Zinnia finished getting ready and stepped out of the yard, just in time to see Yannis wheeling out the electric scooter. Back in the small town, Zinnia and Nathan always got around on electric scooters, too.
“Hey, what’s up?” Zinnia asked curiously as she noticed Yannis looking troubled and walked over to him.
“Are we really riding this?” Yannis was still pushing the electric scooter, trying to figure out how it worked.
“Yeah, most people in the small town get around on electric scooters. Hardly anyone drives a car,” Zinnia said with a nod.
“Let me look up how to ride it,” Yannis said, pulling out his phone to search. He’d never tried one before.
“Wow, there’s actually something you can’t do?” Zinnia teased, genuinely surprised. “Better figure it out first. I don’t want you dropping me.”
Yannis didn’t mind her teasing at all. He really had never used one of these electric scooters before.
“I know how! I’ll drive,” Zinnia beamed.
“Yannis, make sure you wear your helmet properly. And don’t wiggle around back there, okay?” She handed him a white helmet, the one Nathan usually wore.
Zinnia mounted the electric scooter with one foot on the ground as she fastened her own pink helmet.
Yannis took the helmet from her and obediently put it on.
“All set! Hop on, I’ll take you for a spin.” With her helmet secured, Zinnia turned to Yannis, her delicate, soft hand patting the seat to signal him up.
“Okay,” Yannis replied, effortlessly swinging his long legs onto the backseat. He wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in just a little.
Feeling his arms around her, Zinnia’s cheeks flushed. “Yannis…”
“I saw in a video tutorial that you’re supposed to hold onto the person in front, or you might lose your balance,” Yannis said, his clear, pleasant voice coming from behind.
“Oh. Then hold on tight, I’m about to go,” Zinnia murmured, her voice soft after his explanation.
“Okay.” Yannis nodded, and Zinnia couldn’t see a faint smile playing on his lips.
A flurry of barking erupted from outside the yard, and in the next instant, a lithe yellow figure darted in. Sunny planted himself squarely in front of the scooter, blocking the way with protective determination. Spotting Zinnia sitting on the scooter, Sunny rushed over and stood guard in front of the vehicle, refusing to let it pass. But when he caught sight of Yannis in the back seat, Sunny’s eyes narrowed fiercely, his protective instinct kicking in. His teeth bared in warning.
Seeing his aggressive move, Zinnia called out, “Sunny!”
Sunny froze and then turned to Zinnia, barking and whining anxiously. He whined softly at Zinnia, but every time he looked at Yannis behind her, his gaze turned sharp and overprotective again.
Zinnia bent down, gently rubbing Sunny’s head to soothe him. “Don’t worry, Sunny, I’m just going to town, not leaving you,” she coaxed softly. She added, “I’m not leaving. I’m just taking my brother to town for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
Yannis sat in the back, watching Zinnia stroke Sunny’s head. For some reason, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. “So this is how she used to comfort me,” he thought, his expression darkening slightly.
Hearing Zinnia’s words, Sunny let out two more anxious barks, still not entirely convinced.
“Really, I’m not leaving,” Zinnia said, understanding his worry, and she gave his head another gentle rub.
The last time the Shaw family came, she’d left in a hurry. Now, with Yannis and the others arriving, she was again about to ride off on her scooter. To Sunny, it looked like she was leaving again, and he grew frantic.
Yannis listened closely to the way she coaxed Sunny, and his face darkened. ‘So she used the exact same tone when coaxing me before,’ he thought, a little miffed. The way she soothed Sunny was exactly the same as when she’d patted his head and comforted him before. She’d barely even changed the words, and she just swapped out the name.
After Zinnia’s repeated reassurances, Sunny finally seemed somewhat convinced. He stopped barking at Yannis, hopped onto the scooter’s footrest, and curled up in the footwell with practiced ease, settling down obediently.
He barked again, signaling to Zinnia that she could go now. Clearly, he wasn’t comfortable letting her go out with Yannis alone. He had to tag along, just in case his little mistress got whisked away again.
“Alright, we’re heading out,” Zinnia said, already used to Sunny jumping onto the scooter. Whenever she and Nathan went to town, Sunny always insisted on coming along.
Zinnia twisted the throttle, and the electric scooter glided smoothly out of the yard, following the winding paved path. Vibrant flowers bloomed in a riot of colors along the way, while the gentle morning sun slowly rose overhead, bathing everything in a warm, golden light. Their shadows, leaning together, were cast on the ground, painting a picture of quiet happiness and simple beauty.
“Yannis, why did you go quiet all of a sudden?” Zinnia asked after a long while, puzzled by his sudden silence.
“Zinnia, did you used to coax me like you did Sunny, treating me like your puppy?” Yannis’s voice floated over in a knowing tone.
Zinnia froze as if struck by lightning. ‘How did he figure that out?’ she thought, forcing a sheepish laugh.
“Zinnia, how are you going to make it up to me?” Yannis let out an exasperated chuckle. He knew he’d guessed right. She really had treated him like a dog before. It was no wonder that her attitude had seemed a bit off back then. The thought made Yannis laugh in spite of himself.
Knowing how sharp he was, Zinnia flinched guiltily at the sound of his laughter and mumbled, “Well, what do you want as compensation?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I think of something,” Yannis replied. An idea came to him on the spur of the moment.
“Alright then. Oh, Yannis, does that make it four favors I owe you now?” Zinnia murmured as she rode along, letting out a small gasp. ‘I really do owe Yannis a lot. Three favors before, and now this new one. When will I ever pay him back?’ she thought, a little anxious.
“What?” Yannis asked, sounding a bit confused.
“Yannis, don’t you want anything? I still owe you so many favors, and what if someday I…” Before Zinnia could finish, Yannis placed a hand over her mouth.
In a steady, serious voice, he said, “It’s Christmas. Let’s not talk about such ill-omened things.”
“But-” Zinnia started, wanting to say more.
She thought, ‘My health is so unpredictable. If Yannis doesn’t want anything now, and something happens to me in the end, I won’t be able to pay him back.’
Yannis smiled and said, “I don’t want anything right now, Zinnia. But remember, one day I’ll come to claim what’s due.”
Zinnia rode her little electric scooter into the wind, saying to Yannis behind her, “That’s the rose field over there. All the roses here are edible; if you clean them and make rose macaroons, they’re delicious. Wendy makes the best rose macaroons.” She pointed ahead, saying, “That little bridge is made of wood, and there’s a creek underneath with fish and shrimp. I used to play there all the time when I was a kid. When we have time, I’ll take you there for a walk.”
“Alright,” Yannis replied gently, looking toward each spot as she introduced them.
The small town had a wonderful environment and pleasant temperature. Every scene looked like it came straight from a painting. He felt it was no wonder that Zinnia always longed to come back. This place might not have the hustle and bustle of a big city, but its unique tranquility and freedom brought people a sense of peace.