It had only been an hour, but it felt like an eternity. Porco stood at the boundary line of the two ranches. Here was the scene of the crime, the mistake that could cost him everything.
The fields he’d treated the other day were already showing signs of life. A few seedlings poked their green heads above the cracked earth. Their leaves unfurled as they reached for the sun’s rays.
On the other side of the fence, he saw a few beanstalks that stood a might higher than the others that surrounded it. The growth was slight, but the damage was done. The grass was greener, but it was not better.
“How do I fix this?” Porco asked no one in particular.
He was not alone out in the field. Brenda and Keaton had come to survey the ruins. They were leaning against the rail, heads bent in conversation. It was Spinelli who answered Porco.
“It takes three years for lands to become certified organic,” said Spinelli. “It’s not a quick fix.”
Looking out across the field, Porco could feel Jules’s presence. She was so close and yet so far. She’d been there every day tending to her beanstalks, and he hadn’t known it. Now he had no idea how he’d live another day without her in his arms.
Spinelli came up to his shoulder, his gaze focused on the beanstalks. “We screwed this one up, didn’t we?”
“We?”
“The drone wasn’t working properly, that was on me.”
“I flew it off course.”
“I miscalculated.” Spinelli looked across the fields. His gaze was hooded with… was that longing?
A squeal brought both their attention round. Bounding towards them was a fat hog. Porco had no idea how the pig moved so fast on those stubby legs.
“Hamlet?”
As if in answer, the pig squealed. It stuck its snout through the fence. Porco offered the beast his hand, which the pig promptly sniffed and licked.
Wasn’t that irony? A pig licking the taste of Porco.
Porco went down to his haunches to scratch the pig's head. Hamlet’s snout made it look like it was smiling at him. A soft spot opened in Porco’s heart for the pig.
That didn’t mean his stomach wouldn’t welcome the pig’s distant relatives tomorrow morning. Unless it was a requirement for him to bust through this border. Because he knew he would give or give up anything to be with Jules again. Even pork.
In the distance, Porco saw three figures come into view. The first figure he’d recognize anywhere. It was Jules.
The sun took that moment to shine brightly on her face. Time ceased to exist. Distance was no matter. The grass was indeed greener on that side of the fence, and Porco knew that he had to get to the other side.
Shooing the pig aside, he ducked his large body under the fence. Behind him, he heard his friends protest. He paid them no heed. There would be no boundaries in their marriage.
His steps carried him toward Jules. The closer he got, he saw that she was not alone. She was walking with Paris. She was walking arm in arm with Paris. She was smiling up at Paris with those eyes of light.
Porco’s steps faltered. Had he lost her? Was it too late?
Paris stiffened. The man must’ve seen Porco. There would be another fight. Porco had no more cheeks left to turn. He balled his fingers into a fist.
All the fight went out of Porco as Jules turned her gaze onto him. Her smile blinded him. He could feel the love in her heart even from this distance.
She broke the trance, turning back to Paris. She said something to him. Paris sighed, then he kept moving forward. Jules stayed behind, standing shoulder to shoulder with her sister.
Porco ignored Paris, who was striding towards him. He wanted nothing to do with the man, but he would knock Paris down if he dared keep him from his wife. When Paris was just a yard away, the man opened up his arms.
Porco stopped and put his dukes up.
“It’s an Empathy Circle,” said Paris.
Porco had no idea what fighting stance the man had taken, but he bounced his toes in preparation.
“I’m sorry,” said Paris. “I used my fists instead of my words. I’ve taken a moment to put myself in your shoes, and I see the error of my ways. With empathy instead of anger in my heart, I offer you a hug to mend the hurt I caused.”
Porco looked over his shoulder. Spinelli had come through the fence. Brenda and Keaton remained on their side, but their attention was rapt.
Paris was now in front of him. He had his arms opened wide. He was an easy target.
Porco looked past Paris at his wife. Jules was beaming at him encouragingly. Was this what it would take to win her back? He’d rather give up bacon.
