[Edward POV]
As we all approached the enclosure, the young farmer there smiled kindly at us and said, "Y'all here to pet them ponies? We're lettin' 'em rest right now. There were these two gay– Two fellas,trying to put an Asian baby on the horse without warning. Sure spooked them ponies good."
"Oh, are they by any chance a ginger and a fat man with overly dramatic hand gestures." I asked. "Wait, I can do better. Ehem." I cleared my throat and said with a country accent and ways of speaking, "Oh, so them fellas I'm thinkin' of. Folks oughta slap a sign on themselves to keep them critters away."
The farmer's eyes widened in surprise, exclaiming, "Darn tootin'! How'd y'all know them? Them folks sure are troublemakers."
Although he was impressed, he said, "Y'all come on back in 'bout half an hour, or maybe even an hour. I'll let you in, free of charge."
The blonde 20 years old with curly hair and a cowboy hat suddenly glanced at Selena and I, before jumping to some conclusion. "Your lady might have to wait a bit more. Although I'm sorry for ruining your date, I can't really get you guys hurt."
Selena scoffed with a hint of disdain and replied, "We are certainly not on a date. And I particularly have no intention of being on a date with a country boy!"
"That hurts my heart my lady." The country boy exclaimed with a sad tone. Selena was flabbergasted, "I didn't mean you!"
"Pardon me, but I reckon I got some experience workin' on my grandpa's farm. Would y'all mind if I give it a shot at tryin' to calm 'em critters down?" I asked, ignoring Selena's retort.
"STOP TALKING LIKE THAT! You're making me confused about my tastes!" Selena shouted in anger. The two kids were just in awe when they saw how easily I managed to get close to the farm boy.
Manny said to Caroline with a country accent, "Do women–Do ladies fancy… Umm… fellas who talk like this?"
"No. You sound dumb." Caroline said with a serious tone.
"Well. You sure do look like someone who knows his way 'round. I reckon I can trust ya to handle yourself." The farm hand said before allowing me to hop over the enclosure fence.
To his surprise, the miniature ponies rushed towards where I was as I entered the enclosure. He was fearful at first, but the horses stopped when they were near me. I smiled at them as I picked up the bucket of apples near the fence and stood in front of them.
"How in tarnation did ya pull that off? You just walked in– Did y'all see it too? With a fella like him 'round these parts, I reckon I can finally get this business up and runnin' again," the farm hand exclaimed with a mix of disbelief and excitement.
Suddenly, the business owner shouted from afar, "JOHNNY! Stop talking in country-speak! You're born in California for god's sake!"
"Ah, Sure thing, pops!" Johnny responded, switching to a more regular tone. He then introduced himself, standing beside me and extending his hand for a shake. "As you can hear, my name's Johnny."
As he did, the horses gave my hand a gentle nuzzle, signifying a horse's kiss. Johnny laughed and said, "Never mind. We can shake hands later."
I laughed as I fed the horses and said, "I'm, Edward."
"Nice to meet you Edward. You look really familiar." He said as he touched his chin.
I chuckled and said dismissively, "I get that a lot." As the horses were already calmed down, I asked him, "Can my friends get in now?"
"Yeah Yeah Sure. I've never seen the ponies in such a good mood before this. You must be related to a druid or something to pull off a scene like this." Johnny said as he called Selena and the kids over.
"I might be." I joked. Johnny then gave me a cowboy hat too and returned to his country-speak, "Here's a little somethin' for helpin' out. Consider it my gesture of gratitude. Also, don't tell my dad I'm still speaking like this."
"I reckon I'll take it– Johnny. Listen, that gal over there, she's dealin' with some health issues and needs to stay put at the hospital. I'd mighty appreciate it if you could let her have a ride on one of them ponies." I said as I wore the cowboy hat on my head. Just for a bit of lighthearted fun, I plucked a straw from the haystack and playfully placed it between my lips.
Johnny widened his eyes at first before he said, "Sure. I'll see what I can do. Also, why is your country's accent better than mine? Perhaps your grandpa's ranch is in texas?"
