The Apple Tree

by Kara Jimenez

  “He’s really buff. He must do some kind of manual labor. Maybe he’s a logger?”

  “I don’t know.” He was buff. The fabric of his shirt barely covered the expanse of his biceps.

  “Well, go over there and talk to him again. Find out. He likes you. I could see it in his eyes.”

  She laughed. “You think? He is kind of gorgeous.” He had such square shoulders and a hard jawline. But, he’d also been really weird the night before.

  “Talk to him. Or I will.” Kate smiled and gave her a playful shove.

  Bianca huffed, but couldn’t keep the grin from her face. She knew Kate was only joking, her friend would never go after a guy she was interested in, but was she interested?

  When Levi’s pizza was ready, Bianca carried it out to him. He sat hunched over the brown formica table. In his palms, he held a book, the title obscured by his fingers. As she approached, he straightened his back and grinned.

  “So, how are you?” He fiddled with the corner of his book. “I mean, you seemed a little shaken last night, being lost and all. How are you feeling now?”

  “I’m fine.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “You have a lovely little cabin, by the way.”

  “Thank you. I built it myself.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Wow, that’s impressive. I mean like, really impressive.” She studied him, trying again to decipher his age. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five. Other guys her age usually wasted their time playing video games. He’d built a house?

  “It’s not that big of a deal.” His cheeks reddened as he looked down and gave the pizza pan a gentle spin.

  Faustino walked over. “When you’re finished, go ahead and take a break.”

  Bianca glanced at her manager and nodded. Strange timing for a break. Did Kate encourage him?

  Levi raised his eyebrow. “Would you like to sit with me? I could use the company. My book’s boring anyway.” He tossed it aside.

  She shifted her weight. The guy was a little strange, but there was also something intriguing about him. “Yeah, sure. Just let me grab a salad.”

  When she returned with her food, she sat across from him. Pushing the lettuce around, she searched for something to say.

  “No pizza?” He nodded toward her plate.

  “I eat it sometimes. I like the barbecue chicken pizza here.”

  He scrunched his nose. “Barbecue pizza? That sounds awful.”

  “Have you tried it?” She took a bite of her salad.

  “No, and I don’t plan to. I’m happy with my pepperoni and green pepper.”

  “I’ll give you a dollar if you try it. I think we have some on the buffet right now.” She stood. “I’ll get a slice.”

  Before he could stop her, she went to the buffet and returned, setting the plate in front of him. “Try it.”

  He stared at the pizza covered in cheese, chicken and barbecue sauce. “Fine,” he grumbled and took a bite.

  The sweet smoky flavor drifted across the table, making her mouth water and she briefly considered getting a piece for herself.

  “Okay, it’s not awful.” He took another bite.

  A smile spread across her face. She dug through her pocket to find the dollar she’d been given as a tip earlier and held it out to him.

  “No.” His hand waved. “Keep your money.”

  She put the dollar back in her pocket and pointed to his book. “What were you reading?”

  “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” He held it up for her to see.

  “Isn’t that a kid’s book?” She speared a cucumber with her fork.

  “We’re all kids at heart. Besides, I like the tin man.”

  She laughed. “Because you wish you had a heart?”

  “Wow, I must have been really rude last night.” The corners of his mouth turned up in a grin. “No, I like his back story. He’s frozen in tin forever by an evil witch so that he won’t be able to marry the woman he loves. I think he’s interesting. What do you like to read?”

  Her gaze darted around the parlor at the other customers while she considered the question. A young girl sat in the far corner, hunched over a paperback and it brought back memories of herself as a child, reading her favorite book. “Well, as long as we’re going with the theme of children’s classics, I’d pick The Little House on the Prairie.”

  He nodded. “And why do you like it?”

  “I guess, because of their determination and hard work. The Ingalls worked harder than anyone I know in real life. That must’ve been what it was like back then. Sometimes, I think we’re all going soft.” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug and she took a bite of her salad.

