Chapter Four
AARON
“Yo, Aaron, c’mere’n help me move this.”
Lennie called me over to grab a pot holding a huge lilac bush. It must’ve weighed almost a hundred and fifty pounds between the pot, the dirt, and the shrub.
“Shit, that’s heavy.”
He grunted his agreement, and both of us strained to move it to the truck waiting in the parking spot. A man stood by the open tailgate. At least ten flats of flowers were already inside as well as several azalea bushes and rhododendrons in differing shades of pinks and purples.
“Thanks. I think this is the last of it, right?”
“Yeah.” Lennie wiped his brow with his forearm. “You’re done.”
A second man joined us, and when he pulled out his wallet, I saw the flash of a wedding ring. I glanced over at the other man. Yep. A matching one. Seeing married gay couples always gave me a warm feeling. I hoped Frankie and I would get to that place one day.
“Thanks so much. We moved into our new house a month ago and are really looking forward to doing up our garden right. These will make the perfect finishing touches.”
Lennie said nothing, and I rushed in to fill the silence. “You made a great choice. All these bushes grow really well with minimal care. Just make sure to give them enough water and watch the rhodo for black spot on the leaves and that it don’t dry out.”
“Thanks for the advice. We really appreciate it. It’s so hard to keep track. I think I’m going to get a book and write everything down when I plant them.”
“Great idea.”
They smiled at me, and I returned it. The hard push of Lennie’s elbow dug into my waist.
“We gotta get back, Aaron. Can’t leave the other customers waiting. We’ll load it up for you now.”
One of the men handed us each a twenty. “Thank you both very much for all your help. We really appreciate it.” Lennie nodded, then stuffed the bill into his back pocket.
I waved as they got into their truck. “Thanks, bye,” I called out, and then Lennie and I heaved the hedge up onto the flatbed and tied it down with ropes to make sure it didn’t bounce around when they drove home. I gave them the thumbs-up through the side window, and they took off.
Lennie and I walked back to the gardening area. People were milling about, but no one looked like they needed much help. At four o’clock things tended to wind down, and soon we’d begin to load the flowers back inside behind the gates we locked each night. After a week, I’d fallen into their routine pretty easily and learned the ebb and flow of customers.
Lennie tapped me on my shoulder. “Wanna coffee?”
Marie kept a pot brewing in the office all the time for everyone.
“Yeah, sure.”
I followed him inside and waited while he made our cups. “I still don’t get it,” he said, putting sugar in both our coffees. “It’s weird.”
“Get what? Thanks.” I took a sip.
“The whole gay thing.”
Making sure my face remained neutral, I responded with a simple, “Oh, yeah?”
He shrugged and leaned a hip against the desk. Marie kept typing away at her PC, doing the monthly inventory.
“I mean, whatever. Guys wanna fuck, go do it in private. Why do I have to see that shit in my face?”
Breathe deep.
“You saw two guys fucking?”
“No! What the hell?” Lennie choked and set his cup down. “I mean those two guys we just helped. They’re obviously, like, gay. I don’t want to know what they’re doing in their bed.”