"No. It's Wisconsin." I replied with a slight chuckle while moving the straw from the left to the right side of my mouth with my tongue.
As Selena approached us, Johnny said, "Thanks to Eddy my boy here–"
"He's already your boy? It's been 3 minutes!" Selena retorted in disbelief.
Johnny and I looked at each other before we guffawed.
"Some people just click right with each other." Johnny said before turning into instructor mode. He placed his hands on his waist and said, "Alright now, Ed managed to talk me into lettin' y'all have the fancy-schmancy premium package."
"So, here's the plan. First off, we'll have ya'll groom them horses and give 'em a good feedin'. After that, we'll see if they take a likin' to ya enough to let ya hop on and take a ride."
"That lady, you go with your man. The kids are with me." Johnny said as we split up and went to different parts of the enclosure. He had to go away mainly because he needed to place some safety precautions on the horse that was going to be ridden.
"He's not my man!" Selena retorted with anxiousness before mumbling, "I swear Taylor is going to kill me."
A miniature pony with a white mane stood in front of me while trotting her legs in excitement. I brushed her head and said to Selena, "Calm down. You know you have a free pass to do anything today, and she can't get mad. So. Take advantage of it. And Ah, right, Don't take advantage of me–"
Selena pushed my back with a blushing face, "I won't. Now, teach me how to play with the horse."
I smirked and replied with a country accent, "Well, first ya gotta groom 'em. And I don't mean the kind of grooming we usually see or experience in our career. None of that 'Oh, you're so mature for your age' or 'You're practically an adult now' business. We're talkin' about horse grooming here, nothin' more."
Selena widened her eyes, took a deep breath, and then burst out laughing. The sudden sound startled the horse, making it skittish for a moment, but I swiftly calmed it down.
We spent some time playing with the horse, and after about 10 minutes, Manny and Caroline managed to win over the hearts of the ponies and were able to ride them.
It was a brief 5-minute ride within the enclosure, but it brought immense joy to the children. I snapped numerous photos of Selena with the horse, as well as capturing the children's laughter and excitement, intending to share them with their guardian later.
"That reminds me, where are Jay and Gloria?" I mumbled to myself as I slowly lowered my phone camera, having finished capturing moments with Manny and Caroline. All while Selena kept stealing glances at me and mumbling, "I will get away with it…right?"
…
Once we had finished our delightful time with the ponies, Caroline reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled, slightly yellowed piece of paper. With a pencil in hand, she excitedly crossed off one of the items listed on it.
I noticed it and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Just crossing off an item on my bucket list." She replied with an excited smile. "I just have 3 more left– Wait, you're not supposed to know that." Her smile froze and she became anxious. She tried to hide the list from me.
I smiled and said, "Don't worry. I kinda know. Can I see the list?"
"Will you tell Manny about it?" She hesitated.
"No. I won't." I shook my head slightly and said in a reassuring tone. Caroline slowly showed me the crumpled paper. The first 10 items on the list were written by an adult, but the rest of them were written by a child with a coloured marker.
[Caroline's Bucket List.]
1 .Eat Cheetos in front of the TV. (X)
2. Ride a Pony (X)
3. Go to a concert (_)
4. Become a Valedictorian (?) - Impossible! (Note from Caroline)
.
.
.
13. Fight in a fencing match (X)
14. Visit Mom and Dad (_)
15. Date a boy (_)
16. Go on a RoadTrip (X) With Julie!
17. Throw egg on Mr Jonah- the security guard (X)
18. Toilet Paper a House (X)
19. DisneyWorld!!!! (_)
20. (Hidden)
21. (Hidden)
"My dad told me to put down and complete 21 things on the list before I turned 21. He had originally planned for me to do one item each year until I became an adult. He included 10 items on the list before... well, before he couldn't anymore. But now I have to finish them all in just one week!"
