Cat in The Flowerbed

"Awwe, what a cute kitty!"

Mari took ten deep breaths in the comfort of her car. Her hand resting on the firing ignition, she twisted the key, and her car came to a stop. Her trembling feet reluctantly made way towards to garden. The colours once again blinding her temporarily, it was truly magnificent how Ms. Gertrada handled that. Mari followed the path she took the day before, down the winding trail. She met Ms. Gertrada along the way, just as she was hoping to.

"Oh- Hey dear!" The woman clapped her hands together and smiled, as she always did. She talked about all of Mari's duties and what to expect of everything, taking her for a tour. "These are my Chrysanthemums. Ah! And of course my Plumerias, thus section of the garden shares watering days, and so do these ones, and the... blah blah blah..."

Mari tried to listen, she really did, but something in the corner of her vision caught her eye. A bush was rustling just behind them, was it following them? Mari Slowed her pace and Ms. Gertrada carried along without her, seeming not notice her left behind. Not long after, she spotted a.. paw? It looked like a cat paw... That must be Stinker, or maybe one of her other hundred cats.

"Uh, hey, Ms? Which cat is that?" Mari asked over her shoulder, she crouched down low and tapped her fingers on the rocks below her.

"Hm? Ohh that must be... Hm." She stout woman stepped closer for a better look and squinted her eyes. "Oh why that's Stinker! I thought he would've avoided you."

Mari laughed softly as a way to respond, but her mind was occupied on the important matters. She heard Ms. Gertrada sigh quietly behind her.

"It's best we get on with this."

"Oh yeah, right. yeah."

Watering can in hand, Mari wanted to become more aware of her surroundings, and get familiar with what she's dealing with here. Then her mind went on autopilot.

The three hours of hauling water back and forth obliterated her back and arm by the end, but it was helping someone out. So she didn't mind. After all, she was getting paid to see and smell amazing species of flowers that she's never even heard of before.

"Thank you so much dear, really, I dont know if I can do all this without you!"

Mari smiled and waved, Ms. Gertrada bowed and thanked her once again for her hard work, which wasn't very hard at all. I mean, yeah, it's time consuming and repetitive but it's fun.

She caught a quick glance of Stinker, his elegancy silently sitting near a flowerbed, staring at her. She blew a friendly kiss to him, then of which he stretched and walked away.

"How was your first day?" Amilie asked, ring finger tracing the edge of her glass. She looked into Mari's eyes intently. "Was it easy?"

"Easy enough. I'm sooo sore though, ugh." Mari stretched her arms out infront of her and groaned, then rested a cheek in her elbow.

"Pretty tiring then. I think I have something that'll keep you up..." Mari perked up instantly, she loved surprises, more than anything really. And Amilie always makes the best surprises, like she always knows what Mari's interested in.

"What? what? what? tell me. what. TELL ME WOMAN."

"It's about..." Amilie inhaled for the dramatics; "Marcus."

Mari held her breath and gently slammed her hands on the table repeatedly, like a child who just got grounded but didn't want to make much noise.

"He texted me this morning, saying to tell you that he's coming home tonight, and he'd like to meet you earlier." Mari opened her mouth, but Amilie stuck a protestant finger up. "Why he would tell me? No idea. Why he went through the trouble of making me tell you? No idea. Don't ask me, I'm just the messenger."

"WHY WOULD HE GHANGE THE PLANS? AND NOT TELL ME?" Mari screamed internally.