Stephanie smiled, glanced at Cal then looked at the group of students putting on their PFDs. “Everyone is geared up and we should get Zack geared up too.”
“Indeed, we'd better get moving.”
After they walked away, Joan pulled off her sunglasses and stared into Sara's green eyes. “You missed the council meeting. How does that happen?”
“What's got you so upset?”
“Upset? You promised both Roz and I you'd be there. You didn't even call us.”
“Call you? Why would I? What's wrong with you?” Sara tossed a loosely tied braid over her shoulder.
“You said you loved our project. You said you loved our plans. You said we'd get council's approval. We did not. Not only that, we weren't even on the evening's agenda nor were you there to back us up or follow through on your words. How could you go back on your word?”
Sara stepped back. A hint of recognition crossed her face. “Don't shout at me. Shout at Peterman. He's the one that told me your project did not stand a chance. He removed you from the meeting and he assured me it wasn't necessary for me to even go to the meeting.”
She debated whether to mentioned Peterman's call. It seemed as if Sara was deliberately lying to her. Not wanting to provoke any further lies, she stayed calm and did not mention the call. “You may want to check your facts Sara.”
Before Sara could respond, Joan slipped her sunglasses on, turned her back and walked away. This time, she did not look back. She headed toward her beach gear sitting unused in the backseat of the car. Today, she would sit on the beach, sip lemonade and read her favorite author's new book.
After she set up her chair and umbrella in a clear section of sand, she watched the kayak’s launch from shore. They looked like a parade of colorful floats. After they paddled from view, she opened her book and began to read, but dozed several pages later. The warm breeze acted like an electric blanket. Only the occasional caw of a crane and splash of a pelican kept her from falling into a deep sleep. It wasn't until she heard the faint sound of laughter that her eyes popped open to see the kayaks paddling toward shore. She glanced at her cell phone. Just as Cal said, they'd been out for just over two hours. She dusted the sand from her legs and switched her phone to camera mode. Pictures were in order.
She clicked pictures while walking toward the launch site. Excited chatter grew louder as the kayaks approached the shore. She honed in on Zack, beaming with pride, and snapped her last picture as the kayakers began to pull the kayaks to the sand.
“How was it?” she asked as Zack jumped from his kayak.
“We saw an osprey Mom! Soaring over the bayou.”
“Really, they're so rare.”
“Indeed it was,” Cal's voice loomed behind them.
Zack tugged at his kayak pulling it up on the beach. “I love this Mom. It's cool, paddling and sitting right on top of the water.”
“I can see you love this.”
“Ya gotta come next time.”
“He's right Joan, we'd loved to have you along,” Cal said as he stepped beside them.
“Well, I...” Joan tugged at her sun visor. “Did you see alligators?”
“Oh Mom, they won't bother you.”
“No?”
“Mom, we only saw one, his name is Marshmallow. He was sleeping way over on the shore.”
“That's true Joan,” Cal grinned. “I've kayaked these waters for twenty years with no problems. Gators don't like people and we leave them be.”
“Hmm, I suppose I could try sometime, but only in the open waters.”
“Yeah,” Zack spun around in a dance.
Cal collected Zack's paddle and PFD. “With that said, how would the two of you like some ice cream? I know a place that's perfect for unwinding and we can tell you all about our trip.”
Joan looked at Zack flush with sweat and joy.
“Can they add caramel syrup and nuts too?”
“Anything you desire.”
“In that case, it's a go.”
* * *
The ice cream outing was the perfect end to a busy afternoon. Zack ordered a double chocolate waffle cone. Good energy replacement, Cal had said, since kayaking takes a lot of endurance. Joan had ordered vanilla with caramel topping and Cal ordered banana crunch. While licking the drips from his cone, Zack talked about using his knees to steady his kayak. Cal talked about the animals and plants he'd seen in the bayou. They told stories until the last bit of ice cream was gone.