When she was first admitted to the hospital at 5 years old, her father made that list to ensure she stayed strong in her fight against her sickness. But, he went to serve the country in Afghanistan, and lost his life there, leaving the child completely alone in the world. After that, Caroline was raised by Julie– her caretaker at the hospital and with the help of the other patients there.
Caroline believed she didn't have much time left, so she was determined to complete her list as soon as possible. I inwardly sighed and asked, "Why did you give yourself such a tight deadline?"
"I overheard Julie telling the doctor that I can't stay at the hospital any longer," Caroline replied with a sad tone before she tried to be strong.
I gently patted her head, offering comfort. I refrained from saying, "Maybe it's a good thing? Maybe the doctor is allowing you to leave because you no longer need to stay in the hospital?" Sometimes, the cruelest thing one can do to a child in her situation is to provide false hope when they are already mentally preparing for the worst.
I teased, "So, you're currently doing number 15?"
Caroline blushed and said, "I just want to know what it feels like! I don't like Manny!"
"Huh? Who doesn't like me?" Manny interjected at the perfect time after he came back from saying goodbyes to the horses.
"Of course it's me!" Caroline said angrily.
"Hey! I don't like you either!" Manny replied angrily.
I chuckled at the two of them when I suddenly saw my dad and Frankie walking nearby. They saw Selena, and were rushing to go over to her. Finally, an anxious Gloria and Jay also finally found Manny and Caroline. Both of them were scolded by the duo while I talked with my dad and Frankie about something.
"Right here? Now?!" Frankie asked in confusion and disbelief after I told her my request.
"Yeah. Can you handle it?" I said with a challenging tone.
Frankie thought for a second before saying, "Alright. I'll try. You only need your friend Finneas, am I correct?"
"Yeah. I already texted him what I wanted to do, and he said he wants to do it."
…
As the morning gradually transitioned into the afternoon, the once clear sky began to darken with clouds. Yet, despite the gathering of clouds, there was no indication of impending rain.
My competition with Luke continued when I got the funds from my dad. However, when I had paid the money to play an archery game, I bumped into Alex and Haley.
"Hey. I thought you guys weren't here." I said while shooting an arrow to the target. Predictably I missed it because it was my first time, but I got the gist of the game.
Alex cackled and said, "Straight down to the ground!"
Haley chuckled and jeered, "You suck!"
Selena joined in, "Yeah! Give up!"
I rolled my eyes at them and said, "Can't believe my own friends are my biggest haters." I pulled the drawstring and shot the target again, and this time I hit the mark. It was a satisfying shot, albeit an easier feat compared to real archery.
Haley squealed and cheered instinctively while Selena and Alex rolled their eyes at me. Alex asked, "Hey. Is that real?"
"What— Oh Finny told you. Yeah it's real. Everyone should come." I replied casually as I shot my last chance. After winning the ticket, I tried the game again. Haley and Alex widened their eyes and said, "Wait. You can do it more than once?"
The stall owner was confused by their question, "Of course. You're paying after all. You can try as much as you want."
Both of them looked at each other in disbelief, feeling that they had done a stupid thing.
"But I stopped after I got the highest mark. Or else, there's no point in playing." I said as I shot the arrow again.
Haley said carefully, "Can't you go easy on my brother?"
"Well…if you're asking for it, maybe I will." I said as I lowered my aim while still holding the bow and arrow. Haley giggled and then grabbed my arm, "There's a house of mirrors here. Why don't we go take a look?"
Alex nodded and said, "Good idea. Haley, why don't you keep Ed away from the stalls."
Selena was torn as to what she should do and said, "I'll stay here with Alex."
"What? No. Just come with us." Haley invited. While the girls were talking, my phone chimed. I took out and saw the notification from Robin. When we were in public, I asked the AI to contact me through text.
As I read the message, my heart sank. It contained an update on Caroline's current situation. It turned out that she was scheduled to be relocated to a different city, where she would be transferred to a more affordable hospital. This meant she would have to leave behind all her friends and familiar surroundings.
