Flowers For A Gardner

Chapter 4

Monday mornings were Gardner's least favorite day of the week. He had an eight a.m. astronomy class and then time to kill before his late shift at Good Time. That made for a long day. He decided that today he'd spend some time exploring the campus, rather than returning home to his boat after class as he usually did. The weather was glorious and there were so many inviting places to sit with his stack of books and study. He figured he'd have a good stroll around in search of the perfect study spot.

His quest became more challenging than he anticipated. Everywhere he looked, there were crowds and clumps of people. The university had thoughtfully provided colorful plastic Adirondack chairs for lounging, but they were all full. Sitting against a tree was also not necessarily an option since many of them had slacklines strung upon them, with students trying their hand at balancing on them and falling to the cushioned grass with laughter. Monday was the day for the farmer's market to invade the campus, and there was a general hubbub of commerce and music emanating from just about everywhere he turned.

Getting frustrated, Gardner detoured behind the big library building and headed for what looked to be a secluded garden designed with a Zen Japanese theme. There were maroon-colored acer maples, weeping willows and topiary trees. A small manmade pond contained a fountain trickling with water, with rock formations surrounding it. Azalea plants were in bloom dotted around the garden, in colors ranging from white to pale and shocking pink. Underfoot lay gravel made of grey slated stone that glinted with silver, and then there was a section of sand that had been carefully raked into an undulating pattern. Benches dotted the garden here and there. It seemed like a strange but welcome oasis amidst the hubbub of campus life.

After strolling around for a few minutes, Gardner spotted a lone figure sitting on a bench, hunched over a book. It was Flower Girl. His first impulse was to retreat, both from a desire not to invade her privacy and also from sheer cowardice.

She was dressed a little more casually than normal today. She had on a pair of grey leggings, a pink tank top of the same stretchy material, and a button-down floral blouse that was open and billowed around her. Gardner couldn't stop his eyes from taking in the swell of her breasts overtopping the low-cut tank top, threatening to spill over. They were pale, with fewer freckles than the rest of her skin he had already seen, gloriously full and round, and probably more than a handful, he mused a bit guiltily.

After debating with himself for a few moments, he decided to sack up and go talk to her. He squared his shoulders and made his way over to her.

Knowing by now that she was easily startled, he made sure he crunched some gravel underfoot to catch her attention. She looked up from her book and initially smiled broadly, then changed her demeanor and looked embarrassed and more tentative.

"Oh!" she said, flustered. "I see you've found my sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Gardner inquired. "Do you mean this is a place of escape and safekeeping, or is it a sacred space?"

She mulled this over and replied "Probably both. It does seem to have the look of an outdoor temple, and so much of nature's perfection strikes me as being divine. But no, I meant it's a place where I come to feel safe. It's my hideaway."

Gardner suddenly felt uncertain about whether his presence was welcome not only because he felt he was in a hole with her for the way he'd mistreated her, but he certainly didn't want to invade her privacy. He turned to leave. "I'm sorry, I can just – "

"No! You can, I mean, you should stay. This garden is for everyone, not just the serious head cases." Her tone was a mix of self-deprecating sarcasm and bitterness.

He gestured to the wooden bench she was sitting on. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"No, help yourself."