Chapter 96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiSoxsaYEB
Saturday - 09.08 The Farmers' Meeting
The shock was still in our bones when we arrived back at the farm.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86HoLAbt8a
Hassan was as white as a sheet and hadn't said a thing since he got off his horse. It made me sad to see him like that. I wanted him to laugh, to be his friendly self, the one I would trust blindly at any time.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lMN1P1x1H
Nila was also quite pale. She leaned against the window and watched the world go by. Her brown eyes gleamed suspiciously. She repeatedly pressed her lips together and only straightened up again when the truck turned onto the narrow alley.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWnheJUoeK
Why? What had happened? Nobody had done anything to these people! Hassan hadn't done anything to anyone! Anger boiled up inside me. This was so unfair!6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uRl3NwZvh
David took one hand off the steering wheel and placed it comfortingly on my thigh, as if he could feel how much was churning inside me.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRSIgEm7Qf
I immediately grabbed his hand, as if it were an anchor. His palms were rough, but warm and familiar. It was like a sign. No matter what happened out there, we two would stay together.
As soon as the truck pulled up in front of the stable and we started unloading, Oleg hurried out.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirz0lduylC
"Why are you back already?" His eyes flickered worriedly between us. With every face he looked at, his expression became more serious. Finally, he put his hands on his hips and stood in the middle of the stable door. "What happened?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZzqAmf77R
Hassan shook his head and tried to push past him with his bay horse by the hand, but he hadn't reckoned with our stable master.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmI1rLDDn4
Oleg grabbed the lead chain and grabbed Hassan's shoulder with his other hand. "I want to know what's going on here first!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2G3YttTz2
David approached them. His shoulders were tense and his jaw was clenched. "There's been an incident. We'll talk about it later."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfBwrnB5xL
Oleg looked at me, but I just nodded. I wouldn't tell him anymore. I couldn't without becoming abusive or simply bursting into tears.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay3Mw71ixr
Oleg stepped out the door slowly and reluctantly. Like a submissive Labrador who'd just been slapped, he lowered his head. "Bad?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyTvFi0JhW
David nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "Times have changed." He rolled his jaw and paused for a moment before turning around and helping me unload.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmV3Nk49Om1
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The atmosphere remained awkward. The horses were back in the pasture, and Oleg had pushed David and me into the house.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFma9uvJRJb
We sat at the dining room table. Coffee was steaming in white ceramic cups. Pola had baked a cake, which sat untouched in the middle, and fresh flowers from the garden had found a place in a tall glass vase in the middle of the table.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlirICwocX6
It was quieter than it had been in a long time. David and I just stared at the tabletop, as if we were still trying to figure out what had just happened. Oleg and Pola looked at us. Like children hoping their parents wouldn't tell them any minute that Grandma had died.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoQ4EvWF4g
I cleared my throat. "Hassan..." No. I couldn't do this!6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy3UhrBOUb
Pola grabbed my hand. "What? What about the boy?" Concern reflected in her eyes, and her lower lip trembled.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwlpHEhJUQ
"He was racially abused and then eliminated from the rankings, despite a flawless round. He didn't do anything wrong." David turned his cup between his palms and exhaled heavily. "I don't like this!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDfmtlJyNr
"Who does!" Pola let go of my hand. Her voice rose. "Who was that? Who do I have to bury in the woods?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV55lDn5QfD
"It was the entire audience," I managed harshly. My throat tightened. With all due respect to Pola, she wasn't about to slaughter an entire crowd.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItGoA1KEEA
She snorted. "Where is he?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CenWvCWvi
"In his apartment. Pola, he needs time for himself. He really didn't look well!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXcuI8fleC
But Pola didn't think about listening to David for even a second. She reached for the knife. Inevitably, I held my breath, but she merely cut the cake. With a serious expression, she awkwardly heaved a piece onto the plate in front of her, stuck a fork in the middle as if she were about to spear the piece, and strode off tensely.
We watched her in silence. Oleg stirred his coffee and then rose noisily. "Going to watch the horses," he murmured as he left, and so David and I were suddenly sitting there alone.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUkj6Nqcsv
I searched for David's hand under the table and took a shaky breath. "What happens now?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AwSYtSuZx
He shrugged, but didn't look at me. He should say something hopeful! Now! Something that made me think I'd just imagined it. But he remained silent.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡme6pEilm4m
Tears welled up in my eyes. If this was just the beginning, what would happen next? Professional bans? Deportations? Or were they already picking up the first people?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDZra9mKHK
My chest tightened. My throat burned, and I blinked hard to fight back the tears. Crying wasn't a solution!6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6VnZY0lvA
Then Life came just inside David. Wordlessly, he pushed his chair back far enough so he could pull me into his arms. My cheek landed gently against his white tournament shirt. I would leave a makeup stain, but that didn't matter. He touchingly stroked my back, kissed my hairline, but seemed so distant that everything felt soulless.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNTG7Msjbv
I wanted that us against the world feeling! I wanted his calm, his passion! Not this! Not this mechanical thing.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbe5UMu991t
"We have to go to the farmers' meeting," he finally said, harshly and still distracted.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47pjgovBBf
"Why?" I wrinkled my nose. What were we doing there? It was really just a regulars' table. People were drinking, chatting, and cursing everything and everyone.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd2YBaBefW
David lifted his shoulder and pushed me away. He looked me straight in the face. "If we don't go, then we'll duck. We have to go, and above all, I want to know what the hell that was today!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHN4vlwR5b
And then he found the answer? He wouldn't even find that in an all-knowing crystal ball! I frowned and was about to protest, but he smiled at me so disarmingly that I shut up.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuinpdeKJBm
"Are you coming with me?"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXnvmZ8Nu2
I nodded. I couldn't leave him alone at an event like this. Afterwards, we'd be banished from the village, or whatever seemed right, if David started. "Of course!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6In7NRVbcW
He placed a hand on my cheek. He gently ran his thumb over my cheekbone. "Please don't cry. We can't change it, and the fact that we went was already a strong sign."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbGARsaeoS
"But it doesn't change anything. David, I feel so helpless!" Tears immediately welled up in my eyes again.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wcvsEEXPk
He nodded understandingly. "I know. Me too. We have to keep going, and that means figuring out who is friend and who is foe."
