NOTAKING
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Chapter 19(STL)
🕑 Added 2025-08-22 18:15:47 +0000 UTCTravis listened carefully as Diane explained that he was only to remove the long and thick vegetables, leaving the rest untouched. He nodded, absorbing every word, the afternoon sunlight glinting off the leaves around them.
She led him over to the section of the garden where the thorn trees had rooted themselves like stubborn sentinels, their twisted branches curling into the soil and crowding out the smaller plants.
“These,” she said, motioning to the dense growth, “are suffocating the vegetables. If we don’t get rid of them, nothing else will thrive here.” Her voice carried a mixture of frustration and hope.
Travis grabbed the shovel, its handle smooth but sturdy in his hands, and approached the first tree. The infestation was worse than he expected—thick roots snaked under the soil like writhing snakes, tangling with the vegetables he was meant to save.
He bent low, bracing his legs, and began to pry the stubborn roots loose. The metal of the shovel scraped against dirt and stone, the sound sharp in the quiet afternoon. Sweat trickled down his back, and he tugged at his shirt, tossing it aside to avoid further heat.
Each tree demanded patience. Some roots dug deeper than he anticipated, forcing him to wedge the shovel between root and soil, leveraging every ounce of strength. Thorns snagged at his arms and legs, leaving red scratches that stung under the sun.
Yet he persisted, adrenaline pushing him past the pain. One by one, the thorn trees succumbed, toppling with a satisfying thud. He stepped back briefly after each, wiping sweat from his forehead and glancing around at the clearing progress.
Diane stood nearby, her eyes tracking him. At first, Travis assumed she was inspecting his work, but the way her gaze lingered a little too long made him pause.
She wasn’t critiquing the soil or the uprooted trees—her attention was on him. He felt a strange warmth, a flicker of pride at the silent acknowledgment.
Between the labor, they spoke occasionally. Travis asked about her life after the divorce.
“It was hard at first, I won’t lie,” Diane admitted, leaning casually against the garden fence, the sunlight catching her hair.
“But after I started this garden, I found a new purpose. It gave me something to look forward to, something that made me happy and kept me busy.”
Travis nodded, focusing again on the last few stubborn roots. By the time the sun began to dip toward the horizon, casting golden streaks across the garden, he had pulled out every thorn tree.
Dirt smeared his arms, his muscles ached pleasantly, and sweat dripped down his brow, but a deep sense of accomplishment surged within him.
“All finished,” he said, stepping back to admire the garden now free of the choking thorns.
Diane approached with a glass of water, her hand brushing against his for a brief moment as she handed it over. Her eyes lingered, a subtle softness in them.
'He's really good looking. If only he weren’t my nephew,' she thought before shaking off the idea.
[System Notification]
Affection +5% — Diane's current affection: 10% → 15%
'Oh, I forgot to check hers. Looks like it's going well though. I'll just go with the flow for now,' he thought.
“You did a great job, handsome. Now I don’t have to worry about the thorns ruining my garden, and you even got rid of those pesky rats. Thank you. Here’s the money,” she said, holding out the cash with a warm smile.
Travis accepted the money with a nod, returning her smile. "Oh, no worries, Aunt Diane." He gave her a long look before adding, "You know, you really look like Debbie."
Diane chuckled at the comment. "I mean, we are twins. Not really surprising. But I’m sure you think Debbie looks better, right?" she teased with a playful glint in her eye.
"No, you both look great. Also, I always wondered why you started a garden. It seemed pretty out of the blue when you told us," Travis said as he took a sip of water.
"Oh, well, I've always had a green thumb. I just never knew where to start. I was also busy with marriage and, well, all the crazy things Debbie and I did back in college," Diane said with a chuckle. "But deep down, I always dreamed of having a farm, you know. Not just a garden, but with farm animals and more."
"That's a nice dream. So, when are you going to start making it a reality?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Diane sighed softly. "It's too expensive, and it takes a lot of time and effort. Something I kind of lack at the moment. I mean, I'm 35 years old. There's not much time for me to do all that."
