Adriana's Corner

Chapter Six

Adriana has both a backyard and a front yard. A Londoner's dream.

The front yard consists of a couple of fuzzy-leafy trees and some neat well looked after red flowery bushy things and roses. I'm English, therefore, I know a rose when I see one. This doesn't mean I know how to care for them, though.

The front will be a breeze to maintain but the back is big. Really big.

There's a garden shed on the far right and a small granny flat on the far left. I looked through the window to see a bed and a wall of boxes I'll eventually have to sort through I dared not venture in, though. I would feel as though I'm being nosey.

The garden will be the big job. It used to be nice- can tell that much. There are remains of boxed up gardens and paths and I think I even saw what could be a bird bath being strangled by a viney stringy type plant. I poked and prodded at a couple of things not sure if they were in the garden for good or evil.

I found a beetroot.

That was an exciting time for me. The fact I finally knew what something was and what it does. What you do with one beetroot, though, I don't know. Alyssa and I were going to do something with it for lunch but after boiling it for half an hour, it still wasn't cooked so we had cake instead.

I also think I've found something that could be celery...I think...man, I really need to get to know my veggies. Maybe I can do that while I'm here. Who knows? It may even become a passion. If veggies are all Tassie has to offer as a passion, though, I'm in deep trouble.

"Nina?" Alyssa calls out from the back door. "Your therapist again."

I drag my eyes away from the celery or celery impostor and look at my watch which I decided to adjust now rather than later. It's just gone five in the afternoon. It doesn't feel like five. It's still bright and airy outside as opposed to damp and dingy.

Alyssa tip-toes down the stairs towards me.

"Me and dad just have to go pick up Lauren. See you tomorrow about five thirty?"

"Sure, thanks again for helping. Is that beetroot cooked yet?"

"Yes! Finally."

"Take it with you for tea. Maybe your dad or friend will know what to do with it and does that look like celery to you?"

She leans into it, nose screwed up.

"A bit, yeah."

"Hm...well thanks again." I smile. She gives a wave and tip-toes away as I put the phone to my ear.

"Morning." I smile into it.

"Evening," he asks back in a tired tone. "You sound better."

"Mm, you don't. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Not really..." I hear him yawn, "patients call me at very inconvenient times."

"Hey! You're the one who called me and wouldn't let me hang up."

"Right, so, what did you accomplish?"

"Oh! You'll be very proud. After the initial breakdown on the phone to you and you had a go at being blunt..."

"I was blunt," he says in what I think must be his defensive tone. It doesn't sound very defensive yet I decide to treat it like it was.

"Hah!" I scoff. "If you were blunt you would have told me I'm a horrible person who neglects their family and doesn't deserve any friendship from anyone. You, Miles, were about as blunt as a surgeon's knife, not that I'm complaining If you said that, I probably would have shot myself...hey, do you know if there's any weed out there that disguises itself as celery?"