“Big door,” she pointed.
“Yes, that’s a big door. Wait till you see the rest.” Angela told her, surprised at how excited she was.
She parked at her usual spot and made her way to the garden with Madison who instantly started running around on the lawn and delighted in the flowers.
Angela let her roam free, enjoying the view within the cedar edges. Madison picked a daisy for her. She offered it with the biggest of smiles.
“Oh, Madison, thank you.” Angela said as she took the daisy, leaning down to her level.
“You can’t take the flowers. Just smell them, ok?”
Madison ran from bloom to bloom, smelling the different aromas. She ran to the bench and climbed up with all her might. Angela was happy she had brought her; just looking at her now was worth the drive. She sat next to her and gave her a squeeze. She just looked at her for a moment; she loved her adorable ringlets and freckles.
To be sitting with her under the birch tree was as perfect a moment as she could imagine. But as toddlers will be toddlers, Madison was quickly off through the archway to explore the rest of the garden. Angela ran after her. Chills ran through her as she walked in the shaded archway, remembering Michael’s hold of her arm and the look in his eyes. Madison ran up to the gazebo and climbed up on the bench; her little chubby legs stretched as much as she could stretch them. She was definitely not a girly girl; she wanted to touch everything. She stood up to look at the beautiful stain glass on the gazebo; a mother and child.
“C’mon. Let’s go see the bunnies.” Angela grabbed her and carried her on her hip to the thyme garden where the ceramic bunnies were hiding. Madison loved them. She petted them andtalked to them just as though they were real. Angela almost wanted to do the same thing, but realized she would look ridiculous; a grown adult talking to a ceramic bunny. Oh, to be a child again.
“Doesn’t it smell nice here, Madison?” Angela led her past the herb garden to the fern walk; a shaded trail lined with tall pines and a low rock wall.
“Stand right there, Madison.” She reached into her purse for her digital camera.
Of course, Madison was not cooperating; she just wanted to go explore. Angela put her camera back in her purse and ran after her. When she reached the bright sun rays at the end of the walk, she realized they weren’t completely alone in the garden. She saw in the distance a shirtless gardener pushing a wheel barrow towards a compost heap.
“Wow, this garden keeps getting better, Madison… not only can I enjoy the nature but also gorgeous backsides,” she joked. “I know, I’m bad...” she told Madison. “I should stop looking.” She turned her back and focused on Madison. The little tyke was crawling into the snake hibernacleum and reached for a....
“Oh no Madison, you can’t crawl in there.” She reached for her and screamed at the top of her lungs when Madison grabbed a snake.
Madison held it up high, proud and smiling. It only took a second or two for Angela to realize it was a plastic snake. Of course, she felt absolutely ridiculous, and couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Unfortunately, her scream had not gone unheard.
“Ladies, what’s going on over here?” he asked.
Angela turned around… it was the gardener; well, it wasn’t, it was Michael. Michael was the gardener, standing there shirtless and looking very sexy.
She searched for her words.
“I...” She got up and couldn’t help but stare at his very nice chest. “I thought it was real for a second.”
“You are hilarious,” he laughed as he wiped his hand on his shorts.
She was still staring; he was suddenly conscious of his bare chest.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I would have put on a shirt if I knew I was going to have company.”
Nothing to be sorry about..
“Don’t be. It’s your place.”
“Hi, Madison.” He kneeled to her and gave her a big smile.
“What you got there?”
“A ake.”
“A snake? Do you like that snake?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“You can keep it if you want. Would you like that?”
