“To Evie and her Hope Gardens.” Evan raises his glass; everyone toasts me.
“Stop it, you’re going to make me cry again.”
Evan grins widely. “I have a confession. I was prepared to give you another year rent-free. All the partners agreed because we doubted anyone could achieve a garden, even a small one, in time for this summer. I don’t know how you’ve done it.”
“I didn’t do it alone.” I wipe my eyes. “I had so much help, so much. Without the volunteers like Ricky, and Alex’s advice. Also”—I hold my arm out and beckon to my ten amateurgardeners—“most of all I want to thank ourPerllangroup. You have created a miracle.”
I’m not the only tearful face; Ashe, Amani and Marianne are also wiping their eyes or blowing their noses. They were ten strangers five weeks ago, now they feel like friends.
“And Osian. Without him I might have given up.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” he says. “It’s you with the real vision. I was only glad to ride your coat tails.”
He might think so because Osian is generous down to the bottom of his soul, but his own vision is clear in every one of thePerllanworkers.
“Evie! I’m so glad you came up,” says a super-sweet voice from behind me.
Nora.
I’ve been so busy the last two weeks, I’ve not seen her. I’d almost forgotten her. Almost. But she’s still here. Of course she is. Her ‘few days to find somewhere to live’ show no sign of coming to an end.
“Can I talk to you?” she says now, taking my arm and tugging me away from Osian.
This is a familiar move, something I remember even from school. Jealous girls contriving a reason to pull you away from the boy they liked. Nora pulls me all the way to the edge of the group. “I’m going to volunteer for your garden project,” she says, as if this is some huge gift she’s giving me.
The woman is wearing very short shorts and a loose top that’s long enough to cover the shorts completely so it gives the illusion that she’s wearing nothing underneath. For God’s sake.
“Do you have any gardening experience?” I ask, as politely as possible.
“No, but neither do any of thePerllanpeople.” She gives me big sincere eyes. “I’m sure you could teach me as you taught them.”
What do I say to this? She’s making it sound like refusing would be some kind of discrimination. “ThePerllangroup – that’s Osian’s decision not mine.”
“Oh, them… yes, I know. Osian and I already talked about that. ThePerllanprogramme has official funding and I need to be referred by a healthcare provider. My GP, you see, is in England, so they won’t refer me to a Welsh programme. Even though I’m depressed and trying to get over trauma.” She blinks as if trying not to cry. “So you are my only hope.”
When I don’t answer right away, she follows with, “Osian said you’re the one to help me. I know we’ve had our misunderstandings, but I know you won’t hold it against me. Osian was sure you’re not a mean person.”
“The thing is, for the next week, I won’t have time to train anyone. We’re going to be very busy with the Easter weekend.”
“That’s perfect. I can help as a tour guide. I’m great with people. You don’t need to pay me. I’m a volunteer.”
I hate this. She’s got me cornered; I can’t see how to get out of this.
She lowers her voice. “You know, I’ve been staying with Ashe. It’s not comfortable sharing a bed. But now they’re graduating, Ashe will be leaving after Monday, and I’ll have nowhere to sleep.”
She says this as if it’s Ashe’s fault.
“That’s why I’m lucky to work for you. Being part of your team, I can have accommodation. I won’t be homeless anymore but a useful member of Kendric House.”
‘Over my dead body’ is what I really want to say, but she’s made that impossible. The way she’s set up the offer, refusing her makes me the bad guy.
“I’ll need time to think about it.” I don’t, but this is something I learnt recently when Leonie was having trouble with a persistent job applicant. At the time, Raff said, “When put in a corner and unable to find the right answer, always buy yourself time.”
But Nora doesn’t give me time, throwing her arms around me. “Thank you, thank you. You are such a wonderful person.” She flashes a huge smile. “I’ll just be a tour guide for this weekend.”
“No one is a visitor guide without Evan’s permission,” Haneen says, sounding quite firm.
I hadn’t seen her coming over to our corner.
