Chapter Two, Episode 153 - Joining Forces - Situationally Theirs

Dez and Matt had hired pickers this year for both apple crops. Matt hired the transient pickers every year, most of the time the same family came through. A husband and wife team were the first to the orchard to get organized and started. Then there was two men from the mainland, who came to the Island for their working holiday every summer. After that there were different people that drifted from orchard to orchard on their way to somewhere. Dez and Em had talked about the finances that were stretched on the Estate. Most of the reason were the increase in taxes that were draining the funds available to Emelina. Dez and Matt had put their heads together and decided to join forces for the apple crops. He delivered to B.C. Fruits every year and had asked Dez if her sister was aware of that avenue. Anything he could, he donated to the Food Bank or a shelter; whoever was in need. 

For now, the pickers were to be housed in the trailers and bunkhouses that Matt had on his property. They had just finished work for the day at the Estate and had returned to their home base on Matt’s farm. Dez and Matt were leaving the orchard when they saw Samuel come from the kitchen looking downcast. Matt called out to him “Skies finally cleared, Samuel! You going home?” Samuel, lost in thought, almost didn’t hear his friend. “Nope. Thought I just stay out here in the cool. Just met with Miss Em and James. They were talking about money things. I needed to come out where I can breathe. You and Miss Dez? Finished for the day?” He wasn’t really wanting any company, but couldn’t refuse this couple. “Yeah, we finished up. Did you see our pickers today? It was their first day here. I think they did a pretty fair job.” When the two men started talking, Dez just backed off. “I’m going up to the house and ask Em what she knows about B.C.Fruits. You two talk what you like to talk about.” She chuckled. “The land and growing things.”

~~~~~

“Hi Cook, isn’t it time for you to be finished up?”  Elizabeth was getting her kitchen tidied up. “I’m a little late tonight. James and your sister just finished up a meeting, Martha’s around here some place. Probably still in her office. It’s felt pretty busy this evening. Have you had supper?”

Emelina and James came out of his office, still talking quietly. “Don’t you worry Miss Emelina. We’ll figure something out to keep this old place going and keep the tax man happy.” He locked his office door, turned and saw Dez. “Here’s your sister Miss Em. You talk to her about your worries.” Emelina looked at him, a question on her face. “You know. Sister talk…not that I know much about that.” He laughed and almost patted her on the shoulder. It was not something that James Digby, the butler, would do, no matter how much affection he felt for his employer. 

Martha appeared from her office, sweater on, ready to leave for the day; Elizabeth turned off the light over the stove, also ready for home and quiet. “James, good. You’re ready to go. We can walk home together. It’s still light enough for Elizabeth to get to her place. Too bad Samuel has already left, he could have seen her home.” Dez interrupted. “Oh, he’s still out there and with Matt. They’re talking farming and orchards, probably in the same place I left them.” Dez walked to the back door with them. “I’ll turn off the lights when I go. I’m going to stay here for a bit and talk with my sister.” 

~~~~~

All the while, Emelina had been quiet. She sat at the table looking quite lost and almost sad. “What is it, Em? Talk to me.” Emelina just looked up at her sister, her eyes a bit too moist. Dez wouldn’t have believed her if she said nothing was wrong. “I have failed Michael, Dez. I’ve failed James and Martha and Cook. I’ve failed you.” Now her cheeks were streaked with wet. Dez grabbed her a tissue from the counter. “What are you talking about!? Failing? You? What on earth did you and James talk about that’s got you so upset?” She waited while her sister sobbed quietly into her tissue. Taking a deep breath, she said “I haven’t managed the money for the Estate and now we’re in trouble.” Dez let out a short sigh, not sure what to say but knew she needed to say something. “Has James talked with the accountant - I don’t remember his name - Gerald something - and the financial advisor. His name is……Green….Ron Green. Has James talked with them?” Emelina looked annoyed. “Of course he has. That what we talked about. We’ve just been going along like the money Michael left me was never ending. But interest rates and the market - all things I don’t know a thing about. I have to trust them to steer me in the right direction. But with things as erratic as they’ve been…….and I'm sorry Dez that I snapped at you.” She stopped and hung her head. “It's ok, Em. I don’t know how much this will help but Matt and I have been talking about selling our fruit. I know it’s not the greatest yet but we’re working with the trees now. They had been left alone for a long time. What do you know about B.C.Fruit. That’s where Matt sells his apples. I’m going there tomorrow to see how we can work with them for selling our apples. Right now, we’ll just sell our apples at the Farmer’s Market. If we make enough to support the orchard, that will take some burden off the Estate.” She wanted to talk more about another idea she had. Selling apples at a sort of Fruit stand on the property, and their honey and any produce from the garden. She thought it best to leave that for later. For now, she just needed to take care of her big sister. “Come on, I’ll get you upstairs where it’s your own space and you can rest. I’ll call Matt and tell him where I’ll be for a while.”

“We don’t even know how strong we are until we 

are forced to bring that hidden strength forward.”

~ Isabel Allende