On the way home, Zack dozed off in the car. Leaving him undisturbed, Joan lugged the beach gear from the trunk to the porch. At the top step, her legs froze and a chill crept up her spine. She ripped her gaze away from the porch and yelled, “Zack!”
He stirred from the car.
“Get the shovel.”
Zack ran toward the shovel at the bottom of the steps, grabbed it then handed it to her.
“Be careful.”
“What is it?”
“That,” she pointed at a large clump of grey fur with a skinny, hairless tail. Then, with a huge thrust, she whacked it with the shovel. It bounced and landed two feet away. Zack scurried to look at it then picked it up by the tail.
“Oh my God, don't touch it,” she whimpered at the sight of a dead rat swinging from Zack's fingers. She swung her head back and forth, searching frantically. “Where is Willie?”
Zack bounced the rubber blob like a ball on a string. “Mom it's fake.”
“No way,” she leaned forward and examined the fake rat she had just clobbered. Color crept back into her cheeks as she recognized the sight and smell of plastic.
“Want me to bury it for you Mom?” Zack looked directly into her eyes and grinned.
Chapter 10
The school hallway was empty exposing shiny clean floors and tidy rows of metal lockers. Classroom activity hummed behind closed doors. Joan had arranged a meeting with Principal Stone to discuss Zack. This time though, the discussion would be upbeat and pleasant, unlike the last time they had met. At the office, Della smiled and waved like an old friend.
“Thanks for seeing me on short notice.”
“Glad to, you sounded so enthusiastic on the phone. How can I help?” Della tidied the papers spread over her desk calendar.
“Zack of course. He's taken an interest in biology. In fact, he fell in love with the junior marine biologist group after a kayak trip. You should hear him talk. Now he's studying marine animals, not Xbox.”
“Wonderful. I'm familiar with the group too. You probably saw my daughter, Stephanie. She loves the group. They keep her so busy and she's motivated to keep up with them. Isn't it great when they discover what they love to do?”
“It is. But...” Joan smoothed her hands over her jeans.
“A problem?”
“Nothing like that. Here's what I wanted to tell you. Zack wants to leave the baseball team. He's already stepped down as assistant coach.”
“I see. And Cal's take on this?”
“They decided Benny would be assistant coach.”
“Benny? That's unique.” Della eased back in her chair. “I wouldn't have thought of him. He can be a bit of a spoiler sometimes. Cal agreed with this?”
“Yes, he seemed warm to the idea.”
“Well I suppose it's for the best. Anyway, it's only till year-end. You knew Cal was leaving at the end of the school year?”
A thin smile swept over Joan's face. Finally, someone confirmed what she suspected. Cal was quitting. Her concerns were valid. When she realized Zack could still see Cal regularly, since he choose marine biology over baseball, the room seemed to get brighter.
“I'd heard something about an Eco-tourism company.”
“Sort of. It's a great opportunity. Especially since he's landed a research contract with the Marine Biology Lab. Those group tours help him gather information for the lab. He's getting paid to be outdoors and do what he loves.” Della sighed. “We're going to miss him.”
“I understand that.”
/>
“Well, I appreciate the heads up. Was there anything else to discuss?”
“That was all.”
“Good, may I walk out with you? It's so sunny today.”
As they walked outside, Della talked about the junior marine biologists achievements. But her pace and voice were more reserved than usual. She wondered if Della had found a replacement for Cal, but decided not to ask when Della squinted her eyes against the sun. It didn't matter who the coach would be. All those baseball concerns were gone now that Zack had found something he loved. He could move on to a new hobby and something more fitting.
When she got back to the shop, Roz greeted her with a to-do list hidden beneath yellow sticky notes.
“I am glad you are back.” Roz set her bifocals down, picked up the list and waved it front of her. “By the way, Blaine's called twice and is dying to hear about your kayak adventure. Says he'll bribe you with scones if you call him.”
“My adventure? You mean Zack's adventure. Anyway, how do you think he knew I was there?”
