The Garden
by Alice Baburek
The deep blue sky filled with bright sun. Puffs of gray smoke filtered the distant air. Her world remained untouched by the endless carnage so far away.
“Mama, when is daddy coming home?” she asked again. Jessica Thomas knelt down by her mother.
“Now, Jessica, how many times do I have to repeat myself? As soon as the war’s over, your father will come home.” Lilly Thomas dug the hole a little deeper. She hastily dropped the celery seeds.
“I know, Mama, but when is the war over? Today…tomorrow…when?” Lilly stopped. A weak smile formed across her thin lips. Gently, she placed a tiny blue flower behind Jessica’s ear.
“Why, thank you, Mama; now I look pretty!” exclaimed Jessica. Suddenly, Lilly’s eyes filled with sad tears. “Mama, why do you cry so much? Is it because you miss Daddy? I miss him, too, but I don’t cry.” She embraced her mother. A tiny kiss planted on her cheek. “There, you’re all better now.” Lilly held her tight.
“Jessica, you always seem to make me smile. Will you help me finish planting the seeds?” Jessica nodded. The little girl and her mother spent the remainder of the day in the garden.
As days turned into months, the garden flourished with vegetables. Jessica stopped asking about her father’s homecoming. Lilly turned inward, with no news of her husband’s fate. Then, after a year of waiting, the horrible reality had reached her doorstep. It was short and simple. Andrew Thomas was missing. His unit had been ambushed by heavy artillery. Regrets were sent. Lilly stood reading with trembling hands. Jessica stared at her shaken mother.
“Mama, is that a note from Daddy?” Jessica twirled her blondish curls around her finger. Lilly could not answer. Instead, she dropped the message to the wooden floor, then collapsed heavily onto the couch. “Jessica…your father…your father won’t be coming home,” she whispered to the little girl.
Jessica tilted her head in confusion, then gave her mother an ear-to-ear grin. “I know, Mama, not until the war is done,” she said with a clap. Lilly’s eyes brimmed with sorrow. She gently lifted Jessica onto her lap.
“The war is done, sweetheart.” She held her close and wept. Jessica scrunched her face in protest.
“If the war is done, where is Daddy?” she insisted, crossing her tiny arms.
Lilly could not lie. “I don’t know…I don’t know.” And with that said, Jessica pushed her mother away and dashed to her room. Streams of tears flowed freely down her soft cheeks.
“Silly Scilla, silly Scilla!” she cried, rocking back and forth. The tiny ragdoll flopped to and fro. Suddenly, Jessica sprang to life and flew out the backdoor.
“Jessica! Jessica! Come back here!” shouted Lilly. Within moments, Jessica was kneeling in the garden, her small hands covered in dirt.
“I’m planting seeds, Mama, so Daddy can be proud of me when he gets home.” The little girl scooped the earth. After a few seconds, her filthy fingers touched something.
“What is it, Jessica? What have you found?” Lilly bent down.
“It’s a box, Mama! A box!” said Jessica. She wiped the tears away with the back of her dirty, small hand. Lilly struck deep, and yanked it from the ground. The cardboard piece fit inside the palm of her hand.
“Open it up, Mama!” shouted the tear-stained little girl. Lilly hesitated a moment. Last year, she had planted seed in this very row, yet she never stumbled upon the object. Lilly’s heart raced as she removed the dusty lid. A small folded piece of paper laid inside.
“It’s from Daddy! He’s coming home!” Jessica shouted. Lilly closed her weary eyes. Taking a deep breath, she slowly read the mysterious note.
My dearest Lilly, if you have found this letter, have faith. Know that I shall always be with you and Jessica. We will all be together again soon. Love, Andrew.
“Hello? Hello? Anyone home?” shouted a voice. Lilly shoved the message into her apron.
“Back here!” A tall soldier rounded the corner.
“Lilly Thomas?” asked the Marine. She gave a slight nod. “Good day, ma’am. My name is Lt. Peter Scully.”
Before he could finish, Jessica peeked out from behind Lilly. “Where’s my daddy?” she asked in a cross tone. The young officer smiled down at the pouting youngster. Lilly closed her burning eyes waiting for the inevitable.
“You’re daddy’s safe. In fact, he’ll be coming home real soon.” Hearing those astounding words, Lilly hugged the tall Marine.
Within the month, their lives were full once more. Spring began with the planting of seeds. But this time it was different. Andrew pushed the dirt filled wheel barrel to the end of the row. Lilly greeted her husband with a quick kiss.
“We found the box you left us,” said Lilly. His brown eyes squinted from the glaring sun.
“Box, what box?” questioned Andrew. He stood dumbstruck.
“The one you buried, Daddy,” said Jessica. She brushed the soil from her pink shorts.
“I didn’t bury a box.” Lilly’s forehead crunched in confusion.
“What do you mean, you didn’t bury a box? The note was from you, Andrew.” Lilly disappeared inside the house. Within moments she returned with the mysterious message. “See?” She handed him the wrinkled piece of paper.
“This is my handwriting. But, I swear, Lilly, I don’t know how this note got into a box, yet buried underground?” They gazed at one another in disbelief.
“Maybe you just don’t remember planting the box, Daddy!” His little girl grabbed his hand. A wide-eyed smile stretched across her happy face.
“I guess…I guess it doesn’t matter how the box got there. The only important thing is that Daddy is with us now!” Lilly winked at her husband.
“I guess you’re right, it doesn’t matter,” he said with a crooked grin.
“Well, what about these seeds…they need a home!” shouted Lilly. As the three of them joined together as a family, Lilly silently gave thanks to the heavens above.
Alice is an avid animal lover. Her other published works with Long Story Short include: The Pirate's Eye (April 2009); Forgiven and Forgotten (November 2009); The House of Many Tails (May 2010) and Bakersfield (June 2010). Visit her website at http://hstrial-ababurek.homestead.com for information on her books! Contact Alice.
