Page 13 of Sensing Selma
“I was 4 years old.”
Brad smiled.“What happened then that a 4 year old would still remember vividly?”
“My little sister Holly was born, and I was no longer the baby in the family.”
Brad laughed.“That would definitely change your life.”
“Brad!”Jeremy shouted.
“I’d better get going,” he said with a crooked grin.
I nodded and just stood there as he walked away. As repulsive as his brother was, Brad was appealing, and I already looked forward to seeing him again.
“Who was that?”Holly said as she came up behind me. “He’s cute.”
Did she notice how my shoulders suddenly fell? Pretty, angelic Holly. Witty, pretty and outgoing Holly.Once Brad saw her, surely, he’d never glance at me again.
“His name is Bradley,” I said softly. “Bradley Baker.”
“Baker? You mean Mr.Baker’s son?”
I shook my head. “His brother.”
“Brother? Wow. Talk about polar opposites.”
“Right.”
“Anyway,” she went on. “Mum wanted a bowl of strawberries and cream.”
She took off to go to the kitchen and I quickly stepped in behind her. I couldn’t put a name to what I felt, but I had to follow her. I had to be witness to Brad’s reaction to her feminine wiles.
Expecting to find Jeremy and Brad there, I was surprised to find an empty kitchen.
“What are you doing, Susan?”Holly said. “Checking up on me? I’m still capable of doing things, you know. I can bring Mum strawberries and cream.”
I shrugged. “Just yesterday you couldn’t be bothered to get up to get your own blueberry syrup.”
She looked up to the ceiling with an exasperated huff.
Before she could respond, I noticed Bradley out in the garden walking around...alone.
“I do hope you’ll be a little more present today.” I quickly walked off.
Going through the informal dining room, I walked out to the patio and down to the garden.
“Mr.Baker,” I said, squinting as my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight.
“Ah,” he said with a welcoming smile. “Miss Selma. Just the person I wanted to see.”
“Oh?”
“I was curious about this garden. While it’s been neglected somewhat, it’s easy to see that it was once quite magnificent.”
Clasping my hands behind my back, I took to the path and, as I expected, Bradley fell in beside me.
“My father was once very proud of the rose bushes he’d had planted. A bad storm had destroyed a portion of the gardens a few years prior and there was a time when we thought we’d never have a garden again. But he started bringing in these rose bushes, then more, then more, and...”
“He sounds like a very hard-working and resourceful man.”
