Page 90 of The Gathered Fragments of Us
As I headed upstairs, I heard Caden’s phone ring. He answered quickly, his voice dropping to a quieter tone that made me pause on the landing.
“Hey. Yeah, we just got back… Everything’s ready? … Perfect. Thanks for all your hard work. Thank the guys for me too. I’ll send pics.”
I smiled to myself, curiosity piqued but not wanting to eavesdrop—okay, maybe I wanted to eavesdrop—but whateverhe was up to, it sounded like it involved more than one person. A project of some kind. I hummed my way toward our bedroom.
The cool water felt amazing after hours of salt and sand. I took my time, letting the pulsing water ease the pleasant tiredness from the day. When I finally emerged, I dried off and slathered on my homemade body butter—a mix of mango and coconut butters, aloe, sweet almond oil, and beeswax. It’s my little ritual every other month, and it works wonders for turning my pink skin into a solid tan by morning.
I pulled on a long-sleeve and sweats—late summer days might be hot here, but the nights still drop into the fifties.
“Your turn,” I called down to him.
I met him at the top of the stairs as he came up. “Great! Hey, when I’m done, want to take a quick walk through the garden? I want to check how everything did today, and the evening light should be perfect.”
“Sure,” I said, though something in his tone made me suspect this wasn’t just about plants. “I’ll make us some tea.”
Before he could speak, I held up my hand. “Don’t worry—I won’t go out without you.” I smiled and headed down while he hopped in the shower.
The sound of running water drifted into the kitchen. I smiled, settling into the den with my tea, his mug waiting on the coffee table. It took every ounce of willpower not to peek outside.
I heard him padding down the steps. Standing, I turned toward him and handed him his mug.
“Okay, sir. Lead the way.”
“It would be my honor.” He offered his arm, and I slipped my hand through it.
As we approached the back door, I noticed dim lights glowing through it—right where the garden entrance was—but I couldn’t make out details. Interesting. There aren’t usually lights there.
Switching his tea to his other hand, he reached for the door handle. “This is just the beginning of what you’ll see in a moment. For now, welcome to seeing us in a new light—literally.”
The warm glow spilling through the doorway revealed what looked like thousands of white lights woven throughout the garden. Too far to make out the details yet, but from here, it already looked magical.
Chapter 35: A Concrete Foundation
~Felicity~
I stepped through the doorway and gasped.
The garden had been transformed into something from a fairy tale. Countless tiny, warm, white lights were strung up everywhere. Along the outside of the garden, at each corner and then maybe six or so feet between, were tall lampposts. Strings of lights ran from each lamppost, connecting them.
As we approached, I saw there was a new arbor, white and covered with tiny little lights that wrapped around each slat from top to bottom.
"Something to know about the lights," Caden said softly. "They're all solar—they recharge during the day and pour out their light at night. Just like I want to do with loving you—each day I'll have a new chance to pour out everything I have, to spend the whole day showing you my love, and then recharge overnight so when we wake and you give me another day, I can do it all over again, for the rest of our lives."
Dear Lord, that was beautiful—if not a little on the nose.
I kept walking toward the entrance and realized it wasn't just the lights that were new. As my eyes adjusted to the soft glow, I realized the garden path itself had gotten a complete overhaul.
"Caden," I breathed, stepping forward to get a better look. "What is all this?"
Where once there had been worn dirt paths that I'd never taken steps to improve, there was now a beautifully paved walkway. The path I'd worked around when building my garden had been rudimentary—meant for access more than aesthetics. When you entered, my bench sat just off to the side. Then, walking in about six feet, you were faced with a runner path that stretched the full forty feet of the garden—basically cutting the length in half so I could access both sides of all my plantings easily from the main pathway.
These stunning wood pavers—rich, warm, perfectly fitted planks, all came together to create this long pathway and smaller ones that jutted out in between the garden beds. In the fairy light glow, they seemed to pulse with life. It made my space look refined and exciting—like spending time out here would be a luxury even though gardening was hard work.
"Do you like it?" His voice was soft, uncertain in a way that made my heart squeeze.
"Like it?" I turned to him, wonder, and awe the only emotions I could seem to collect in that moment. "Caden, this is... I don't even have words."
He reached for my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. "Walk with me?"