That was probably the main reason we were going to this meeting.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjtV74vPu4
It was already dark. Most of the farmers had been in their fields until an hour ago. Harvest time, after all.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfnqksFJKz
A few street lamps illuminated the alleys, and the cobblestones shimmered as if they were damp, even though they were worn.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjiz7DKzCI
People were already standing in front of the village pub, smoking. Their eyes burned on me. David greeted them with a nod. Uncomfortably, I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed David's arm to cling to him.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYaNDaSfRu
We climbed the wide stone steps. The air became warmer and stuffier. Loud chatter penetrated the night air through the open door.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTqXDkxFiv
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A warm light burned in the pub. Udo stood behind the bar. In his mid-60s, with a beer belly and as chubby as a smoking man.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTxwcKbTN9
"Farmers' meeting?" he barked at us. "Front left."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiATP848Ci
David just nodded and pulled me into the adjoining room.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrynsMlgXtx
Rows of chairs stood in front of a small screen. It wasn't very crowded yet, and the few people present didn't look up when we arrived. It smelled of beer and stale cigarette smoke. The floor was slightly sticky under our shoes.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kna35W4Fl
We sat on the left, in the third row. I hadn't let go of David. He didn't seem to mind at all.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8klEbIOPd
It must have had something to do with going to the pub in his home village with a blonde clinging to his arm. Not many men would complain, I'm sure.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P10Ci1X7y
More and more people arrived. I only knew a few people here and there. Sabse's father was the only one who greeted us warmly, and you could see that he would have liked to sit with us, but then other older farmers beckoned him over.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR24R8CWxH
I closed my eyes. What was I doing here? I didn't belong here, did I? I earned my money with the horses, not with the farming that fed us and them.
Someone tapped on the microphone. I opened my eyes again and sat up straighter. Bodo Greifwälder stood at the microphone and smiled worldly at the group. His checked shirt didn't fit well, and his jeans were a bit too tight on the thighs. He stood hunched over the microphone and cleared his throat. "Now, if everyone could just calm down."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FFS2Xl9gq
A presentation was projected onto the screen behind him. "It's great that so many of you are here today. I saw that even David Behrend made himself comfortable for once."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE1GBwugtX
Laughter and glances in our direction.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfG6nXQpQz
David just rolled his eyes, but a blush rose in my cheeks and I wanted to duck away.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZheeKPDgs2
"Today we want to talk about the future of the village and village agriculture."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuArbFsifWE
Oh dear. I sensed something bad!6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtveV9yYfQa
"I've prepared a little presentation. Well, actually, it was Moni, but she's at home with the children now."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVv60w0yEgf
More laughter.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAysMQac6S
"So, yes... we already have the overview. Item one today is the harvest forecast, item two, and we really need to talk about that, our seasonal workers, and item three, the upcoming village festival and what we as farmers can offer there."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVvBXhAfXw
Seasonal workers. Did this start the same way as at the tournament?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Yt5Hf7rRM
David had also tensed up at the word.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvY0VVEnvb
"Yes, so the forecast is good. So far, this year has been really good. The wheat yield has always been very good, but this year," Bodo made a dismissive gesture. "We don't know what to do with the stuff anymore. I spoke to the cooperative and they're not accepting anything anymore. So we have to find a solution."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmhpSj0iPd
I sighed quietly and let my gaze wander. Why did I care about yields?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIvpt0IJec
Men, men, men, and then a young woman who... stared at me? Yes. She was staring at me, and not in a particularly friendly way. Oops. When had I offended her? I don't think I'd ever seen her before. I would have remembered that long brown hair and that cute heart-shaped face.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDxg1y8TGJ
She didn't look away either. Okay, so I now had something like an arch enemy without doing anything?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkkpBWZCnP
David nudged me. "Can they get to the point for once?" he whispered.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcXTk1d5UI
"Hmh?" I looked away from the woman and looked at him. "Yes, that would be nice!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXj4ktApK7
"What are you staring at?" He leaned forward slightly and now also looked in the direction of the young woman. Immediately, he inhaled sharply and looked away again. "Great. Käthe is here too."6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4jLJFFoGJ
Oh, that was Käthe? No wonder she was staring at me like that! I would also stare at my ex's new girlfriend like that if I were her! "She hates me!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHs4R9kR7zA
David shook his head. "She hates you n..." He looked in her direction again. "Yes, she hates you!"6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPi03MZLWHC
Was this something I could ignore, or should I expect a vendetta? She shouldn't be acting like that! She and David hadn't been a couple for three years when we met.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw9iUkVVgP
"Good, we've settled that!" Bodo again drew everyone's attention. "Let's talk about the guest... er, seasonal workers." He paused. The microphone crackled. “Unfortunately, that’s where the trouble starts.”
