Love Is What Matters

Eve Serene Land was born on a farm in North Carolina in November of 2120 at the Land farm, with a midwife present to assist with the birth. This was the custom in the Land family, so that the children could start forming a connection with the land from their moment of birth. This farm had been in the Land family for generations, and all the Land children were determined that it would stay that way. Eve’s father had selected her middle name, Serene. It was because he felt this way about the land and the farm, and he wanted his daughter to feel the same way. Of course, he hoped to have many sons to help him with the actual work of farming in the future. Eve’s father’s name was Aaron Land. Aaron’s brother, Paul Land, also lived on the farm with his family, one plot over. Paul and his wife had a new baby, also. She was only three months old when Eve was born. They had named her Pauline, after her father. When the two families talked about their babies, they would say Pauline and Serene, and have a good laugh because the names rhymed.

Aaron and Paul were the last remaining male heirs of the Land farm. They had built it into a small empire, with property stretching through a large swath of the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina. This was beautiful land with low, rolling hills and clusters of hardwood trees scattered throughout the property. The fields were laid out in perfect symmetry like a patchwork quilt. From the air the view was absolutely stunning. The farm had essentially looked this way for decades, but it had grown larger through acquisitions of adjacent parcels. The Land brothers had always made sure to keep the ground in optimal condition for growing organic, healthy plants. They furnished enough fresh produce to supply all of North and South Carolina’s needs and then some. A large contingent of farm workers helped work the land and process the fruits and vegetables. Two very capable foremen, one for the North Carolina property and one for the South Carolina property, kept things running smoothly. It was easy for them to manage the properties using their Hover Cars.

As Eve and Pauline grew, they became fast friends. The houses were about a quarter of a mile apart. A trail was cut from one house to the other with a handrail installed to assist the girls when they were small. At first, when the girls were toddlers, the mothers would carry or walk one daughter to the other’s house.

“Pawwee, Pawwee, here I come,” Eve’s childish voice could be heard ringing through the air.

“Seree, Seree, come on let’s play!”

If the weather was bad, the Hover Cars were used. After a couple of years, tricycles could be seen pedaling along. The trail became well worn. Pauline’ was shortened to ‘Polly’ by Eve. ‘Serene’ became ‘Seree.’

Over the weeks and months, as the girls grew, it was common to see their tricycles parked on the trail between the houses, with the girls nowhere in sight. However, the cherubic voices of the girls could be heard shouting, “Pawwee, Pawwee” or “Seree, Seree, over here!” When they were a little older, they could be seen furiously peddling their bicycles all over the farm. Naturally, they always had their communication devices with them, with the Global Positioning System embedded inside. Their mothers called frequently to check in on them. They were always safe. The farm workers, too, had been alerted to watch out for them. The girls loved to roam over the land. They ate the fresh vegetables when they were in season. There was always something ready for harvest, as the weather was warm year-round now. The girls loved to eat the produce; however, they were not interested in the growing of the fruits and vegetables or learning about farming.

Eve’s greatest interest was in painting. She especially loved the scenery. She was an artist. In the early years, she set up her easel outside her house and painted there. Aaron and Sarah’s house sat on a little rise, and from there Eve could look out to the east and have a panoramic view. Painting was done best in the afternoons when the light was behind Eve, as well as the house.

One hot summer day