Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
T hree weeks later, when Nathan got into his Ute, ready to finish up the memorial garden at Gloria’s that he’d done most of yesterday, his phone pinged. He picked it up and smiled. He hadn’t texted her this morning, having been anxious to get to Gloria’s and finish early as he didn’t normally do garden work on Saturdays, and he was doing a lifeguard shift tomorrow.
Hey, hoping to talk to you in the morning (my morning, your night), are you free?
He turned the key in the ignition then typed a reply:
Sure, call me when you’re up. Finishing Gloria’s garden today, she’s so excited.
And so was he. It was nice to help her create something to remember her departed husband.
Oh nice! Send me pics (if she’s ok with it) x
He sent a thumbs up and got on the road. When he arrived, Gloria hadn’t set up the table with scones this time, she said they could share a treat when he finished. ‘Here, I brought you a treat as well.’ He handed her a jar of South Haven honey, which Martha had said to give her.
‘Oh, I’m looking forward to that! Thank you, and thank Martha for me too.’
‘Will do. She also wanted me to invite you over for a high tea in the new garden gazebo sometime. She’s not sure when yet but wanted to let you know.’
Gloria’s face lit up. ‘I’d be delighted. I hope you’ll be there too?’
‘Oh, I’m not sure, she might want it to be a ladies only event.’
‘I’m sure all the ladies would be thrilled to have the pleasure of your company, as am I.’
‘You’re too kind, Gloria,’ he replied. ‘I’m going to grab the plaque and the remaining bits and pieces from the car and I’ll be right back.’
‘Can’t wait. I’ll leave you to it.’ She put the honey jar on the kitchen bench and rubbed her hands together eagerly.
He carried the items from the car to the back garden by going through the side gate, noticing the latch was loose. After placing everything out back, he grabbed his tool kit and repaired the latch, tightening the screws and spraying it with WD-40 to help it open more easily.
He glanced around the garden, surveying the progress in plant growth and blooming flowers and gave a satisfied nod. It looked much better than the plain, basic garden it was before. It now looked more alive, with a nice contrast of colours and shapes, the light breeze gently moving the leaves around as though they were swaying in bliss.
He checked the hole he’d dug in the empty patch of garden bed yesterday and, satisfied it was deep enough for the small tree he’d bought yesterday, got to work planting the Blue Arrow conifer. Being narrow, it was ideal for the small space and its blue-grey foliage made it an interesting focal point for the garden, standing out among all the green. He’d checked with Gloria that she was happy with the species before purchasing, and she’d said it was perfect because blue had been Leonard’s favourite colour, and as it was shaped like a kind of rocket, it appeared to be pointing up to him in Heaven. The good thing was it was hardy and low maintenance, and would last the test of time, symbolic of a long life well lived.
He patted the soil and confirmed its stability, then made a shallow ditch a little in front of it to nestle the plaque. He bent his knees, activated his core, and lifted the heavy square-shaped stone, placing it into the ditch and wriggling it carefully into place. Its slightly inclined front surface was engraved with the simple words Gloria had requested:
For Leonard
My love is always with you, as yours is always with me
Below was an engraving of two birds close together, outlined by a heart shape. Nathan took a moment to admire it and to honour the man’s life it had been created for. It was like a small gravestone but without the standard details of full name, birth date and death date, and beloved husband attribution.
Who would make a plaque for him if he died? He shook away the morbid thought, and his phone beeped in his pocket. He usually didn’t keep his phone in his pocket in case there was truth in the fact that the low dose radiation could be harmful, but lately had found himself wanting to keep it on him in the mornings in case Lacie sent any more messages. He took it out and read the text message:
I know you probably don’t want to hear from me, and it’s been a long time, but I just wanted to say sorry again. And let you know that you were right, that things would never work out between me and Dimitri – they didn’t. We broke up a few months ago. Me and Neo are doing fine though, he’s such a great kid. But I’ve felt the need to get in touch, to catch up, and explain more about why I did what I did. I understand if you don’t want to hear from me, but can’t blame a girl for trying. Take care, Tess.
Nathan sighed. Part of him felt sorry for her, after all, he had loved her once, but the other part of him was still angry and bitter about how she’d broken his heart. She probably texted him on a Saturday morning thinking he’d have no reason to say he was busy working, but today was an exception. Still, he decided to send a quick reply, cautious to not invite further interaction.
Sorry to hear that, I’m glad you’re both doing well though.
