“This one can go over here.” Marcy pointed to the spot where she wanted the mature aloe vera plant to stand. She had already spent a considerable amount of time landscaping the grounds, and as a result there were already an abundance of plants and bushes growing around the cave house, but she’d cleared out some other areas and gaps now needed filling. “Unless you think it needs more shade? I don’t exactly have green fingers.”
“No, this works well. These plants love the sun. Trust me; it will triple in size within a year.” Beni, the gardener employed by the garden centre where she’d ordered plants for her terrace, had been very helpful, visiting the site prior and advising her on what would grow well in the natural soil. A lawn was out of the question; it would take too much watering in summer, but the alternative was actually better, she realised now. The pineapple palms, succulents and bougainvillea would blend in well with the landscape surrounding the cave house and give it an authentic, rustic feel. Behind her, the pool was ready to fill up, and she could hardly wait to move in.Next weekend perhaps? Or the weekend after?
“Nice place you’ve got here.” Beni rolled the plant over on a cart and Marcy helped him lift it off. “Never seen anything like it.”
“Thank you.” Marcy beamed with pride. “It’s been quite a journey.”
“Not surprised. Are you going to live here or sell it?”
“I’m going to live here.” She scratched her head and chuckled. “I didn’t do all this work just to get rid of it. Feel free to have a look inside when we’re done.”
“I sure will.” He walked back to his truck and dragged one of the bougainvillea onto the forklift, then lowered it to the trolley and pulled it on top. “You want to keep these in pots or have them planted? Planting will cost you extra, but they’ll grow bigger.”
“Planted, please.” Marcy pulled the sketch she’d done from her back pocket and handed it to him. “This is where I envisioned them, along the front of the pool against the fence to give me privacy when I’m swimming. Not that anyone ever comes up here, but it would feel more secure. And I’d like the palms planted too. All the other smaller ones can go around the pool in pots and in front of the cave.”
“No problem. It will take me three to four days, but it will look amazing. I’ll position everything where you want it and start the planting with a colleague tomorrow morning.”
“Great. I’ll be at work but let me know if you need anything and I’ll leave it out here.”
“I shouldn’t need anything apart from maybe a bathroom.” Beni pushed the trolley to the fence and glanced around the premises, his gaze resting on the outbuilding. “Is that a bathroom? Can I use it for a minute?”
“Of course.” Marcy walked back to the truck while he went in. Never having been much of a gardener, she had no idea how expensive plants were, but seeing them here, she knew they were worth every penny. The pink bougainvillea would look stunning against the blue of the pool and the green and earthy tones of the hills behind it, and the palms and aloes would add a tropical vibe to the garden.
A rustling noise in the bushes behind the truck startled her, and she quietly snuck around the vehicle to check what caused it. Her breath caught. On the land along the driveway, she could see the lynx in the distance, staring at her through the tall grass.
“Hey. What are you doing there?” She approached it carefully and kneeled, still at a respectable distance. Had it come to see her? Did it need help? Was it hungry? It couldn’t possibly be a social visit…
The door to the outside bathroom opened, and the lynx shot up at the sound of the toilet flushing. It looked like it was about to run away but hissed and then stopped. “Fuck.” Marcy looked over her shoulder. “Hey, Beni. Can you please come here quietly? Slowly. Just really quietly.”
Beni appeared next to her, and his eyes widened when he saw the big cat. “What the hell?”
“It’s limping. Left front paw. I found it stuck under a couple of fallen branches last week and I had a feeling it was wounded. I want to help it but I’m worried it will run off before the rangers can get here so maybe we should give it a go ourselves.” Marcy eyed his biceps. “You look like you’re strong. Are you up for it?”
Beni frowned as he studied the lynx. “It’s fairly small and skinny so we might survive,” he joked. “How do you suggest we do this?”
“Can you grab that big, thick blanket from the back of your truck? It might just be a thorn; in that case we can take care of it ourselves.”
“Sure.”
“I have pliers in my toolbox on the terrace. Can you bring those too?” Marcy tried to get closer and again, the lynx tried to take off but cried in pain. “It’s okay, buddy. We’re going to help you,” she whispered, aware it was a wild animal and might attack.
“Want me to try and catch it?” Beni asked, returning with the blanket and a pair of pliers.
“I’ll do it. I think it trusts me. But once I have a grip, you’ll have to help me hold it down so I can check out the paw.” Marcy took the blanket and stood up so her face wouldn’t be torn apart in case it lashed out. After each step, she stood still for a while until she was right next to it. Then she dropped the blanket over the lynx, making sure to cover its head and held it down with both hands. It fought back furiously, scrambling under the blanket. Beni joined her and rolled the blanket around it, then turned it on its side and held tight. “Quick, we don’t have much time,” he said, panting as he struggled to keep it still. “I’m not sure how long I can hold it down for.”
“Keep the blanket over its head so it can’t bite me,” Marcy said, then took the pliers in one hand and the lynx’s paw in the other, holding it in a firm grip. To her surprise, it calmed down. Perhaps because it couldn’t see, or perhaps it was shock. She didn’t know much about wild animals and felt a little foolish for even attempting this while putting her own safety at risk. “I think it’s a woodchipwood chip,” she said when she spotted something sticking out between the black pads. Weary of the long claws facing her, she decided this would have to be done in seconds. As soon as she took hold of the chip with the pliers, the lynx started fighting again and when it pulled its paw back, ready to lash out, the chip came out.
“Okay, step back, I can’t hold it anymore.” Beni yelled, giving Marcy a few seconds before he let go.
The lynx jumped up before they had the chance to blink and literally ran for the hills. It was beautiful to see it run so fast now, and Marcy felt a lump in her throat as she watched it disappear. “I managed,” she said, holding up the woodchip.
“Well done.” Beni wiped his forehead and steadied himself on his knees. “That was incredible. I’ve never seen one in the wild.”
“No one knew there were lynxes around here until last week,” Marcy said. “The rangers told me most of them are tagged and live in Andalucia. This one definitely wasn’t tagged as they couldn’t find one on their radar nearby so it must be a second generation from migrated parents.” She looked out for movement higher up but saw nothing. “Well, I’d better give wildlife a call to tell them what happened. I think that’s the last we’ll see of it today.”
14
“Are you telling me you’ve been back for over two months, and you haven’t contacted me until now?” Sara, Zoe’s childhood friend stared at her and crossed her arms in front of her chest as she sat back. “I can’t believe it.”
