“Yes, me, too.” She put her hands on her hips. “I have watched you floundering for months now, and it’s about time something made you snap out of it. You need to listen, because I think your wife is telling you something.”
Grandpa passed a hand over his eyes. “I can’t. It’s too incredible.”
“She knew you were up there,” reminded Ms. Matilda. “The whole time.” The corner of her mouth lifted. “She always did want to bring you a chair.”
Grandpa shook his head in bewilderment. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Let’s go to the Lovers' Garden,” I begged.
Grandpa stared at me. “Beth, we’ve been through this.”
“Just one last time before you sell it. What do you have to lose?”
I was afraid he was going to yell at me, but to my surprise he said, “Fine. Though what you expect me to see, I don’t know.”
I couldn’t worry about his attitude now. I was just happy that he agreed to go with me. I grabbed his arm and dragged him to the door. “Come on, then! See you, Ms. Matilda!”
“Bye, dear! Let me know what happens.”
Grandpa and I walked quickly down the street. Neither of us spoke. Occasionally, one neighbor or another shouted a greeting to Grandpa, but he just waved his hand without stopping. That was fine with me. I had a feeling that if we lost our momentum then I’d never get him back to the garden.
Five minutes later we came to the gate in the stone wall. Grandpa came to a stop before the door, not moving.
“Go on,” I said. “You can do it.”
He looked at me, and I was startled to see unmistakable fear on his features. I grabbed his hand. “Let’s do it together.”
We opened the door.
Chapter 13
Inside, the garden was breathtaking. Overnight, most of the dogwoods had bloomed, so that the back of the garden looked like a beautiful snow covered forest transported magically into the middle of summer. The lone hickory tree stood in the middle of the grove, its carved heart and initials jumping out in greater contrast than ever before.
Grandpa walked into the middle of the garden in a daze. On heavy feet, he pivoted to see everything around him. I watched him take in the flowerbeds, the azalea bushes, the green grass, and the ivy, turning from one beautiful sight to the next. Tears glistened in his eyes.
“Oh, Grandpa!” I cried. “You can see it!” I ran to hug him.
“What happened?” He pulled his arms around me automatically, but I could sense his confusion. “Did you do all this?”
I pulled back and looked up at his face. “It’s not me, Grandpa. It’s been like this since I got here.”
“What?”
I stepped back and held my arms up. “It was all here on my very first visit to the Lovers’ Garden. It’s been gorgeous all summer. Ms. Matilda and Billy can both see everything, too. You’re the only one who couldn’t.”
He looked like he didn’t believe me. “That’s impossible.”
“That’s the truth.” I stared at him, trying to convey how serious I was.
“And now?”
I clapped my hands. “And now you can see it! I’m so happy!”
“But why can I see it? What’s happening?” He looked bewildered.
I ran back and hugged him again. “Because you’re getting better. Don’t you see?”
Instead of answering me, suddenly his arms tightened around me like a vise. I looked up at him to see his eyes widen and then fill with tears.
“What’s wrong?” I turned my head to follow his gaze. Then I too froze.
And there she was. My grandmother. Gone from us for six long months, but now standing before us.
She stood only a few feet away, and she gazed at us with a deep expression of love on her face. She looked solid, but had an iridescent sheen on her skin, like the inside of an oyster shell. Her gray hair was pulled back in a bun, just as if she was about to go out in the yard to work.
My breath caught in my throat.
Grandpa dropped his arms from around me. He took a step towards her, tentatively reaching out with his hands almost as if he was checking if she were real.
She reached out as well, and her hands made contact with his. She didn’t speak, but her eyes shone with so much love it was as if I could hear her musical laugh in my head.
I watched my grandparents, one alive, one dead, together for perhaps the last time. Although I knew that they’d never truly be apart, not really, and that Grandpa could no more leave her behind than he could cut off a part of himself. I wiped a stray tear from my cheek, and, as I did so, I realized that my grandmother was fading.
While seconds ago, she appeared as solid as Grandpa, her form was definitely hazy now. And she seemed to realize it, too. She looked down ruefully at herself and then back at Grandpa.
“No!” I cried. She couldn’t disappear so soon!
She looked at me then, and her dark eyes flashed with sudden humor. I felt a thrill meeting those eyes again, and a deep feeling of peace settled over me. I knew I’d remember that exact moment, that exact feeling, for the remainder of my life.
Grandma turned back from me and leaned into Grandpa. I watched as she kissed his cheek before she pulled away again. She then drew some gardening gloves from her front pocket and resolutely pulled them over her fingers. She started to walk away, looking for all the world like she was about to work on a flowerbed. Maybe she was.
Only a few steps later, she was completely gone. It was just me and Grandpa in the garden, surrounded by nothing but a warm breeze.
After that, there was no more talk of selling the Lovers' Garden. Grandpa and I both sat on the wooden bench in silence. What could we say? I cried a little, but they were the good sort of tears. I felt cleansed.
After a time, I left Grandpa alone in the garden. I thought he could use some time to think through everything he’d seen. After all, it had taken me almost a full month to come around to the idea that Grandma was still here. Grandpa certainly had some processing to do.
On my way out, I stopped by the tree hollow, almost out of habit. Imagine my surprise when I found one last gift.
***
That afternoon, I stopped by Billy’s house. I didn’t know how I would tell him what had happened, but I also knew that I had to fill him in. He’d been a part of the adventure from the beginning, and he deserved to know.