It wasn’t a ‘yes we can catch up’ or a ‘no we can’t’, but it was all he could manage right now. She sent a heart emoji as a reply, and he put his phone out of reach, leaning against the fence. Now was not the time to ponder a failed relationship, it was time to honour a successful one.
He made another shallow ditch to house the birdbath, lifting it carefully from the trolley and placing it into position next to, but slightly further in front of, the tree. He made sure it was secure and stepped back to check everything looked balanced. Satisfied, he planted some lavender cuttings in a circle around the birdbath, then carefully dragged the bench seat into position against the side fence and at right angles to the end of the garden bed where the plaque sat. Only a couple more things to do and he’d be finished.
Nathan turned on the hose and showered the whole garden with water, the always rewarding final step to signal his work was done and it was now nature’s job to do the rest. He also filled the bird bath, and then picked up a tray of pebbles and word stones and walked over to the back deck. Gloria caught his eye through the window and scurried out.
‘I thought I’d let you tell me where to put these.’ He gestured to the stones.
She smiled. ‘Thank you, I’d love to.’
She eagerly walked to the memorial garden with Nathan. ‘Oh my, it’s absolutely delightful.’ She held her palms to her cheeks and took a deep breath. ‘Rightio, let’s see…’ She picked up the first stone that said ‘forever’ and placed it in front of the plaque. The next one said ‘love’ and she placed it in front of the bird bath and lavender. The smaller pebbles she instructed Nathan to place in a circle around the base of the lavender, and the remaining three stones which read ‘joy’, ‘peace’, and ‘friendship’ she got him to place in a curve around the base of the pine tree.
They stood back and surveyed the final result in a moment of silence. He asked permission to take a photo which he did from several angles, and quickly sent them through to both Gloria and Lacie. He would put some on his website too. He also had an idea for later on, to create a video series for YouTube on garden features. He could showcase a variety, such as this one, that served as either an attractive focal point or a meaningful display. He could even show young Jessie’s pebble garden and family tree at South Haven, if her mother agreed, and perhaps he could interview people like Gloria to talk about the meaning and purpose behind their centrepiece. It wouldn’t be appropriate to ask her now, he would wait a while and give her a call sometime to see how she felt about it.
‘He really was my best friend, you know,’ she said, as they sat on the bench which had ‘Always and Forever’ embossed on a gold plaque on the top wooden slat. ‘When we first got together, I wondered if it was normal to feel like friends most of the time and lovers only a small portion of the time. I’d read grand love stories in my teens and always thought it would be like that, but as I discovered, real love is based on a solid friendship. With a bit of attraction thrown in,’ she said with a laugh.
Nathan smiled and nodded.
‘I think that’s why I thought you and Martha’s daughter were together, back at the trivia night. You seemed like such good friends. And you looked at her in that special way.’
‘I did?’ Nathan’s face become warm, and not from being out in the sun.
‘Oh yes,’ she replied. ‘Shame she’s gone back overseas. You two would have made a lovely couple.’
Nathan tapped his foot on the grass. ‘Can I share a secret with you?’
Gloria looked him in the eye, her eyes lighting up. ‘I love a good secret! And what is said in Leonard’s garden stays in Leonard’s garden.’ She winked.
‘Good to know,’ he said with a grin. ‘Lacie and I have been in contact quite often over the past few months. We chat regularly, and… it’s like she’s my best friend.’
‘Oh, wow, well that’s lovely,’ Gloria replied. ‘Do you really chat, like actual talking, not just text messages? Because there’s nothing like a real two-way conversation.’
‘Oh yes, often. We video chat, mostly. Either early in the morning or late at night… it’s tricky with the time difference.’
‘That’s a good sign.’
‘A good sign for?’
‘For the beginning of a beautiful relationship.’
Nathan opened his eyes wide. ‘But she’s all the way over there, and I’m here. How can that possibly work?’
Gloria looked into the distance. ‘Gosh, my parents survived being separated by war, dear. My father returned safe and sound and never left my mother’s side again. Then I was born. No siblings, unfortunately, but I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t survived. Strange to think how many children didn’t get to be born because of the loss from war.’ She shook her head. ‘Anyway, my point is, things aren’t as difficult as they may seem. Life is much easier now, in terms of connecting with people. Make the most of it. But don’t think it has to be perfect. You two are only a flight away. Yes, it may be a long one, but not as long as waiting for a soldier to return home.’
