Love Next Door

Chapter Twenty- Green Thumb

That night he didn't speak to Ash. Jay only saw him for a moment when he came in to receive dinner and complained that his mother could have sent it out to him. Jay was being avoided. So he sat with Ash's mother and the two children at the kitchen counter to eat beetroot soup. It was hearty but good. Beatrice explained that they didn't usually eat at their formal dining table because it was too much effort. He could relate to that sentiment.

Jay was surprised that there weren't many people living in the house. Whenever Ash had spoken of his home town, it had sounded like there were lots of people, family, living there who he didn't want to see. When Jay, rather carefully, questioned this to his mother, she explained that at this time of year most of the family- Ash's four other brothers and sisters – were living elsewhere, or on holiday. Ash's eldest sister, whose children were in their care at that time, was the only one who lived through most of the year in Illytrea. He was a little bit glad he didn't have to deal with meeting several people at once, especially if Ash was not particularly enthusiastic to introduce him.

Beatrice showed him a bookshelf in the main room, almost the full length of the wall, for him to purvey after dinner. He wasn't much of a reader these days, but considering he didn't have his laptop or his painting materials, he took up the offer to pass his time with. He stood in front of the intimidating looking old bookshelf and tried to discern if there was anything he might enjoy. A lot of the books were not in English and looked really old with thick, discoloured spines. Thankfully, he eventually found a newer looking section in English and picked out the first title he saw. With a sigh, he realised it was a fantasy romance, all bathed in red and layered with words such as 'desire,' 'war' and 'love'. He was very surprised to have found it in a place like this. He took it anyway and sat on one of the old looking sofas.

The next morning he woke fairly early, having slept a lot better and with less travel soreness than the previous night. He heard the two children yelling out and laughing in the hallway, it might have been what woke him.

Once again, Ash's mother was present in the kitchen with her kitchen help, cooking a various amount of things simultaneously. He found out that she often baked and made food to sell in the town's markets and to give to neighbours. He was beginning to question Ash's hate towards the place. It seemed to be a relatively normal, quiet country town.

Breakfast was leftover soup. Surprisingly, it tasted just as good cold. He ate a second helping and with a smile Beatrice commented that he was a good eater. With pain in his heart, he unwillingly imagined what it would be like to be this woman's son in law. It's not going to happen, he told himself sadly.

After eating he nervously asked where Ash was. He didn't want to seem like he was desperate for his company, but he was also reminded that he had, in fact, come specifically to visit him. She said he was probably in the garden, tending to everything and collecting ingredients. Strangely, he was directed upstairs, for apparently the two storey garden house held the more important plants upstairs.

He ascended the creaky, wooden staircase and was met with light. In front of him was a glass door leading into the garden. To the left and right were more, darker hallways leading to what he assumed would be bedrooms. He carefully opened the glass door, it didn't make a noise. Walking inside he was met with heat and humidity. It was at least ten degrees hotter in the glass house like room. Looking above he saw a semi-translucent glass roof, which let in partial sunlight onto the various plants below. There were several rows of garden beds, with some holding ferns and stems that almost reached the ceiling. He walked on forward in amazement at the magnificence of the place, forgetting to look for Ash while he was walking by.

"Hey," he heard a voice call out from his left. He looked to find Ash, slightly pink in the face from the heat, wearing a short-sleeved, tight-fitting blue shirt. He had a spade in his hand and was half crouched by a garden bed.