Travis shook his head slightly. "There's always time. How will you know if you don't start? You just have to take the first step."
Diane paused for a moment, then smiled warmly. She pulled Travis into a tight hug, resting his head against her chest. "You're smart and handsome. What else can you do?" she said with a soft laugh. "You're right, though. I'll think about it."
She let go of him and glanced toward the garden. "Okay, time to get my beautiful thick veggies," she said with a grin, bending down to pick them up.
"You know, I wonder why you only grow thick and long veggies," he said, smirking.
Diane turned around slowly, an awkward smile on her face. "They simply sell better. That's all."
"Right!" he replied, chuckling.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Travis said goodbye to Diane and made his way home. He remembered that Eve wanted him to come over tonight but decided against it.
'I'll see her tomorrow,' he thought as he continued walking, the warm glow of the sunset fading behind him.
When he arrived, Travis opened the door and stepped inside. The familiar warmth of home enveloped him, but he quickly noticed Debbie's voice carrying through the air. She was on the phone, animatedly chatting with someone.
' Must be those fuckers,' he thought as he slowly approached the kitchen, making sure she didn't hear him.
"Don't you dare threaten me! My husband did no such thing! He worked for the bank!" she shouted in anger, her voice echoing in the small space.
After a second, hearing all the things they said, she shouted in frustration,
"JUST LEAVE US ALONE!" She then dropped the call, her hand trembling slightly as she sighed, looking up and trying to hold back her tears.
"Is everything alright?" Travis asked as he walked in, concern etched on his face. Hearing his voice, Debbie immediately turned back with a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
"Yes, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about," she said.
As he stepped closer, he could sense the tension still lingering in the air, the remnants of the heated conversation she had just been part of.
"It's nothing really, sweetie. Just them talking nonsense about your father."
"Does Dad owe them money or something?" he asked, his brow furrowing in concern.
"That's what they're saying, but we all know that's not true," she replied, her voice shaky but determined.
"How much money is it? I can help you pay it off, you know," Travis said, feeling a surge of frustration and protectiveness. Hearing this, Debbie immediately hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.
"No, don't worry, sweetheart. It's not a problem. Use that money to have fun and for your tuition. Don’t worry about your dad, okay? I'll fix it. I promise," she said in a reassuring tone, her voice softening despite the weight of the situation.
He understood that she didn’t want to make him worry, but the fact that she was in such a state pissed him off.
' I never thought I'd wage war on some Russians before,' he thought, a mix of determination and anger brewing inside him.
She then smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling as she shifted the conversation. "Now, how was college? Did you make friends? Besides Erik, of course," she asked, genuine curiosity in her tone.
"I did. Nothing much different from the way it was a month ago," he replied, trying to keep his voice light despite the heaviness lingering in the air.
"That's great to hear! Also, you're so sweaty. Did you go to Aunt Diane?" she inquired, tilting her head slightly as she took a step back to examine him.
"Yeah. I helped her a bit. She told me to greet you, by the way," he said, feeling a little pride in being useful.
"Good. Now make sure you use the money responsibly, okay? Go change; dinner will be ready in an hour," she instructed, her voice firm yet caring. He nodded, appreciating her concern, and dashed off to his room.
Travis threw his bag onto the bed, the thud echoing softly in the quiet room. He sank into his chair and powered on his computer, the familiar whirring of the fans filling the space.
' I almost forgot—I need more money, he thought. I can go ahead and… fuck all these women, but none of them can get me money. Except maybe the mayor’s wife. What was her name again?' He thought.
He searched for her online, scrolling past her Instagram and Twitter, but found nothing useful. Frustrated, he ran her name through a search engine that scanned every site.
What he found made him smile.
' I guess this is how Disney hackers feel,' he thought, leaning back in his chair with a small, satisfied smirk.
TO BE CONTINUED