Nathan froze, as though his perceptions about the limited nature of what was going on between them were about to crumble. But he couldn’t quite hold on to hope yet. ‘But flights are expensive, and it also means time off work, and then there’s jet lag, and we wouldn’t get to see each other often, so it would be difficult to maintain, and–’
‘Excuses, excuses.’ She waved her hand as though flicking away an annoying fly. ‘Life is too easy for couples these days, though many young lovers make it difficult for themselves, with all these expectations about how it should be, and the effort one has to make to make it work. In my day, there weren’t many options, you either met someone local, or while on holiday, or were introduced or set up by parents or friends… we didn’t have internet dating or a way to send messages to each other unless you count actual written letters which took ages to post. And if you dated someone out of town you may only have seen them occasionally anyway.’
‘So you’re saying that long-distant relationships aren’t necessarily doomed to fail?’
‘Not at all. I’m no relationship guru, but I do know love and what it takes to keep it going. Friendship, dedication, and commitment. We were lucky, my Leonard and I. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be difficult, or a risk, but you have to risk your heart or you risk the pain of regret.’
Nathan nodded and absorbed her words of wisdom, his brows furrowing.
‘Life is so fleeting. I thought I’d have many more years with Leonard, but it ended too quickly. We still had things we wanted to do together.’ Her voice faltered and she sniffled, dabbing at her eyes.
Nathan swivelled on the seat to face her. ‘He’d be so proud of you, and I’m sure he’d love the memorial garden you were inspired to create.’
‘Thank you for helping to bring it into reality.’
‘Gloria, it’s been an absolute honour.’ He opened his arms to invite her for a hug, which she eagerly accepted.
‘You’re like the son I never had,’ she whispered, and Nathan bit back a tremble in his bottom lip. If only he’d found Gloria and Leonard when he was young.
A bird tweeted and their hug broke off. Nathan glanced at the birdbath where a small fairywren perched itself on the edge, then dipped its beak quickly in the water.
‘Oh, how beautiful,’ Gloria said.
Then, a second bird joined the other, taking a sip, before they both flitted around together and off into the sky.
Warmth spread through Nathan’s heart. It was these simple pleasures that he loved about being in nature. Watching the birdlife enjoy their surroundings with complete freedom and joy.
‘I think that little bird has found its soulmate,’ Gloria stated. She stood and stretched. ‘Now, how about some lemon poppyseed cake? I made it especially for you.’
‘You did? I am truly spoiled, thank you, Gloria.’
They wandered to the deck where she gestured for Nathan to sit at the outdoor table for two. ‘What do you think you’ll do, about Lacie?’ she asked.
Nathan shrugged with uncertainty. ‘I just don’t know.’
‘If I were young like you, I wouldn’t waste a second in indecision.’ She shook her head. ‘Talk to her, or better yet, why not fly over there, give yourself a much-deserved holiday, and see if there’s anything between you two in person now that you’ve had time to get to know each other.’
‘And if there is?’
‘Then you make the next best decision, and so forth. Life is really just a sequence of choices. Sometimes we make the right ones, sometimes the wrong ones, but not making one is always the wrong decision, so you might as well take a risk.’
‘Huh. You really are insightful, you know that? Growing up I didn’t have anyone in my life to talk sense to me like you have.’
She smiled as though it meant the world to her. ‘Be gutsy, remember?’ She winked and went to the kitchen to prepare the cake.
Was it really as simple and as complicated as booking a flight? He didn’t have to have the next five years all planned out, he only had to make the next best decision. He wanted to see Lacie desperately, and couldn’t bear waiting till July next year, and then for only two weeks, and then repeating the same thing. By that time she might meet someone closer to her, someone it was easy to have a relationship with. He didn’t know how on earth it could work despite Gloria’s encouragement, all he knew was that he wanted to find out.
His decision made, he couldn’t wait for Lacie’s call tonight. He wanted to tell her his idea before he chickened out. He thought of writing it all out in a text so she’d receive it when she woke and would have time to process it, but then he decided a real conversation was best. And she had sounded eager to talk to him about something too… maybe she had similar ideas? The thought made excitement bubble up inside him like he’d drunk a whole can of fizzy soft drink in one hit.
When he returned home, he paced around, kept looking at his watch, and practised the conversation in his mind. He stopped and took a deep breath. Time to stop thinking and relax for a while. He grabbed a packet of salt and vinegar potato chips from his pantry and sat on the couch, turning on the TV. David and Nigella were far from his mind right now, he needed something different. He browsed the movies online and then suddenly remembered. He typed in a search and found what he was looking for, and with a big smile, he pressed play on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society .