“Fuck yeah,” I say.
Dad and Papa’s laughter fades behind us as we race towards the shed and drop our backpacks at the entrance. Inside the massive building, we’re met with the smell of dirt and thehumming sound of the industrial fans. And in front of us… a looming wall of potatoes.
This is my favourite part of harvesting season.
All the potatoes from the last few weeks are piled into this storage building, forming towering mounds. They’re literal mountains, about ten or twelve feet high, and each variety is separated by thick wooden dividers. They get dumped in by the truckload, layer after layer, so they’re packed tight, and when it’s time to move them, they don’t just slide out. They have to be dislodged.
And the best way to do that?
Throw more potatoes at them.
Levi and I crouch at the bottom of the pile, and each grab a firm russet potato. Then we launch them into the centre of the mound. Potatoes tumble down the dense pile, rolling until they come to a stop near our feet, and we laugh as they fall.
We keep going, and with each throw, and each laugh, my mind starts to clear and my body feels lighter. The tension drains from my muscles with every motion, and I pull a breath in that goes deep into my lungs. And the joy I’ve been unable to access all day… or maybe even all week… is finally here.
A heavy cascade rumbles down the pile, and I pause to watch it fall. As the mountain shifts slightly and the soft thuds echo around the building, I gather the courage to finally face this head-on.
“So…” I turn to Levi. “How many?”
Levi looks at me and lets the potato fall from his hand. But he doesn’t say anything.
“You never told me the final count,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady and even.
Levi nods. “Seven.”
My heart thumps, and as the last of the potatoes settle and their echoes fade away, my heartbeat is the only thing I can hear.
“McGill, University of Toronto, McMaster, Western, Queen’s, University of Alberta, and University of British Columbia.”
I drop my gaze to the potatoes at our feet and swallow hard.
They're all so far away.
I nod slowly and shift my eyes around the potato shed. The sound of the industrial fans that regulate the temperature does nothing to drown out my thoughts as I take in my future workplace and wonder if I’ll even be able to do this.
“Ok,” I say quietly. “I’ll be here.”
Levi doesn’t say anything.
Then a potato hits my arm with a solid thud.
“Ow!” I grab my arm where he hit me and turn to glare at him.
He just smiles.
“Get out of your head,” he says. Then his expression softens. “You know I’ll be home every summer, and every break. And you’ll come visit me too.”
I nod, even though my insides squeeze tighter and my heart thumps harder.
“And we still have all year,” Levi adds, another smile forming on his lips. “So, let’s make it a good one.”
I blow out a breath and nod again. Then I bend down, pick up a potato, and draw my arm back.
Levi’s eyes widen. He shakes his head and lifts his hands in front of him. “No.”
“Yes.”
That crisp white shirt could use a little dirt.
