Art and Stories

The Boy And The Flower

Inspired by: Worth the Wait by GRAHAM.

★★★★★★

It was hot. But that was to be expected, wasn't it? After all, summer was here, and even the air conditioning or the ice-creams that melted if you didn't eat them quickly enough could have saved someone from this inferno. And Mrs. Morrison's dingy old fan certainly didn't stand a chance against this weather.

"Calm down child. It's just a little heat." She said walking up to me.

I stared back at her as the fan blew its hot air at me. She was holding a tray of iced tea and nodded for me to follow her. I looked at the fan sadly, it may have been hot air but it was air alright.

I heard her grumble from the depths of her flower shop. "I thought twelve-year-old boys were meant to be fast."

I sighed and reluctantly went after the weird woman who doubled as my babysitter. She was already sitting on a wooden stool and arranging endless flowers that formed a mirage of colors.

I sat down gingerly and sipped the iced tea, closing my eyes as I savored my icy relief. I gazed at the flowers that inhabited this cozy little shop. From lilacs to roses, to bluebells and lilies. I lost myself in them, giving them names, giving them stories and experiences that were better than mine. Stories that didn't involve parents who hated each other.

"What are you doing this summer." She asked her eyes never leaving the wreath she was forming.

I twiddled with my fingers wondering what to tell her I was using the holidays for. "Nothing." I sighed.

Her eyes darted up to me, glowing with expectations. "Wonderful." She held her back and twisted her face as if in pain. "You know I'm getting old my dear child."

I rolled my eyes. Someone who still went hiking in their seventies didn't have that many health issues. "And?"

She smiled. "I could use some help in growing the flowers." She picked up a basket full of seeds and started to roam through them. "You can plant snapdragons, sunflowers, or even dandelions. Or maybe.."

"Jasmine," I said. She looked at me curiously. "I want to plant Jasmine."

"Why?"

I bit my lips and kept quiet.

She threw up her hands. "No matter. I just want you to learn some lessons."

She stood up and left to get the seeds and a guide while I finished off the remaining tea. I glanced at the clock and mentally calculated my next activity.

Dad came back by 2 pm. They normally argue for about an hour, so that's 3 pm and it's 3:30 pm now so I can be going.

I got up and went to the front part of the store with my little bookbag.

"Is it time already?" She asked.

I nodded and she gave me a small smile before handing me the seeds and sending me on my way.

★★★★★★

"Jasmine thrives best in a sunny location." I read out.

I groaned as I grabbed my spade, bucket, seeds, and manual as I ventured to the front porch, looking for the sunniest place possible. Mrs. Morrison said I should follow the manual to the letter and let her know if I had any problems.

I trotted over to the patch of land I saw that received adequate sunlight and started my little gardening mission. Spacing them, measuring their distances, and making sure the soil drained well. Who knew gardening could be such hard work?