The yard needed tending badly they realized together as they pulled up to their little house one Wednesday night. And so the following Saturday, Jonas lured Kitty out of bed before noon with coffee and biscuits, and the two made a trek to the local hardware store. They returned later, Kitty’s lap full of flowers she insisted they needed. 

Kitty began clearing out the weedy flowerbeds and window boxes. Jonas found it amusing how enamored with the idea of the boxes she was. Meanwhile he took to dragging the fallen limbs from the recent storm to the street. More than once he turned around to find her staring at him before she quickly went back to work with her flowers. He wasn’t sure what was taking so long–just stick them in the ground, right?–but he quietly continued clearing the yard, moving on to raking the leaves. 

The front yard finished, he went back to his truck to get the leaf bags before the wind blew away his work. Just as he grabbed them, he heard a shriek of delight behind him, turning in time to see Kitty disappear into the main pile of dry leaves. They bloomed out in a cloud around her and her giggles while he sighed and walked over to her. 

“That’s not usually a step in this process,” he said, looking down at her half-covered in leaves. 

“I needed a break! Don’t be such a grump,” she admonished, pulling a twig out of her bangs. He shut his eyes for a moment, rubbing his forehead. She was frowning a little when he opened them. “Sorry if broke the rules,” she said. “Do you like the flowers?” she added, sitting up and brushing herself off.

He turned and looked, and was honestly surprised. The house was positively picturesque now. She’d cleared out lots of old plants he’d hardly noticed anymore, and cleaned the boxes until they were actually the green they were intended to be. And in every space available, she’d planted flowers, but not just in the clumps that Jonas would’ve. There was a definite rhyme and reason and even finesse to the design, he had to admit. “They’re really nice,” he said, feeling bad for doubting her. “It looks great.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” she said, but held up her hands. “Help me up?” 

He offered her a hand, the other still holding the bags, which ultimately left him somewhat off balance. Even a tug from the small woman sent him reeling into the pile next to her, a yelp of surprise coming from him and laughter from her. Sitting up and spitting a leaf or two out of his mouth, he rounded on her. “What was that for?”