  He pinched the hair on his arm between his fingers. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  Kate cleared dishes at a nearby table. Her eyes darted toward them as she stacked each plate with care. Could her eavesdropping be any more obvious?

  “So, are you a student?” Bianca asked, ignoring her friend. Corvallis was home to Oregon State University.

  “No, not currently. I manage some properties and work on my homestead. What about you?”

  She stared at him. “How old are you?”

  He chuckled. “Twenty-four. Why?”

  “You’re the most hard-working, responsible twenty-four year old I’ve ever met. You built your own house and you manage properties. Do you own the properties?”

  “Yes… I’m like the Ingalls, I guess.” He smiled.

  Bianca grinned along with him as her mind spun with everything he’d said. Do they still make guys like that? Responsible guys who don’t spend all their time goofing off? Apparently, she’d found one.

  Kate walked by with a tray of glassware. Turning to give Levi a huge grin, her foot caught on a table leg. The tray flew through the air and landed with a crash, sending broken glass scattering across the carpet.

  Everyone in the parlor turned and stared. A woman in sweatpants rolled her eyes and whispered something to the man next to her.

  Bianca couldn’t help but laugh as she knelt to help clean up the mess.

  “Let me help you with that.” Levi started picking up shards of glass, placing them back on the tray.

  “Oh no, please don’t. I’ll do it.” Kate’s face turned pink. “I’ll get a broom.” She hurried off toward the utility closet.

  Clink, clink, clink. The glass sounded musical as Bianca dropped the pieces onto the tray.

  “Ack, dammit!”

  She glanced up to Levi. A crimson line ran across his index finger. He grabbed a napkin from one of the table dispensers and pressed it to his hand.

  “Are you okay? Let me see.”

  “I’m fine.” He shoved his hand into his jeans pocket.

  “Let me go get the manager. I think we’ll have to fill out an accident report.” She stepped back, toward the kitchen.

  “No, really. I’m fine, see?” He pulled out his hand and held it out to her. The skin looked completely normal, not a scratch. “I saw some pizza sauce on my finger and I thought it was blood. I overreacted. It’s nothing.”

  Her eyes narrowed. She could’ve sworn she’d seen blood.

  Kate returned with the broom and started sweeping the mess into the dustpan. The other customers had all gone back to eating their food. The sound of conversation filled the parlor.

  “I should go wash my hands,” Levi said.

  “Of course, my break is over anyway.”

  As Levi headed toward the bathroom, she glanced down at his pizza on the table. The red-orange sauce made her frown. Not the same color as blood. Not what she’d seen on his finger. But what other explanation was there?

  Levi sat in his truck cab and watched Bianca working through the large, brick-framed kitchen window. Why had he even stopped? It’d been a bad idea. He turned the key in the ignition, pulled out onto the highway, and headed home.

  At least now he knew to call her Bianca. He liked the name. It matched her light skin tone and it sounded sophisticated, fresh and… beautiful, but i
t didn’t help him know if the curse was upon her.

  He slowed down for the school zone, tapping his thumbs impatiently on the steering wheel. A redheaded woman strolled down the sidewalk. Bianca? No, that was ridiculous. He’d just left her at the pizza place. A deep sigh left him.

  How could he have been so dense as to expose his secret? Perhaps she hadn’t noticed and bought the story about the pizza sauce. Then again, if she’d eaten a red apple, the same thing would soon be revealed in her. Just a few more days until he’d know for sure.

  If nothing happened, and she was fine, he’d stop watching. He’d leave her alone.

  Turning the knob on the heating vent, he thought about driving by Bianca’s house again. No, she wouldn’t be home yet. A grimace formed on his face. He really was becoming a scoundrel.

  No more watching her until Saturday. It’d be obvious by then and he’d have to tell her what had happened. He cringed at the thought.

