Finding Solace

XXVII

The chill that came with on coming change of seasons made it more tolerable to be outside for longer periods of time. It was most ideal time to put the flowers in the ground, before it got too cold and the ground got hard. I opted to do it alone, since it wouldn't be that much work but Mrs. Somers insisted on helping me. I didn't mind but I didn't want her to feel obligated to help out in any way.

At first, I took most of the top soil off and emptied out the fertilizer onto the exposed dirt before placing the top soil back on. The lady at the store advised I do this since the root of plants would absorb the nutrients more efficiently, rather than just to place it on top. I didn't all of the heavy lifting. I didn't want Mrs. Somers to hurt herself trying to lift the heavy bags. It took a little while, since the garden beds spanned the back of the house and was fairly wide, but I didn't mind. It gave me something to do while she was inside, brewing us a fresh pot of tea since she noticed the pitcher was running low.

Not long after, she appeared again, with a pair of gloves and determined to assist me, no was never an answer. It went much quicker with her helping me plant them and I thoroughly enjoyed her company.

"Mav told me that the puppy of your was healthy enough to stay in the house."

"You don't mind him staying in the house, do you? Because if not I always keep him outside or something." With the cold coming, I winced at the thought of him being stuck out here, freezing. I would feel terrible but I didn't want to go against Mrs. Somer's rules and approval.

"Of course I don't mind him staying in the house. Mav asked me a while ago if he would be staying in the house. That little baby deserves to be spoiled rotten. I'm not going to make him stay outside in the cold and suffer. That cruel and goes against everything we stand for here. All I ask is that if he makes a mess, you clean it up."

"Of course. I wouldn't expect anyone else to." I said, pulling out a few weeds that had grown back since my last time out here.

"I'm looking forward to having a new puppy in the house. I don't spend too much time playing with them at clinic, otherwise I'd get too attached and we'd have a house full of dogs." She mused. "Does he have a name yet? It good to name them young, it helps with training."

"Maverick made me last night." I informed her. "His name is August." I smiled at the thought of the little baby. I'd left him in his bed. I tuckered him out after letting him run around out here and playing with him and his toys. Maverick has bought him pretty much everything I needed for him, all I needed to do was get a name tag for him and pick out a collar. I couldn't thank him enough.

"While we have some along time-" Her sentence hung in the air as she patted down some dirt around the roots of one of flower bushes that she planted down. "Let's talk about you and a certain son of mine." She teased, clapping her gloved hands together, dust lingering in the air while the heavy pieces of dirt fell.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, standing up to grab another plant. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Now Honey, do you really expect me to believe that?" She asked, digging another hole. "I may be old but I still have my memory. Do you think I forgot what happened this morning at breakfast or do I need to remind you? You were blushin' brighter than a child throwing a hissy fit." At the memory, the heat returned to my face, making her laugh again.
"Oh you're precious. Shy as sapphires."

"What?" I turned to her.

"Don't mine me. I'm old, Honey." She waved her hand. "It's just a sayin' when someone's shy." I watched as she shook her head, her wide brimmed straw hat flapping. "I just still can't believe you're trying to convince me that something isn't happenin' between you two."

"There's nothing going-" She our her finger up, ultimately ending my argument.

"Ah ah." She said before putting another plant in her hole. "I don't know if you're just trying to deny it or if you just don't see it. You don't have to admit or deny anything but I just want to let you know that if you do feel something for him, I approve. You're a sweet girl and you'll be more than good for him." She stood up, taking her gloves off. "Besides-" she acted casually, brushing the dirt from her knees. "he's already completely smitten by you, has been since you got here." She said so nonchalantly, as if I was supposed to know this by now. She just threw it out there like she was just talking about the weather. I gaped at her, watching as she walked over to the porch and sipped on her glass of tea.

"I-I'm sorry?" I sputtered, staring at her bewildered. If even possible, I turned darker.

"Don't tell me that you don't see it!" She pointed her handheld shovel at me with a humored tone in her voice. "A mother knows." She was admit.

"You- you can't be serious." She barley knew him. She'd been here for just a few months and she spent most of that time alone, let alone near him.

"Bless your heart." She sigh, shaking her head. "Well someone had to tell you if you are oblivious." She defended herself. I didn't know if that was supposed to be taken as insult or not. Either way, I don't think she was trying to offend me.

"I- don't." I shook my head. "But you-" I was unable to come up with a coherent sentence, just continuously fumbling over my work. I was too fluster for my mind to work properly. "I don't know!" I finally blurted out and she just laughed.

"You really are too precious." She smirked down at me and I hid myself behind my hair as I stabbed my shovel in dirt, pretending to be absorbed in my work even though we were done. "I think we've work hard enough for now." She admired our hard work. "We can mess with the front and the remainders later. I don't know about you, but I'm parched." She headed into the house and not a moment later, returned.
"My fresh tea isn't going to drink itself, Missy." She playfully scolded before heading back inside, this time with me trailing not to far behind.