Paris waited patiently. Arms still held open. Tentatively, Porco took a step forward. The embrace was stiff, quick. Porco may have given the man a thump on the back that was harder than necessary.
When they broke apart, Porco received the embrace he’d been hungering for. Jules ran into his arms. He caught her up, pressing her to him. They spun in a circle. When the circle completed, he did not put her down. He was never letting this woman go again.
“So, that’s it?” Brenda called. “We’re good?”
“We’re going to have the commune disown our land,” said Romey.
“I haven’t agreed to that,” said Paris. “Our parents left this land in trust to us. It’s going to take time and lawyers to work any of that out.”
“At least that’ll get him off my back,” Porco heard Brenda mutter behind him.
“That still leaves you without the organic certification,” said Spinelli, his gaze sliding towards Romey.
“I know it’s not the most elegant solution,” said Romey. “But it should take less than three years, which is how long it will take to get another inspector out here.”
“Why not just sell this strip of land to me?” said Brenda. “I don’t mind the chemicals. Jules has told me that cows like soybean.”
But Paris was shaking his head. “We can’t sell it to anyone outside of the families of the charter.”
“This place and its land regulations,” said Keaton, but he said it with a smile. The regulations on land were what caused his hasty marriage with Brenda that turned into lasting love.
Maybe that was it?
“Sell it to me,” said Porco.
“Could work” said Romey. “He is family.”
Porco liked the sound of that. Gazing down at Jules, he saw that she liked it too. If they owned this land, it would be out from under the thumb of both the Vance ranch and the Verona commune. They would be the buffer between their two worlds, living in their own cocoon of happiness and peace.
And then the dream sank when Paris told him the value of the land. Porco wasn’t hurting for cash. But he didn’t have that much in his bank account.
“I can cover the rest.”
All eyes went to Spinelli. His gaze kept darting to Romey and then looking away with feigned detachment.
“It’s partly my fault.”
“We run into the same problem,” said Paris. “You're not family.”
Spinelli’s gaze landed on Romey then. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing before he said, “I could become family.”
Romey gasped. Her eyes lit, just like her sister’s had the first time Porco had seen Jules. He was standing between the two; his best friend and his new sister in law. The pull between them was unmistakable. There were tiny sparks of energy dancing between the two. Even a blind person could see it.
“It’s the best solution,” Romey finally said, her voice only slightly breathy. “We can get the certification for the rest of the land. Jules can sell her soybeans to the Vances.”
“The Keatons,” Keaton pipped in, but no one paid him any mind.
“But you’ll have to marry him.” Paris stuck his thumb out at Spinelli.
“Jordan is intelligent, gainfully employed, and fit,” said Romey, ticking each accomplishment off on her fingers. “What more could a woman ask for?”
“Love?” said Jules from inside the cocoon of Porco’s arms.
Romey shrugged.
Spinelli mimicked the movement.
“Love is nothing but a construct,” said Romey.
“You can’t still believe that,” said Jules.
“The marriages on the Vance Ranch and the Purple Heart Ranch all started out as marriages of convenience,” said Spinelli. “They’ve all been successful.”
“Excellent point,” said Romey, tilting her head like Jules did when she was delighted.
“Thank you.” Spinelli gave her a grin.
As if they felt the eyes that were definitely on them, they both wiped the grins off their faces and looked away from each other.
Jules opened her mouth to argue the matter further. Porco turned her, sweeping her back up into his arms so that her feet dangled just below his knees. He pressed his mouth to hers and words failed her.
The spark that had been present between them ignited into a flare. One day the heat they made might dampen into a smolder. Though he doubted it. He was sure it would always be this way between the two of them.
“I missed you,” Jules said when he allowed her lips to part from his.
“You never will again,” he assured her. “Come on, Hamlet. Let’s go home.”
The three of them left the others behind to work out the details of the land transfer. He and Jules already done their part. They walked across the acres until they reached the cabin nestled between the two lands who had decided on peace that was now reinforced with love.
Who knew? Maybe someday in the near future, they would even tear the fences down.