here.”

A few hours pass as I clean up and feed Midnight her dinner. Such a persistent cat but I love her to death. I wash up and decided on the knee-high, white dress with blue flowers printed to give it color. White ballet flats to match my dress, and my hair curled and put into a low ponytail.

I look myself in the mirror after putting on make-up with red lipstick. “Okay, Iris. Don’t blow this. A cute guy that knew you since childhood is coming”. Doubt lingers on my brain…what if I’m not pretty enough? I’m sure Joe has a lot of women flocking to his side.

A knock brings butterflies to my stomach as I nervously walk to the door. “Good evening, Joe. Right on time. Please come in.”

Nodding as he walked in, “You can’t make a pretty lady waiting. Especially for a home-cooked meal” he smiled back, making me blush. I take notice of how handsome he looks in his light grey, button-up shirt, and blue jeans.

As I close the door, I smile as I think about my time under the pear tree, developing fondness towards an old friend just like my grandparents did previously with one another. Walking into the kitchen with my date, I look forward to a night I’ll always remember.