“That's Blaine. If it happened in Sand Hill Cove he knows. Speaking of that, how was the beach, oh quiet one?”
“Absolutely marvelous. Sun, sand, warmth and Zack loved the group. Cal even brought him ice cream afterwords.”
Roz rummaged through a basket of herbs packets. “Kayak? Ice cream? This sounds serious.”
“Sounds like fun to me,” Joan dipped into the herb basket and grabbed some packets to organize. “Besides, that's not the most of it.”
“Oh do tell.”
“Well, you recall our buddy Sara, the one who dumped us and made us look like fools?” Roz shuffled her packets while Joan carefully loaded hers into the seed displays. “I finally let her have it.”
Roz stopped shuffling. “You grew some balls!”
“I call it spine.”
“OK, as you say. But how did she take it?”
“She disappeared after I told her to get her act together. She kept trying to blame me for all the confusion. She even blamed Peterman! I didn't give her an inch. I think she's hiding her relationship with Cal.”
“Wait, weren't you with Cal yesterday?”
“Zack was with Cal. Besides, I was there for Zack and taking a much deserved break at the same time.”
“So be it. Wish I'd been there though. You know how I love ice cream,” Roz grinned then glanced at her to-do list again.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Do you remember Ivy, the garden club president?”
Joan nodded as she reached for the coffee beans. “She sent us referrals, right? And aren't these referrals the same people interested in renting our box gardens, if we ever get that accomplished?”
“Correct. And now she wants to discuss community fundraising with you.”
The coffee grinder whirled as Joan held down the see through lid. “I don't know. I haven't been successful at that, at least not yet.”
“Maybe she knows something we don't.” When the coffee started to drip, Roz held out her empty mug. “Can you hold my cup under there. I haven't had any this morning.”
“Fine, impatient one.”
“I call it attentive, you know early bird grabs the worm.”
“Whatever. Anyway, so don't you think it's premature to talk fundraising before we get approved?”
“Absolutely not. Besides she's already helped us once. Could happen again. And speaking of the meeting. We're all set. Chloe and Lindsey are looking forward to watching Zack again. They can't wait to see the kayak trip pictures. And, I thought we could have supper here, special delivery pizza, before we leave.”
“Perfect, so we're all set?”
“So set that you can start making these calls.” Roz put on her best 'please-help-me' smile.
Joan obliged, picked up the to-do list and headed for the nursery. Inside, she breathed the pure air that only baby plants can emit. Trays of young plants, some just beginning to bud, set on top of the old wooden tables. Green sprouts blanketed the rows of tables like a meadow of spring clover. The plants were all healthy. No die-off or disease existed in this nursery. She took a moment to feel a sense of accomplishment wash over her. But the clang of the entrance bells and Roz's boisterous hello interrupted the moment. She stepped into the nursery and focused on the work ahead.
That evening, when they arrived at the planning committee meeting, the conference room doors stood wide open. This time, the members greeted Roz and Joan. They asked questions about the gardens. They mingled like butterflies on garden phlox. Peterman even helped set-up Roz's clunky overhead projector.
They glided through the presentation without effort. They promptly addressed all the questions raised by the council members. Near the end, Peterman stated that they may finally get to enjoy the knock-out roses hiding underneath the weeds. By the time he finished talking up the project's benefits, everyone had agreed the gardens would be good for the community. He asked for a motion to accept the proposal. He got it. He asked for a second motion and got it. They all said aye and the box gardens of Sand Hill Cove were born.
After the meeting, Joan walked behind the library to look at the site where the box gardens would be installed, but it was too dark to see. “How long had the street lights been broken,” she wondered. It felt strange that a lot next to the public library had no lights. She made a mental note to report it and headed back to the car.
With everything loaded, Roz closed the trunk and declared, “we are rocking.”
“Incredible.” Joan smacked her hand for a high-five. “Celebration time?”
“You're on, whiskey and coke?”
“Hmm, Bailey's and coffee?”
“How 'bout both. Think Blaine's got some?”
