Jane and Robert were riding their bicycles to the farmer's market downtown. Robert on his mountain bike. Jane on her older bike with wide handle bars and a basket on the front. She'd strung pink streamers from the grips and they fluttered as she pedaled. Behind her she towed a trailer Robert had built for her filled with jars of honey in various sizes. All of them neatly labeled with price stickers on the lids.
Jane allowed herbs near the bee hives to spread and flower in addition to the garden. The bees feasted on tomato, basil, mint, geranium, peonies, squash and lavender. She called the honey “Herbal Blend” and sold it at the farmer's market every Tuesday. She kept some of the exact same honey in smaller jars labeled “Elixir” and sold them for a higher price. People in town swore to their friends in whispers that her elixir honey would cure everything from insomnia to impotence.
Robert once said she reminded him of the snake oil salesmen who sold bottles of alcohol as a cure-all. “Should I call you 'Doctor Good'?” he'd teased her.
“What does it matter if it works because it's magic or if it works because they THINK it's magic? It still works. And it doesn't eat out your liver like those bottles of hootch did.” She'd answered.
A very pretty woman in her early twenties was coming towards them walking a dog down the sidewalk.
“She was really pretty wasn't she?” Jane commented after they'd passed her.
“Who?” Robert looked confused. He pedaled backwards liking the clockwork sound the gears made.
“That girl with the dog. Didn't you see her?”
“Not really. I don't notice women much anymore.”
“A randy old devil like you? You're kidding me. I'm not going to be mad if you notice other women. You know I'm not like that.”
Robert rode faster, knowing she couldn't keep up towing all the honey. He arrived at her spot in the market and unshouldered his backpack to spread out the quilt they would use to display the honey jars.
Jane finally pulled up, panting. “What was that for?”
“I don't want to talk about this Jane.” Robert flipped the quilt into place and sat on it. He pulled a wad of ones from the pocket of his pants and stuck it into his shirt pocket, where it would be in easy reach. “Leave it alone.”
Jane bit her bottom lip. She sat astride her bike looking at the man. Finally, she swung her leg over and started to unload the honey, carefully setting it on the quilt. She blinked several times, trying to hold back tears.
“Look. I know you're with other women while you're waiting for me. It's okay. I'm not mad or jealous or anything. You don't have to shut me out.” She fussed with the jars. Rearranging the geometric rows into clumps, moving the elixir jars to the back where they'd seem hidden and special.
Robert sighed. “Jane. This is really embarrassing for me, can we just drop it please?”
“No. I need you to understand that I understand. I'm totally okay with you being with other women when we're not together.” she paused. “I give you permission to have sexual relations with other women when I am not of age. Do I need to be clearer?”
Robert heaved a sigh. “Jane, you are so far from what's bothering me it's comical.”
“Huh?”
“I haven't been with another woman in one hundred and ten years. Are you happy now? You know my last secret. Now shut up about it.” Robert turned his head away from her.
Jane sat back on her heels, an astounded look on her face. “You haven't been with anyone else in that long?”
Robert kept his head turned away. “It doesn't feel right when I'm not with you. I miss you when you're gone. And being with other women just reminds me that I miss you and then I feel horrid. I dislike feeling horrid so I don't keep company while I'm waiting for you.”
“I wish we could have a child.” Jane said after a long pause.
Robert looked at her. “Now, you know that doesn't happen for us. It would have if it did.”
“I know. But I always wish a baby would arrive the way my trunk does. It would be nice to have a child with you.”
Robert leaned over and hugged her. “I know.”
Jane allowed herbs near the bee hives to spread and flower in addition to the garden. The bees feasted on tomato, basil, mint, geranium, peonies, squash and lavender. She called the honey “Herbal Blend” and sold it at the farmer's market every Tuesday. She kept some of the exact same honey in smaller jars labeled “Elixir” and sold them for a higher price. People in town swore to their friends in whispers that her elixir honey would cure everything from insomnia to impotence.
Robert once said she reminded him of the snake oil salesmen who sold bottles of alcohol as a cure-all. “Should I call you 'Doctor Good'?” he'd teased her.
“What does it matter if it works because it's magic or if it works because they THINK it's magic? It still works. And it doesn't eat out your liver like those bottles of hootch did.” She'd answered.
A very pretty woman in her early twenties was coming towards them walking a dog down the sidewalk.
“She was really pretty wasn't she?” Jane commented after they'd passed her.
“Who?” Robert looked confused. He pedaled backwards liking the clockwork sound the gears made.
“That girl with the dog. Didn't you see her?”
“Not really. I don't notice women much anymore.”
“A randy old devil like you? You're kidding me. I'm not going to be mad if you notice other women. You know I'm not like that.”
Robert rode faster, knowing she couldn't keep up towing all the honey. He arrived at her spot in the market and unshouldered his backpack to spread out the quilt they would use to display the honey jars.
Jane finally pulled up, panting. “What was that for?”
“I don't want to talk about this Jane.” Robert flipped the quilt into place and sat on it. He pulled a wad of ones from the pocket of his pants and stuck it into his shirt pocket, where it would be in easy reach. “Leave it alone.”
Jane bit her bottom lip. She sat astride her bike looking at the man. Finally, she swung her leg over and started to unload the honey, carefully setting it on the quilt. She blinked several times, trying to hold back tears.
“Look. I know you're with other women while you're waiting for me. It's okay. I'm not mad or jealous or anything. You don't have to shut me out.” She fussed with the jars. Rearranging the geometric rows into clumps, moving the elixir jars to the back where they'd seem hidden and special.
Robert sighed. “Jane. This is really embarrassing for me, can we just drop it please?”
“No. I need you to understand that I understand. I'm totally okay with you being with other women when we're not together.” she paused. “I give you permission to have sexual relations with other women when I am not of age. Do I need to be clearer?”
Robert heaved a sigh. “Jane, you are so far from what's bothering me it's comical.”
“Huh?”
“I haven't been with another woman in one hundred and ten years. Are you happy now? You know my last secret. Now shut up about it.” Robert turned his head away from her.
Jane sat back on her heels, an astounded look on her face. “You haven't been with anyone else in that long?”
Robert kept his head turned away. “It doesn't feel right when I'm not with you. I miss you when you're gone. And being with other women just reminds me that I miss you and then I feel horrid. I dislike feeling horrid so I don't keep company while I'm waiting for you.”
“I wish we could have a child.” Jane said after a long pause.
Robert looked at her. “Now, you know that doesn't happen for us. It would have if it did.”
“I know. But I always wish a baby would arrive the way my trunk does. It would be nice to have a child with you.”
Robert leaned over and hugged her. “I know.”
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