Signs

Untitled Part 23

Chapter 23

He could smell the vodka on her breath in the car on the way to the garden center

"What bit you?" he asked her, enjoying her mindless freedom in the car. She had the window down, and was singing along to his radio

"Nothing" she pleasantly hummed

"Something" he insisted

"I don't know really. One minute i was cleaning then next i was hell bent on fixing the garden" she simply stated

"Don't you have enough to do?"

"Yup" she said "but I love gardening so it's not a job"

"You. " he checked "you love gardening?"

"Yes"

"I've never seen you do any gardening, hell you pay me to do it for you"

"You dont garden, you mow and maintain"

"I do garden and i only do that for your mom because that's all she wants"

"No it isn't"

"Yes it is! I'm always trying to get her to put in some plants"

"She won't"

"I know - what's with that?"

"She's waiting for me to do it"

"But you dont garden"

"Yes i do"

Davis pulled into the parking lot. "Then why haven't you done it?"

She may have been borderline drunk, but still knew she was saying more than she normally would, but she didn't care. This was Davis, and he had been a solid place in her life for a long time, and letting him in was proving to give her more comfort and security than she had imagined.

They walked inside, her wavering a little and he stood close by her, making sure she didn't wobble too obviously or into anyone.

"I used to garden" they walked through the outdoor centre, in the lane marked 'Shrubs'. "My grandmother and I spent a lot of time in the garden" she touched and smelled the leaves as she walked and talked "And my ex and I had a garden you would have been proud of" she grinned "i had climbing trumpet vines trained to twist around my deck, and i had a fern garden under it, a koi pond and a succulent corner grafted on a privacy wall"

Davis listened as she explained how much she had, how much she actually knew but mostly who she was.

Renny was always a closed book, and as much as he wanted to ask more about the ex he let her continue. He enjoyed hearing her talk of his beloved career, one he chose because he loved it for the same reasons she did, the growth, the beauty, the care, the failed plants and the ones that overtook. He loved planning out landscapes. Although his job consisted mostly of lawn care and weeding, he'd occasionally get a full job where he could map out an entire yard, and he loved the challenge.

"Did you know that you can train raspberries too? Every year when the new branches would come in I'd wind them all up together, braiding them if i could and it would make the most interesting edible displays. The fruit would all bunch in together. easy pickin's" she said with an exaggerated southern accent

She was drawn to an area away from the healthy plants and flowers, a steel display with all drooping and unhealthy plants, not good enough to display and marked half off

"I want all of these" she stated, looking over the large rack

"They are damaged, and broken" he said looking over the 20 or so plants of all varieties "and they're random, some are shade, some are sun..."

"I see that" she beamed "i think i can bring them back"

Davis was starting to believe she could, too

"My grandma would pick these" she said "my spidey senses tell me she brought me here" she winked

"Spidey senses?" he laughed

"Lets just see" she said, beginning the transfer of the discounted plants onto a flat cart.

The plants were a sorry bunch, but Renny saw nothing but potential and excitement for them.

"Are we putting them in today?" He asked, loading them in his truck

"Of course. I think they're on borrowed time"

"Yes, i think you're right there" he shook his head, wondering if she really thought these guys were worth the chance, but he wasn't going to stop her.

When they reached the house Carole had arrived almost the same time, being dropped off by Betty.

"Oh hello" Carole smiled, a little buzzed "What have you two been up to?"

Betty and Carole exchanged looks, and Carole straightened up and did her best to act un buzzed.

As Renny and Davis stood, watching, caroles eyes wandered to the garden.

She looked back at Renny and Davis, then announced "i think i'll go make some coffee" she said, waving Betty off and bumping into the doorframe on the way in, dropping her book with an 'oops' and then closed the door behind her.

"What is it with you two on a sunday?" he asked Renny, who also noticed both her and her mother did indeed like sundays best to get 'slightly tipsy'

She laughed "apple doesn't fall far from the tree?"

"Oh its far" Davis smugly said "different orchards"

Which made renny snort with laughter, and they took out every plant and put them in the middle of the front yard.

"Right" She said, and began placing them where she thought they would go, and after about half an hour of putting them here to there, ordering Davis to move them from there to here, she finally came up with an arrangement she could see turning into a beautiful garden.

Davis couldn't see the potential, just a lot of broken and scrappy plants, he liked everything to be healthy and established, so you could see beauty right away, but Renny tenderly gardened, nursing and fussing over it. She remembered the joy of new leaves, blossoms and butterflies and she began to dig.

Davis joined in, and together by the time the sun was completely gone they had planted every one. They were covered in dirt and mud, and the yard was covered in empty plant containers.

They stood, examining their work silently