How I like my tea

A Gardener

Entering the room, everything seems normal. German promised a surprise but I'm not seeing one. I sit on the bed for a moment to think about what he said,

'There will be a surprise in our room'

Now that I repeat it over in my head I noticed he used 'our' and that makes me blush.

'It's our room.' I think to myself.

'Our Bed.'

'Our en Suite.'

'Our Pict-'

I stop through my thought process. On the picture table, my carnations remain in the centre, our photo just in front (with my notes from him tucked behind it), but now beside it sits a small red box with a small red bow.

I stand up and go over to inspect it. It is very delicately wrapped and looks absolutely beautiful. I'm dying to know what is inside but I also do not want to ruin the beautiful wrapping. I lift it up to see if it will tempt me to open it. It does and I'm about to open it when I see a note was hidden beneath it.

I put down the box and pick up the note with my name written on and begin to read.

'Dearest Angie,

I have a surprise for you in that little red box but I don't want you to open it just yet. I know that you will find this before you open it because you always have to inspect things very carefully before you open them, therefore I made it especially beautiful. Bring the gift with you and bring it downstairs. I have lunch planned.

German xx'

The little box sits on the table. I pick it up once more and bring it close to me, not wanting to damage or misplace it. I slide my note behind the frame of our picture and I head out. Walking downstairs I am very careful with my little gift, not wanting to break it. When I arrive, I see that German is the only one still here.

"I see you got my note." He says glancing at the box that I am holding so protectively you would think it were a new-born. "Lunch?"

I nodded and hugged my little surprise tighter. German lead me to the back garden which was now mostly dry after the storm with only the last few dew droplets lingering on the grass and flowers.

On the patio, Lunch was already prepared, with a gorgeous bowl of fruit salad waiting next to each chair. German bounded up the steps to the patio ahead of me and pulled out my chair.

I couldn't help but blush. I felt my cheeks burning as they blushed.

I took the seat he offered and placed my box close to me on the table. Just at a distance so I wouldn't knock it off but it wasn't too far from my reach. Perfect.

We ate first and it was very pleasant, especially since I had not had any breakfast. I didn't want to sit there in silence so I picked up my box and placed it in my lap and tried to start a conversation.

"Soo.. who was that on the phone this morning?" I say, hoping it would lead to something interesting.

German finished his mouthful, "Someone applying to be the new Gardener." He says naturally.

"Why are we getting a Gardener?"

"So someone can look after your carnations, so we can keep them alive." I think he thought I didn't realise the purpose of getting a gardener. I understood why you had gardeners I just didn't understand why we needed one.

"I know, but why can't I just do it? I love gardening."

German looked up from his lunch. "You do?"

"Yes! It's like my all time favourite hobby! It's so nice being outside and making everything look beautiful! Honestly although I adored the carnation surprise I wish I could have planted them!

German smiles at this. "Okay then, no gardener, you can decide on how you wish the garden to be, it is all yours."

I beamed, I hadn't done proper gardening in years, not since I lived at home. Once I left home I moved into a flat so didn't have a garden and then I moved here and basically every possession was not mine to use. Jade was always redoing the garden.

It would be nice to get to make the garden my own.

At that moment German looked me straight in the eye and I hugged my little box tighter in anticipation.

"Ready to see your surprise?"