“I know.” he said shortly. Honestly, he also didn’t know what he should talk at the moment. Aunt Calliope knew it, didn’t ask him more. She turned to the others and said: “It’s time for breakfast. Give me your hand.”
People raised their hands up giving to the others. Heracles also did it. He gave aunt Calliope one hand and the other gave to Amelinda. They held the others’ hands to make a circle. Then they all closed their eyes. Aunt Calliope started muttering her prayer. It took them for a while. When Aunt Calliope stopped, they opened their eyes, released others' hands and started their breakfast. It’s simple meal. They had some bread, orange juice and honey. It took them about a quarter hour. After the breakfast, Gwen, Amelinda and Lily stood up, helped aunt Calliope cleaned up as though it’s a part of their work each morning while Heracles turned dull; he stood up but kept standing at his place; he did not know to do anything. When they finished, they left.
“Agassi, why are you still there? Go.” said Gwen loudly.
“Go … but where?” asked Heracles.
“Of course our garden.” squealed Gwen.
“Our garden?” Heracles repeated.
“Yes, our garden.” said Gwen. He stopped, waiting for Heracles.
Heracles walked, heading to Gwen and the others. They walked pass the living room on their way. There on the wall some straw hats were hung. Gwen went forward to them, made the way to take the straw hats out from their hangers.
“Lily – Amanda.” said Gwen, turned back giving hats to Lily and Amelinda behind him.
“Agassi – your hat.” He added, handing forward Heracles. Heracles grabbed on it. In few seconds embarrassing, he wore the hat on head. Gwen also got his hat at last then approached the door. Pushed open it, Gwen walked out first. After him were Lily, Amelinda and then Heracles. They followed the edge of orange garden, walking away the house till coming to the middle of the garden; there had a path for them to go in the garden. They walked in it. The work of them in morning was picking orange, clearing grass and watering the trees. Some large bamboo baskets were placed along the path. The harvest was coming. Lily and Amelinda stepped toward one of the basket while Gwen asked Heracles to move another not far away Lily and Amelinda. Then they started picked oranges around, put them into the basket near them. Though Heracles always felt something strange with him, he also started picking and put oranges in large bamboo basket as others after seconds. It’s not difficult to do the thing because the trees were not too high and besides, were fruitful so they didn’t need long time to fill the baskets.
***
Heracles at the moment was standing under a high branch stretching to reach an orange. It’s nice orange, slick and succulent.
“Do you want a help Agassi?” said Gwen suddenly, emerging behind that tree.
“No – I can do it myself … Peres.” said Heracles. He’s still not familiar to call him Peres.
“Alright, I will let you do it yourself.” said Gwen then sat down by the root observing.
Heracles took the orange. He walked then put it on the top of the oranges in their basket. As soon as Heracles did it, Gwen stood up, strode pass him.
“Go Heracles. We need another basket before lunch.” he said.
Heracles followed him. They passed the place where Amelinda and Lily were picking, stopped seconds peering into their basket which was nearly filled.
“It’s nearly full.” said Gwen loudly.
“Yes, it’s. We work quite hard from morning” Lily replied him. “Why are you here? Did you get your first basket full? Oh,” Lily looked forward the basket of Heracles and Gwen, “I can see it. You are so quick” she added.
“Haha.” Gwen laughed, “Just quicker than you a little. Whatever,” Gwen raised his voice a little, “we need to pick more oranges. We had better do it before the sun go to the top.” He smiled then turned to Heracles, “We go.” then made his way leave. Heracles followed him to another bamboo basket placing on one side of the path and then continued picking.
***
The sun did go pass tops of the trees. It’s nearly noon and got hotter. Heracles and Gwen did get the second bamboo basket full of oranges, at moment were sitting under tree canopy with some oranges around their feet. Gwen grabbed one of the orange, gave it to Heracles then took another and started peeling it.
“It’s great while resting to eat juicy oranges.” said Gwen, peeling then throwing pieces of orange peel around. He put some sections of the orange into his mouth. Drop of sweat slid down from his forehead as he’s chewing. Heracles staying by him also took a piece of orange eating. He felt really thirsty after all. Later, Amelinda and Lily appeared.
“Oh, you both stay here Agassi, Peres. We found you for a while.” the voice of Lily spread out. She and Amelinda made their way come and sit by Heracles and Gwen.
“Also finished your work?” asked Gwen.
“Yeah we finished few minutes ago but it’s so hot.” lamented Lily, “Therefore, we decided to take a rest before to go home.”
“Yes, you should. Stay with us, eat some orange then we will go home together.” said Gwen. He reached on some oranges, took them then gave Amalinda and Lily, each of them one. Lily and Amelinda received, peeled then satisfied their thirst. It’s almost noon that time. The sun nearly went to the top; shadows of trees were right under themselves. Heads of Heracles and the others wet wetted by their sweat. Lightly winds sometime blew pass their place, gave them some fresh air. Heracles took his straw hat, waved. Gwen and Lily talked much as they rested while Heracles and Amelinda didn’t talk. Honestly, Amalinda who that time named Amanda seemed to be a silent girl. Heracles rarely heard she talked. Heracles doubted whether it’s her personalities but he didn’t have any clue to find it; whenever he tried to remember something about others, his memory seemed to be covered by fog that he could not see anything clearly. He tried to break in the fog to see the thing inside it but he couldn’t and then gave up.
Heracles, Gwen, Amelinda and Lily rested there for minutes. Later, they all stood up, made their ways go home. Sunlight over their covered almost everything and made them turn much white than their original colors. It made them have to narrowed their eyes to not to be hurt. Under the sunlight they were only the people. Their shadows which attached right under their feet rushed with them through the wide field. Minutes later, they reached on their beautiful wooden house staying alone by the forest’s edge. Standing under the front eave, Gwen pushed opened the door then they all broke in, walked straight to the kitchen. There was the dinner table in the middle of the kitchen. It always had a jar of orange juice and a jar of water. Gwen come to the table first, grabbed the orange jar on one hand and took a cup by the other hand then poured orange juice into the cup. He gave the orange juice to Lily standing right by him then promptly took a long big gulp. Lily helped herself and the others to have orange juice. When all of them got their drink, Gwen also finished his cup.
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