The message revealed a grim reality. Over the course of Caroline's five-year battle, the insurance money her parents had left behind was dwindling rapidly. It was disheartening and, truth be told, I felt a surge of disgust towards the healthcare system in the country.
"Hmmm." I held my chin as I thought about something– unaware of the others staring intently at me.
"He's scheming something again." Haley muttered.
Alex said sarcastically, "Do you even hear what I was talking before? Of course he's scheming something. But, we're lucky that he's not focusing on his game with Luke anymore."
"He will still win though. It's impossible for Luke to catch up to him. He has over 800 tickets now."
"I'll text mom." Alex said as she took out her phone. Selena was baffled and said incredulously, "Wow. You guys are so serious with the bet."
Both Alex and Haley smiled. Alex said, "Of course we are. Everyone wants to beat Ed at something, but so far, no one did."
I finished my thoughts and turned to the girls, "Alright let's go to the mirror house."
While we were talking, I talked to them about Caroline's situation and asked them to keep it to themselves. That was to ensure that the day remained filled with joy and laughter for Manny and Caroline.
Then, Frankie told me that she got permission from the organizer, and the company staff were coming to the carnival with the equipment. However, before the anticipated arrival of the company staff, another intriguing event unfolded, adding an unexpected twist to our day at the carnival.
[General POV]
As Edward exited the mirror house, his laughter intertwined with the giggles of his friends, a group of nuns approached, offering refreshments while attempting to deliver a sermon. They were playing organs and singing praises to Jesus while encouraging others to do the same.
Selena and Edward, feeling hesitant and cautious, tried to distance themselves from the nuns, despite their friendly smiles. Haley and Alex followed suit, declining the offered refreshments before retreating.
Amidst the tension, a sudden cry pierced the air. It was Johnny, the farmhand, urgently shouting from a distance. "Ed, move!" he exclaimed with urgency.
Startled, Edward turned towards the commotion and his eyes widened in alarm. A mischievous group of goats had managed to escape their enclosure and was now charging towards Edward's group.
Acting swiftly, Ed sprang into action, his instincts taking over. With a heroic effort, he managed to save one of the nuns from the stampede– the youngest one there. But in the process, both he and the nun tumbled to the ground, their bodies meeting the earth in an unexpected collision.
"Wha-what-what are you doing?!" The nun blushed and stammered as she realized that Edward's hand was holding her at someplace no one should touch, especially in public.
Edward's cap almost fell off at the moment, and he smiled kindly at the nun as he took back his hand from her waist. "Sorry. Maybe I should've let the goats brake on their own instead. Or should I just send thoughts and prayers while letting you get crushed by them?"
As Edward sensed a lingering tension in the air, he felt a twinge of guilt for the unintended misunderstanding caused by the collision. With the crowd's attention now fixated on the incident, he yearned to quietly slip away from the spotlight.
Acting swiftly, he seized a nearby basket filled with bread and wine, using it as a cover to shield himself from prying eyes.
However, in a twist of fate, the mischievous goats returned, surrounding Edward with their playful leaps and bounds. Edward attempted to reason with the enthusiastic animals, pleading, "Wait, guys, I really need to leave." Despite his efforts, the goats seemed determined to keep him engaged.
Just as Edward struggled to free himself from the goat's playful dance, a sudden beam of light pierced through the cloudy sky, descending upon him.
The choir boy, witnessing the extraordinary sight, gasped in astonishment. In his surprise, he accidentally pressed the keys of the organ, unleashing a celestial and ethereal sound that reverberated through the air, harmonizing with the divine illumination surrounding Edward.
Some nuns there were so startled and out of it that they started to pray to the sight in front of them.
The playful wind didn't have enough from opening the crack on the cloud and blew a sudden gust of breeze. The gust was strong enough to push Edward's hat off, and reveal his face to the public.
The crowd started recognizing him. They shouted, "HEY! IT'S EDWARD NEWGATE! "
"Shit!" Edward cursed underneath his breath as he realized that he was surrounded by a group of fans who were staring at him with starving eyes.
Edward chuckled nervously and said, "Hi Everyone."