Chapter Six - Rescue (b)

“I’m going to release the barrel. I need to go now because getting the barrel back to the bakery isn’t easy,” she explained.

“Oh no, Laura, you’re not going to carry this all the way back to the bakery,” I tapped on the barrel.

“Robert, Grandpa Ben gave me this task. Don’t take it from me,” she answered.

“I’m not taking it from you, Laura. I’m simply helping you,” I insisted. “I’m here now and because of that, I’m giving you a ride back to the bakery.”

“What?!” she shouted, taking a step back.

“Laura, we can stay here all day, fighting about this matter,” I scratched my forehead. “And trust me: the only way for you to return to the bakery is getting on my horse.”

Laura looked at Lady, letting out a sigh after. “All right, but I’m only doing this because I really need to return to the bakery.”

She walked closer to Lady and I gave her a lift up once she stepped right beside Lady. I secured the barrel even more then put Laura’s hands on top of it. “Make sure that this is secure at all times, okay?”

She nodded. “We must go now. Grandpa Ben will scold me if I stayed any longer.”

“Yes, my lady,” I answered as I grabbed Lady’s strap, pulling the two of them along.

“What are you doing, Robert? Why aren’t you on the horse?”

“We’re already moving,” I said as I turned my head to her for a brief moment. “If it isn’t obvious enough, I’m pulling Lady to walk.”

“Why are you walking?!” she exclaimed.

“You and the barrel are already heavy enough for Lady to carry. If I jumped on, Lady won’t be able to take that weight,” I explained.

“I didn’t ask you to put me on the horse!” she complained.

“But I told you to, didn’t I?” I smirked.

She was silent for a while. She groaned before she answered, “I will only let this happen this time, okay?” By the tone of her voice, she’s clearly beaten. “Just for the reason that these apples need to be at the bakery right now.”

I smiled to myself, knowing that I won. All she could do was sigh or groan as she allowed what I wanted to happen. It’s not that I’m taking advantage of the situation. I just don’t want her to strain herself with a barrel that she can’t even push. “Please hold on, Laura. Hold on to the barrel,” I reminded her as I tried to hold back my grin.

“Stop smiling like you won a battle, Robert,” she snorted.

I let out a snicker. “I can’t stop smiling,” I slowly turned my face to her. “Because I know I did,” I added, teasing her further.

She was angry for a few seconds but it quickly turned into a smile.

When we arrived in front of the bakery, I stopped Lady right in front of the window so Laura won’t have to walk a mere distance from the bakery.

With utmost care, I helped Laura get down from Lady, carrying her.

“Thank you again, Robert,” she smiled as I began to untie the barrel from Lady.

“You’re more than welcome. Helping you is always a pleasure,” I replied as I put the barrel down onto the ground.

“So, um--”

“Laura!” someone suddenly shouted from the bakery. As we turned our heads to the door, a small, brown-haired man came out from the bakery. He continued to scream as he walked towards us, “Where have you been?! I needed those apples a while ago.”

“Would you calm down, Ronald?” she replied as she rolled her eyes at him, irritated by his presence. “It’s not you who told me to fetch for the apples, Grandpa Ben did.”

“Well, I’m the one who needs them!” he snarled as he took a step forward.

“Well, if you really needed them a while ago, why didn’t you get them yourself?!” Laura suddenly snapped, a side of her that I didn’t expect I’d get to see. “And if you must know, the money you gave was ten gold coins short!”

“How am I supposed to get the apples when my hands are full with orders?!”

“That’s enough for the two of you!” Grandpa Ben’s voice intervened as he came out from the shop. “You two are acting like children… again. And quite frankly, it’s getting annoying to witness,” he continued as he made his way towards us. He turned his attention to Ronald, “The next time you ask someone to fetch ingredients for you and I hear you complaining, you will be fetching all of our ingredients yourself.”

“How can I not complain when Laura over here takes too long in the market?!” Ronald continued to whine as he grasped his hair and threw his hands in the air.

“Have a bit of common sense, Ronald!” Grandpa Ben suddenly hit Ronald on the back of his head. “There are a lot of people in the marketplace. It’s a public area and you should know by now that public markets attract crowds,” he scolded. “Don’t expect it to be free from people like in these narrow streets of ours.”

“But Grandpa Ben--”

“No buts, Ronald,” Grandpa Ben blocked Ronald’s incoming response. “You do this every time and I’m getting tired of playing the judge. The next time you make a scene such as this, you know the consequences. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Grandpa Ben,” Ronald nodded, a sigh escaped his lips as a sign of defeat.

“You may go back to your station. All the pies in the oven seem to be… over-baked,” Grandpa Ben replied.

Ronald’s eyes widened in horror and rushed back to the bakery.

“Thank you, Grandpa Ben,” Laura sighed out of relief, thankful that the whole argument with Ronald is finished.

“I may have taken your side against Ronald but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from trouble, young lady,” Grandpa Ben crossed his arms as he spoke firmly to her. “Would you please explain what took you so long to get the apples?”

Grandpa Ben doesn’t seem to be all furious with Laura but she’s still in trouble because she took so long. And it wasn’t even her fault, it was mine. I think I should speak out for Laura.

“Pardon, Grandpa Ben?” I called from behind Laura.

Laura and Grandpa Ben then turned to my direction.