  As he left the city limits, he relaxed. The commercial buildings disappeared. Traffic became sparse. Farmland and sporadic clumps of trees filled the landscape. He liked living so far out. There were few neighbors and it was easier to stay anonymous. He didn’t usually worry about the tree when he was gone since there weren’t many people out there and everyone else in the country had their own apple tree. Camouflage. But ever since Bianca found it, a nagging unease haunted him when he came to town. The end of apple season couldn’t come fast enough.

  The tires crunched over the gravel driveway as he turned the corner. A familiar silver car rested under the oak tree in front of his house. A curse escaped his lips and he gripped the steering wheel as he parked. Aldo watched from the cabin window, jumping and barking at the visitor, who leaned against the Ferrari with his arms crossed.

  Levi jumped out of the cab. “What the hell are you doing here, Peter? This is private property.”

  “Is that how you treat an old friend?” Peter straightened and took a step forward. “Besides, you think I like coming all the way out here? Gets my car all dusty.” A grimace crossed his face. “I came by to let you know my father’s decided to double the offer. Six million.”

  “I don’t want your money.” Levi clenched his fists by his sides and narrowed his eyes.

  Peter raised a dark eyebrow. “Have it your way, but someday we’ll figure out how this happened to us. He’s not giving up.” He paused and a smile lit his face. “Hey, you know what I thought of the other day? Remember when we were kids and we found that salamander down by the stream? I helped you catch it and we put it in your sister’s dinner plate.” A deep chuckle broke though him. “The way its tail flopped around in the potatoes! Her face! And your mama was so angry. She really whipped our butts, huh?”

  “You need to leave, now,” Levi said, his voice low, controlled.

  Peter held up his hands, his face serious now. “Okay, okay. Just reminiscing. I’m leaving.” He opened the Ferrari door. “You know, I may have found something you’d be willing to trade for the information we want.” Peter’s eyes locked with his. “Something you’d want to protect.” He shrugged. “But I haven’t decided yet.”

  Levi glanced away, toward the window, where Aldo still barked. What the hell was Peter talking about? “Leave,” he said.

  Peter chuckled, then climbed in his car and started the engine. Music vibrated from the speakers, through the open windows. He swung the car around and sped down the driveway, throwing rocks behind him.

  Levi took a deep breath and watched the silver car disappear around the curve. Then he walked into the house where he was greeted by the chocolate Labrador, his tail swinging. He sat down at the kitchen table and opened a black laptop. Clicking on the security program, the live feed from the orchard popped on screen. He zoomed in on the tall and regal tree in the center, dripping with crimson red apples, and surrounded by the other harmless trees, like commoners worshiping their ruler. Everything looked normal.

  Peter and his father didn’t know the curse that affected them originated from the apples, and Levi worked hard to keep it that way.

  He tapped his finger on the keyboard. If only he could see the orchard about thirty minutes ago, when Peter had been on the property. The woods hid the apple tree from sight of the driveway, but what if he’d gone wandering around?

  He rubbed his forehead. Unfortunately, a bug in the system had caused it to stop recording video about two weeks ago and he didn’t know how to fix it. Computers weren’t his strong point and he couldn’t call just anyone to repair it. People would wonder why he so concerned about a grove of trees that he needed video.

  His close friend, Frank, had been the one to originally set up the surveillance. However, Frank lived in Chicago and probably wouldn’t be coming to Oregon for a while. But with Peter coming around more often, and now Bianca, he needed to get it working, and soon.

  Levi didn’t keep his promise. He’d told himself he wouldn’t bother Bianca until Saturday, but the very next day he craved pizza and found himself driving to the parlor. The delicious barbecue chicken pizza lured him there, not her contagious smile. He shook his head, unable to swallow his own lie.

  Bianca greeted him at the counter. “Hey Levi. Pizza two days in a row, huh?” Her long hair had been coiled into a bun. He liked it better hanging loose around her shoulders, the way it had been in the orchard.

  “Yeah, I guess you were right about that barbecue pizza. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” He leaned his elbow on the counter, trying to appear casual.

