Boys Will Be Boys (v.2)

chapter eighteen - bouquets

chapter eighteen — bouquets

I WAS WEARING MUM'S FLOPPY GARDENING HAT, THE BRIM SWATTING MY FOREHEAD AS I BENT TO GRAB THE POTTING SOIL. The late-August sun was hot, and I could feel the back of my neck start to burn. Mum and I had walked out fully prepared coated, like candied apples, with sunscreen. She religiously reapplied it every hour or so, while I tried to roast myself to a shade other than printing paper white. So far, I'd succeeded in peachy pink, and was well on my way to lobster red.

I hoisted up two bags of potting soil under either arm, stumbling back over to where Mum was starting to plant her spinach. Up until this year, she'd only tried her hand at flowers and herbs, but decided it was time for her to level up to vegetables. The carrots we'd planted early spring had come out nice, though they had been much smaller and skinnier than the ones we got from the store. Mum liked them though, and I did too. They were sweeter. Now it was spinach time.

"Thank you, my sweet" She smiled, eyes crinkling at the edges. They were partially blocked by her own floppy hat, but when Mum smiled, it wasn't just her mouth, or eyes that smiled — it was her whole body. It was like a little candle lit up inside of her and she would glow with a faint light that was, seemingly, just pure, unadulterated happiness.

I dropped the bags at her side, laying down in the grass. It felt cool against the burnt skin of my back and tickled my hands. I needed to cut it soon, but I wanted to let it grow out a little more. Cutting grass made it spiky, and it stabbed you when you tried to lay on it. Grass that grew out was much kinder, though Jane would say it made neighborhoods look neglected. I thought it made neighborhoods look soft.

And soft isn't a bad thing.

"Did you have fun at your Da's?"

I sat up, blinking fast when little yellow dots started to dart around my vision. Sleeping in the sun was fun. Waking up? Not so much.

"Yeah," I mumbled, rubbing at my eyes with my fists. They were starting to water and I blamed the sun. Too damn bright.

"Hung out with Daniel and Lukas" and Daniel's secret girlfriend.

"Oh, Jane didn't mind you boys heading out?" Mum looked at me innocently. She tucked a strand of head behind her ear, dirt smearing across her cheek. That's okay, not a big deal. It's just dirt. She'll be fine.

"We didn't really ask..." I let my head drop as Mum turned to me, disappointed. She had one hand on her hip and slid across from me, criss-cross as well. Her other hand held a cluster of weeds, their roots scraggly and thin. I watched them dangle, like limp worms. Do roots move when they're underground?

My nose scrunched in distaste.

"Kieran, honey?"

I blinked, squinting to meet the worried gaze of Mum as her hand reached out towards me. She noticed the dirt smearing across her knuckles and paused, ghosting the tips of her fingers across my shoulder.

"Did something happen at Daniel's house, Kieran? Were they not nice to you?" Her eyes flickered with a little bit of anger and I smiled, brushing her hand aside.

"You have some dirt on your face, Mum"

She looked at me, concerned, hand absently wiping across her jaw.

"Kier—"

"—I'm fine, Mum. I'll be fine."

I pushed off the ground, fists taking two bunches of grass with me as I went. It wasn't enough to leave bald patches in the ground, Mum wouldn't like that, but enough to make the remaining grass a little lonely. A little less green.