“Of course, after all, he and Buzz have to get the news somehow.”
Roz chuckled. “How much you want to bet Buzz is already broadcasting the news?”
“For sure. They always know everything ahead of schedule and I think we should find out how they do it.”
Roz clicked the remote until she heard the car lock beep. “This is one night I'm going to remember for a long time.”
Chapter 11
The morning fog rolled across the park and lifted through the dense canopy of the live oak trees. The morning was warm and moist. Even so, Joan sat outside on an Adirondack chair munching on a huge cinnamon roll. After yesterday, she designated this morning hers to enjoy with any treat she wanted. Fresh baked cinnamon buns, as her mother had called them, proved the perfect choice. Creamy cinnamon dripped between the flaky dough as she peeled away a small layer then popped the morsel in her mouth. Indeed, it was worth the fuss.
After leaving the library last night, they had walked to Holden's. Patrons had jammed into the store. Near the sofas, a group played backgammon on a thick oak coffee table. Several customers hung around the stacks, browsing through books. The pub tables were full of customers sipping lattes and reading computers. Jazz music, smooth and quiet, hummed in the background.
As soon as they entered the store, Blaine introduced them to the crowd. “It's the community gardeners of Sand Hill Cove,” he bellowed before they even had time to tell him about the meeting. This time she did not ask him how he had found out they'd been approved. He would never divulge his sources anyway, at least not without considerable chiding. She suspected he knew someone on the planning board well enough that they had reported their plans to him before the meeting even took place.
Tonight, she just wanted to enjoy the huge sense of satisfaction and pride welling up inside her. So she recounted every minor detail of the meeting, including who didn't like the idea and how they'd won them over. Roz filled in with graphic tidbits about how easy it had been to get them to agree. They talked until it was time to close.
She knew yesterday was the kind of day that would be hard to duplicate. She munched on the last piece of roll, savoring it as long as possible. At the sound of Roz's jeep nearing the corner, she retrieved the pan of rolls from the kitchen. “Old fri
end, you deserve an indulgence too,” she thought.
Roz bounded up the steps. “What's this? And so early.”
“A treat for you and me,” she said while stretching her legs.
“They're warm. How did you microwave the metal pan?”
“I never, ever microwave real food. It ruins great food. I baked these fresh in an oven, you remember those things our moms used?”
“Wow,” Roz said as she tapped at a drip of icing on her tee shirt. “These are amazing. I didn't even know you baked.”
“It's rare, but then so was yesterday.”
“Tell me about it. I suppose getting back to normal might seem boring.”
“Maybe, but I'll take it. Speaking of normal, after we finish, I'm going to walk the gardens. You want to watch the store while I do?”
“Love too especially if you have more rolls.”
After brunch, Joan started the rounds at the herb beds. The culinary herbs; basil, chive, and oregano, were just about ready for harvest. The azaleas had lost most of their blooms, but the powerful scent of magnolia masked any disappointment. In the citrus grove, the satsuma and grapefruit trees looked like they would produce a sweet crop. The blackberry vines and blueberry bushes still thrived after the harvest.
Her heart jumped when she saw Potters' display. Chunks of broken pottery lay scattered across the ground. The smaller, more salable pots had been busted apart as if someone had swung a bat across the display. How could this happen? She picked at a few pieces and assessed the damage. It would cost a lot to replace the broken pottery and none of it could be repaired. The biggest loss, though, was all the time that went into making the pieces.
She toed at a few pieces of the broken chips then stopped, deciding to leave the damage alone until the Sheriff looked at it. Was it vandals? It was scary to imagine a vandal jumping the privacy fence. She looked around for evidence of a break-in. Nothing. If not vandals then who? She recalled the prank mouse on the porch. Was someone harassing her? The first person that popped into her head was Sara. At the thought, a twitch picked at her spine as if being tapped by a needle. “Ridiculous,” she told herself. “I must be getting paranoid.”
Community Gardens (Community Garden Series Book 1) Page 6