  “I knew you’d love it,” she said with a smug smile. “Is that what you want to order?”

  He nodded. “Give me a small.”

  She started punching buttons on the register. Freckles dotted the fair skin on her forearm. Did she ever suntan or was she one of those people who always burn?

  He cleared his throat. “So, any chance you’re going on a break soon? I’d like the company.”

  “Um, yeah. I think so.” She glanced back at her manager. “I think I can go when Kate comes back from hers in about ten minutes.”

  “Perfect.” A smile broke across his face as he handed her the money for his order and then sat down at the same table he’d used the day before. He’d brought a book again. Mostly, he just didn’t want to seem weird sitting at a table by himself. The book made him appear less lonely, or so he hoped. He opened it and tried to focus on the words, but couldn’t.

  In the kitchen, she opened the brick oven door and used a huge flat paddle to scoop up a pizza and then placed it on the cutting board. Instead of the typical spinning wheel cutter, she used a giant knife, the size of her arm to cut across the pizza in one solid chop. Working her way around like the hands of a clock, she sliced it into eight even pieces. She was fast. How long had she been working there?

  Ten minutes later, as promised, she walked out to his table carrying his pizza and a salad for herself. Setting the food down, she yanked at the band holding her hair up. Fiery red strands tumbled over her shoulders and he sat mesmerized as she ran her fingers through the hair, massaging her scalp.

  “I’m getting a headache with my hair pulled back so tight,” she said.

  Her words jerked him out of his trance. He’d just been gawking like a simpleton. The tips of his ears warmed and he shifted in the seat.

  She sat and nodded toward his book. “What are you reading today?”

  He lifted it, so she could see the title. “The Bible.”

  She narrowed her eyes studying him, but said nothing.

  A chuckle broke through him. “What?”

  “I’ve never known anyone who actually read the Bible. I just don’t have much experience with it, I guess.”

  “It brings me comfort.” He took a bite of his pizza.

  She picked up her fork and pushed the salad around on her plate. “But do you believe it? I mean, you can’t prove it’s true. Isn’t it kind of silly?”

  He shrugged. “There are lots of things that can’t be explained. That doesn’t m
ake them any less real.”

  A thoughtful look crossed her face. “I guess you’re right.”

  “Besides, does it really matter if it’s true? It’s real to me and it brings me peace.” He took another bite.

  “Yeah, I can see that. My parents were never religious so it’s not something I’m really familiar with, you know?”

  He nodded and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “What are your parents like?”

  It took her a minute to answer. “They’re just like any parents, I guess.” She paused. “So, what’s your favorite TV show, Levi?”

  It seemed like she was trying to change the subject. Did that mean she cared about her parents or not? Could one of them be the recipient of the fatal side effect of the curse? He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t have a TV.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re one of those people.”

  He laughed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  A woman hurried past them, cheeks flushed, eyes to the floor as she carried a screaming child toward the exit.

  Bianca gave the woman a sympathetic smile. Was she thinking of the little boy she’d been with at the park? Maybe that was who she cared about most after all.

  She looked back to him. “I mean one of those people who think they’re better than everyone else, because they don’t waste their time watching TV.” She locked her brown eyes with his. “You think you’re better than me, Levi?” Her lips pressed together like she was suppressing a giggle.

  He studied her expression. What was he supposed to say to that? Of course he didn’t think he was better than her.

  “I’m only joking.” She laughed, reached across the table and tapped his arm playfully. “No, I think that’s great. TV rots your brain. I still like to watch it though.”

  He smiled with relief and took another bite.

  Her gaze shifted to his hand. “So tell me the truth. Yesterday, you cut yourself on the glass. Why did you lie?”

  The piece of pizza stuck in his throat and he swallowed hard to force it down. “You’re very direct, you know?”

  She shrugged. “I know. I’m horrible at censoring myself. I blurt things out all the time and usually stick my foot in my mouth.”