Page 99 of Wish You Faith

“I want to learn but haven’t had the opportunity. Mom said she’ll show me the game when I have more time.”

“You have the day off, so why not come watch?” Mei opened her passenger side door.

“How did you know I have the day off?”

“I called the tree farm. They told me so.”

Rosie nodded. She locked the car after they had both gotten out. Mei’s assistant came to fetch Mei.

“I’ll take you to the table,” she said. “Sonya said that someone bailed out, so they have a seat for you.”

“Oooh. Yes.” Mei turned to Rosie. “You watch me.”

“I want to, but I also want to take a walk in the greenhouse.” Rosie pointed. “Mom will text me when she’s done.”

Mei’s eyebrows rose. “Are you saying that you need a break from me?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. Don’t get me wrong.” Rosie didn’t know how to explain, but she wanted to be alone for a little bit. Maybe she should just say it. “The community center is crowded, and I just want to be somewhere quiet for a couple of hours.”

“Ah, I get it. Your happy place is among the plants.” Mei smiled. “No worries. I’ll see you after mahjong.”

“Okay. Have fun!”

“I always do.”

Rosie waved as Mei and her assistant disappeared into the building. She walked down a stone path and entered the greenhouse from a side door. She looked around, hoping to see Chevalle, the head gardener who often went by the nickname Chevy.

Rosie walked among the rhododendrons and then multicolored hydrangeas until she spotted him by the koi pond.

“Happy new year, Chevy!” Rosie said before she reached him.

“I saw you coming in.” The elderly gentleman, who was also on the housing waiting list, held a small tub of fish food in his hand. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What?” Rosie watched him feed more fish.

“I asked you about this before, and you didn’t want to work here full time,” Chevy said. “However, this is a new year.”

“I like my job at Christmastown.”

“I know, but could you maybe work as a consultant on Saturdays?”

“On my only day off?” Rosie could count Sunday as her day off, but she’d be in church all morning for Sunday school and the morning service, and then back to church again for the evening service. Sunday was a busy day for her. It wasn’t a day she could stay home and do nothing all day.

“You live here now with your mom, right?” Chevy pressed.

“Yes.”

“So it won’t take you long to drive here from your apartment.”

“No.” In fact, it took longer for her to get out of the condo and walk downstairs to the parking lot than it took for her to drive from there to here.

“How about just a couple of hours on Saturday, at your convenience?”

“What do you need to consult me about?” Rosie knew that by asking that question, she had opened the door to entertaining a side job. She didn’t need a second job, but until her family home is rented out to offset the SSLR condo rental, she shouldn’t turn away opportunities to earn extra income.

Besides, she liked this greenhouse. Mei was right. Her happy place was among the plants. This greenhouse was different from the Christmastown greenhouse.

Chevy also reminded her of Dad. On his off days, Dad would plant a garden for Mom to enjoy. He could plant anything, and it would grow. Since Dad had passed away, their garden had been bare.

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