“You’re kidding me.”
“I’m really not.”
“You’ve got to be.”
“I’m telling you, that’s what happened. It was just incredible.”
“You really saw her.”
I nodded. “Grandpa even got a kiss.”
Billy shook his head in amazement. “That’s nuts.”
“I know.”
We sat on the grass in Billy’s backyard. Funny how I hadn’t gone to his house once in the entire visit.
I looked around the area. “You know, that spot over there wouldn’t be bad for a workshop.” I held my hands up in the shape of a rectangle and looked through them. “I mean, I don’t know much about construction or foundations or anything, but I think it would be pretty. You could plant some crepe myrtles.”
“It’s a workshop, Beth. It’s not supposed to be pretty. No plants.”
“It’s just a thought.” I lay back and felt the sun as it warmed my body.
“I can’t believe you can think about anything else right now,” Billy said, “after the day you’ve had. Ghosts and all.”
I threw my arms over my face to shield my eyes. “And you don’t know all of it yet.”
“What do you mean?”
I sat up and leaned over. “I found something else in the tree.” Suddenly Billy got a funny look on his face, but I carried on anyway. “You know, the magic tree mailbox thing?”
“What was it?”
“A package of gummy bears.” I pulled the shiny foil bag from my pocket. “From our very own Slice of Sweetness.”
Billy s
hifted. “I guess your grandma sent them to you. All grandmas send sweets.”
“Even dead ones?”
“Being dead has never stopped your grandmother before.”
“You’re probably right. It’s just that I got this crazy idea. You see, there’s only one person in this whole town who even knows how much I love gummy bears. Do you know who it is?”
Billy looked uncomfortable. “No. Who?”
“You.” I leaned my head over to the side. “Billy, remember yesterday when you found my grandpa and your dad by the garden – when your dad offered to buy the land?”
“Was that only yesterday?”
I fixed him with as steely a gaze as I could manage. “Billy, what were you doing in the Lovers' Garden? You never did tell me.”
Billy jumped to his feet. “I think I hear my mom. Probably dinnertime. Dad’s home again tonight. Gotta run, ok? I’ll catch you later.”
I watched him run off with an amused eye. “You sure you don’t want some gummy bears?” I yelled. “Ok, then! More for me!”
I rose to my feet and brushed a few stray grass clippings from my legs. Not too long from now, and I’d be going home. But as I watched Billy’s retreating back, I couldn’t help but grin.
I popped a candy into my mouth. I had a feeling I had a good reason to come back.
Chapter 14
One year later, I loaded up a plate of hot dogs, red potatoes, and coleslaw before I settled onto the picnic blanket. It was early June, and the day was already starting to roast.
“Whew,” I said. “Pass me some lemonade, Mom.”
“Sure, sweetie. Here’s some for Laura, too.” Mom handed me two ice-cold cups.
“Thanks, Mrs. Shepherd,” said Laura as she plopped down.
The Lovers' Garden was glorious in its summer finery, and blossoms exploded from every corner.
Our blanket was nestled in between two rows of thick, lush grapevines. We both lay down on our stomachs to fit in the little bit of shade thrown by the plants. Luigi sauntered over to us and settled down between my feet.
“I’m really loving the vines, Grandpa,” I called. “They’re growing so well.”
“Yes, aren’t they?” Grandpa passed around a tray of cookies. “They just popped up one day. I don’t know where they came from.”
“I do,” I whispered to Laura.
“Hello, Matilda,” I heard Mom call. “How nice to see you.”
I sat up as Ms. Matilda came through the wooden door. Grandpa walked over to greet her and load her up with lemonade. I waved.
“Here’s my expert consultant,” said Grandpa with a smile. “Matilda identified the grapevines for me when they first came up, and she informed me that I’d be able to get a pretty good batch of wine out of them in a few years, if I want to.”
“Maybe we can sample some of the wine by then,” Laura said.
“Yeah!” I added.
“Not so fast, girls,” growled my dad as he sat down with his food. Laura and I giggled.
It was a peaceful meal, set in the perfect location. I gazed at the new vines as I ate. I never ceased to marvel at my grandmother’s ability to grow anything or at her way of knowing just what Grandpa needed.
I polished off my meal, and then lay on the ground and looked at clouds with Laura.
After a while, my phone alarm buzzed. “Oops,” I said. “I’ve got to run.”
“Off to your date,” teased Laura. My dad groaned.
“It’s not a date,” I said, but I blushed anyway.
“I hear the new workshop’s really something,” said Grandpa.
“Yeah. Billy and his dad put a lot of work into it. It’s pretty cool.”
I wandered to the hickory tree before leaving, as I did each time I visited. I traced my fingers over my grandmother’s initials and remembered with a smile the final sighting of her ghost. I hoped to see her again someday, but for now the comforting presence of her glorious garden was a good stand-in for having her with us.
I went and gave Grandpa an impulsive hug.
“Thanks, sweetie,” he said. “What was that for?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Just happy that you’re happy.”
I waved to the group. “Be back soon.”
And I went, carrying the past in my heart as I began my own new adventure.
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The Ghost with the Green Thumb is the second in the True Girls series, stories of girls with heart and intelligence, with just a touch of romance!
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Maggie M. Larche, The Ghost with the Green Thumb
The Ghost with the Green Thumb Page 9