So, I guess the answer to why we didn’t make the most of this patio is that we got complacent. After twelve years, it’s easy to do. If we went to sit in the sunshine, it would be in a pub garden with our friends. We wouldn’t bother to sit out here alone together, enjoying the tranquil warm evenings.
I wonder if that was my fault or his? If we’d done things like sit in a lovely little garden we’d worked on together, would that have made his future with me seem better?
If I hadn’t karate-kicked him in the balls, I’d call him and ask.
It would be easier if I could just blame his change of heart on the neglected garden. But when I think about it, we did have date nights. We made an effort to book meals out every now and then. We had laughs. We were happy.
Why has he broken us?
I stab at the soil with the fork a little too enthusiastically, flinging the dirt as the prongs twist and lift up. I wince, brushing the mud off me.
That’s when I notice it. The longest worm I haveever seen.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” I scream, jumping to my feet and stumbling backward, dropping the fork and letting it clatter on the ground.
Squealing and jumping up and down on the spot, I yank off the gloves and use my hands to frantically brush off my clothes and hair, suddenly feeling like there’s worms all over me, even though I’m pretty sure there was just the one. My phone starts vibrating in my pocket and I quickly answer, still shuddering as I watch the worm move across the patio.
“Hey,” Ruby says, “do you want to come over tonight for dinner and a delicious red wine that I’ve picked up?”
“A worm just attacked me.”
“What?”
“A worm flung itself at me.”
She gasps. “Are you serious? I didn’t know worms could do that! They can launch themselves at you?! Gross!”
“Okay, technically I flung it at myself while gardening, but oh my god, it is the biggest worm I’ve ever seen in my life!”
“Did you just say you were gardening?”
“Yes! It’s my new hobby.”
“Your new hobby is gardening?” she asks in disbelief.
“Can we focus on the worm please.”
“Is it still on you now?”
“No, it’s on the ground.Bleugh.Why do they move in that way? Like the head is going and then the tail has to catch up. Why can’t they crawl like a normal bug?”
“You mean, like a centipede or something?”
“Oh my god, can you get centipedes in England? Do I have to keep an eye out for wormsandcentipedes when I’m gardening? What the fuck.”
“You weren’t prepared for this?”
“I didn’t even think about it.” I hesitated. “I was thinking about Matthew when the worm attacked me. I was wondering why we never sat out here.”
“Maybe the universe was sending you a sign,” she reasons. “When you think about Matthew, worms will fly at your head.”
I sigh heavily. “Did you say something about red wine?”
“It cost twelve pounds, so you know it’s classy stuff. Come round for sixish?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Excellent. You know, I can’t believe you’re gardening. Forwhat it’s worth, I think it’s a really good idea. I’m very excited about this new hobby of yours and lend it my full support.”
