Evergreen Everleigh - The Wattys 2020

Chapter Twenty-Two - The Tunnel

Chapter Twenty-Two 

The Tunnel

Violet's small hands grip the straps of my dungarees tightly as I carry her into the tunnel, at the end of the garden. Sweet Pea is in her session with Wister, and in her absence, I have volunteered to entertain the now seven-month-old baby Violet. In the past month, the changes to her growth have been obvious and a joy to observe. She is still a small, pudgy girl who smiles at anyone wearing the colour green and has a great love of scrambled eggs. Yet, her wide eyes and cheekbones have become slightly more defined and even her grip upon my dungarees is stronger, surer. 

"Today," I tell her as I march down the garden at the side of the house nearing the forest, "We are picking lettuce for the lunch. Yarrow's cooking and he simply demanded a side salad."

Violet's eyes widen adorably as we step inside the warm poly-tunnel where most of our fruit and vegetables grow. There is a wealth of colour from the strawberries, gooseberries, onions, and potatoes and so much more. 

I raise my index finger and tickle her cheek. She looks back at me and not for the first time, I see her intelligence as she takes me in. I jiggle her on my hip slightly and she laughs. It is the most beautiful sound I have heard since leaving Henry and Harmony. 

With my free hand, I take two baskets from the rack by the door. In one, I layer a picnic blanket and settle Violet into it so that she sits upright, holding the wicker sides, and watching me. 

"Sorry Baby, I need both hands to pick lettuce," I smile and go to the lettuce heads growing by the door. Violet's eyes follow me and she gurgles loudly, as though she wants to reprimand me for leaving her in the basket. I grin and start pulling leaves free, trying to count out the perfect amount for everyone. 

"I can guarantee that your mama does not trust me to balance you and pick vegetables," I say, placing the leaves in the second basket and walking back over to Violet. Her purple ribbon is almost indigo and is tucked perfectly behind her ears. 

She reaches out and grabs my dungarees again and then when I crouch lower she takes the end of my yellow ribbon and looks at it closely, like a scientist analysing an amazing new discovery. She has never seen a yellow ribbon before. 

She is giggling and drooling at the same time when the door to the tunnel opens and Lady Lavender walks in, barefoot and carrying some freshly picked lavender sprigs. She looks angelic with a purple dotted headband tucking back her curls and a deep red lipstick defining her features. 

I turn Violet's basket to face her and she claps her small fits together in joy at the sight of Mr. Flurry who flits into the tunnel behind Lady Lavender's legs. 

"Having fun?" Lady Lavender asks, kindly. She crouches down too and taps Violet's nose with a lavender sprig. Violet's face scrunches up immediately at the smell and I chuckle. 

"Mind if we walk, Everleigh?" Lady Lavender asks when we leave the tunnel and step out into the glorious sun. 

I hesitate, looking from Violet who is balanced on my left hip and the basket of lettuce in my right. 

"Aster will take that up, and I'm sure Violet won't mind the walk," She smiles so kindly that I look away, uncomfortably with a smile so genuine. Lady Lavender calls out for Aster, who is trying and failing to make the kite that Sweet Pea and I made fly all on his own despite the lack of wind. 

Teasel, his usual partner in crime, was going to be seeing Wister straight after Sweet Pea and must be waiting inside. 

Quiet little Aster, whom I had grown to care for, took the basket from me happily and accepted me mussing up his dark hair without complaint. Lady Lavender did not miss the interaction. 

We walk in silence for a few moments in the direction of the miniature hedgerows that make up a small maze that only reaches my mid-thigh. The only sounds are the small baby noises of Violet as she jostles on Lady Lavender's hip. Silence with Lady Lavender isn't like the moments of silence I experienced with my doctors, nurses, and therapists in other institutions. Those silences seemed to strengthen all the way around the earth and back, as they waited for me to say something profound that would stun them and push my recovery forward.