Chapter XXI: A New Year

Fawna and Rose repair their friendship, but Travis is still hurt over his breakup with Rose. Rick makes a big decision.

                With the arrival of spring came many changes in Serenity Falls and Fawna's life. The snow melted away to reveal lush grass waking up from their long slumber, the trees sprouted leaves and the temperature rose drastically. Along with the changes in the weather, there were many changes happening on Fawna's farm; her house had been upgraded, and the birth of a baby calf was being celebrated. She had purchased her first cow from Eric, Travis' dad and named her Lucy. Lucy had just given birth to Clementine.

                "Awwww... she's so cute!" Fawna squealed, patting her head. She wrinkled her nose after a moment, though. "Too bad she smells," she added on a downside. Rick and Travis laughed at Fawna's city rearing showing through. No matter how down to earth Fawna became living on a farm in Serenity Falls, she would still always be the Fawna who enjoyed the finer things in life.

                Travis was slowly healing from his breakup with Rose. It had taken all winter for him to be able to laugh like he was laughing now again, but when he saw Rose, that sadness still invaded his eyes. It reminded Fawna of how she had felt after Greg had mistreated her and thrown her out, but she was moving on now. She hoped Travis would too, when he was ready.

                A soft knocking on the barn door made all three of them turn around. Rose was there, looking timid. She always looked like she wanted to bolt and run whenever she was near Travis. Travis' eyes clouded and he nodded curtly. "I'll see you later, Fawna," he told her, striding out of the barn without a glance at Rose. Fawna made an attempt to go after him, but Rick gently held her back with a squeeze to her hand. Rose looked after him with a longing expression filled with heartbreak.

                "Hi," she sighed to Fawna. Rick eyed her suspiciously. He still hadn't forgiven her for putting Fawna in the clinic last season. Fawna turned to Rick and kissed his cheek softly.

                "Rick, can you go pick up some more bird feed from your mom for me?" she asked. Rick got the hint and nodded, kissing her back before leaving with one last dirty look at Rose. Fawna sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry about him..." Fawna began. Unlike Travis and Rick, Fawna did not hold a grudge against Rose. She knew that Rose was working towards her one year sober badge and had given up both her boyfriend and her business to do that.

                "It's okay, Fawna. You don't have to apologize. They have a right to be angry... you do, too. Rick really loves you," she said wistfully, obviously thinking about Travis. Fawna smiled and nodded.

                "Yeah. He saved me, in a sense," Fawna told her, sitting down on an overturned box. "So... how've you been?" she asked. They both knew she was really asking if Rose had been sober. Rose smiled weakly.

                "Good, actually. I actually came here to tell you that I haven't had a drink since that day when... well..." her voice trailed off and Fawna nodded to show that she knew what Rose was getting at.

                "Have you told Travis?" she asked and Rose shook her head.

                "No. I don't want to tell him and then fall off the wagon. It would only disappoint him more and it's not fair to him. I want to wait until I get my one year sober badge. Then I'll know I've really accomplished something," she told her. "You know, at first it was really hard but now I hardly even think about it. Sometimes I think that a year will come really quickly for me," she said brightly. Fawna smiled as she scratched baby Clementine behind the ears.

                "That's good," she told her. Rose nodded happily, looking very relieved and free. Things were really starting to look up for her and hopefully she would get her happy ending.

                "So... when is Rick going to propose to you?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow and a faint grin. It was so good to have sober Rose back for good. Fawna had unwavering faith that she would never go back to drinking again. Fawna's blue eyes widened and she went red, giggling nervously.

                "Rose!" she protested. "I have no idea. I don't even think he's thinking about that," she told her and Rose laughed.

                "But you are," she said knowingly and Fawna went redder still, but didn't say anything. "Come on, Fawna! You've known him for almost a year now. It's plain for a blind person to see that you're in love. It's only a matter of time before he pops the question," she told her and Fawna sighed.

                "Well, I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see, aren't I," she said and Rose nodded.

***

                Rick took a deep breath and stole his courage for what he was about to do. Picking up the blue feather off the counter in Mineral Town, he marched up to where Jeff was taking money and put 1000G on the table.

                "I-I'd like to buy this, p-please," he mumbled, stuttering slightly. Jeff raised an eyebrow.

                "Gee, Rick. That Fawna girl in the next town's really stolen your heart, huh?" he asked and Rick nodded, going a little red. Jeff took the money from Rick and wrapped up his blue feather for him. "Here you go. Good luck," he said with a friendly wink.

                As Rick walked out, he decided that proposing right now would be a little too soon. Not right now, but soon... when I'm sure it's the right time... Rick thought to himself before heading home to pick up the bird seed Fawna asked him to get.