Dorothy nodded in agreement. “Yes, I believe that’s where we keep it. Check the shelves near the back.”
Ethan thanked them and headed to the shed, the crisp morning air invigorating him as he walked. He rummaged through the shelves and finally found the bottle of neem oil tucked away behind some gardening tools. He also found a spray bottle, which was one of the other things Ginger had asked for. With the essential ingredient in hand, he set off toward the cabin, eager to deliver it to Ginger so she could continue her work on the serum.
Ginger was already hard at work, with pots boiling on the stove. The air was filled with the scents of various herbal concoctions. The three kittens were playing near Ginger’s wheelchair, and Ethan picked two of them up and began to pet them.
“I’m getting really attached to these little furballs,” Ginger admitted, a soft, affectionate look in her eyes.
Ethan put the kittens down, realizing that he felt the same. That wasn’t good. He couldn’t keep them. Could he?
He pulled the oil bottle out of his jacket pocket. “Here’s the neem oil you needed.”
“Thank you.” Ginger took the bottle and scrutinized the label. “I’ve been working on a new formula for the serum, and I’ve added an accelerant to it. It should help dry up the fungus more quickly. We’ll need to spray the trees in a specific way to ensure the solution reaches the affected areas.”
“I got a sprayer too. It’s in the truck.”
Ginger nodded as she measured out a few drops of the pungent neem oil, wrinkling her nose at the bitterness clinging to her fingers. “Just a few drops of this should do to boost the antifungal properties.”
Ethan peered over her shoulder into the vial, skeptical. “A few drops? Are you sure that will be enough?”
Ginger arched an eyebrow. “This stuff is strong. Not all problems are solved through excess,” Ginger replied. “Sometimes a delicate hand is best.”
Ethan’s eyes gleamed with humor. “Is that what you call your measures so far? Delicate?” He gestured at the counters overflowing with vials and beakers bubbling and steaming.
Ginger pursed her lips, struggling not to smile. “This is nothing. You should see how my lab looks. Now step aside before your enthusiasm for ‘just a bit more’ undoes all my careful work.”
Ethan laughed and raised his hands in mock defeat, conceding her point. In truth, her exacting standards were what most gave him hope.
Ginger shook one of the beakers, and the amber serum swirled inside. “This is done. Let’s get it into the sprayer.”
Ethan got the sprayer from the truck, and Ginger poured the solution in then instructed him on how to properly spray the trees, emphasizing the importance of thorough coverage. “We’ll check back in the evening to see how the trees are responding. If all goes well, we should see some noticeable improvements.”
Ginger watchedas Ethan ventured into the snow-covered grove of trees, carrying the serum and the sprayer. She silently crossed her fingers, hoping everything would go smoothly. As he disappeared into the wintry landscape, she scooped up one of the kittens and cuddled it close, feeling its soft purr vibrate against her chest.
The cabin looked festive with the little tree. Yet she realized something was missing—the cabin didn’t have that nostalgic scent of fresh pine boughs she associated with the season.
Ginger dialed Mason’s number and waited for him to pick up. When he answered, she couldn’t help but let excitement color her voice. “Hey, Mason, I have a favor to ask. Would you and Kristen be able to take me to the Woodward tree lot to pick up some pine boughs? I think it would really make the cabin smell more like Christmas.”
Mason hesitated for a moment before responding, “Are you sure you’ll be up for that? I don’t know if your wheelchair will do well on the lot. It’s snowy.”
Ginger reassured him, “I can use my crutches. The doctor said I need to spend a few hours each day on them anyway, so I thought I’d use those hours for something fun.”
Mason hesitated for a second before answering. “Okay. I know how you are when you get your mind set to something. How about we swing by in two hours? That should give you some time to prepare.”
“Perfect,” Ginger replied, her spirits lifted. “I’ll be ready. Thanks, Mason. I really appreciate it.”
With a plan in place, Ginger set about tidying up the cabin, clearing away any clutter from their earlier activities. She washed the pots and pans, wiped down the countertops, and cleared off some space on the mantel and table for pine boughs.
Chapter24
The air in the tree lot was pungent with the scent of fresh pine. Ginger was getting used to her crutches and managed to hobble along without tripping. Kristen and Mason hovered on either side of her, ready to keep her from face-planting, but luckily her usual clumsiness didn’t surface.
She passed dozens of customers choosing trees from the rows of firs. Ginger hobbled over to a nearby pile of pine boughs, her crutches clacking against the ground.
“This one’s perfect.” Ginger reached out to grab a few boughs. She put them to her nose and inhaled deeply. “Holiday heaven!”
But as she leaned on her crutches, one of them slipped out from under her. She let out a yelp as she stumbled, almost falling over. Mason and Kristen both reacted quickly, each grabbing an arm to steady her. Ginger flushed with embarrassment but laughed it off.
“I guess I’m still getting the hang of these crutches,” she admitted, feeling grateful for their quick reflexes.
