I’m the first to admit that dropping hints about wanting to sleep with someone might not be my strong point, but seriously, I thought all guys were supposed to be horny all the time. On the one hand, I know Nate’s attracted to me. When he kisses me, my stomach does somersaults and my toes curl up. Sometimes when he’s pressed against my stomach or thigh, I can feel how much he wants me. On the other hand, he never takes it any further. More than once, I’ve thought about asking him outright, but then I think better of it. Nora said he was very Catholic though he hasn’t talked about religion. Maybe he wants to wait. Maybe—God forbid—he has a medical condition he hasn’t told me about. It would embarrass him for me to come out and ask before he’s ready to tell me, so thus far, I’ve said nothing.
I let the excess water drain from Vee’s pot into the sink, then give the whole thing a bit of a shake to get rid of the excess water. One green branch flies out of the pot and onto the floor.
“Oh no!” Apparently, my trimming wasn’t as careful as I thought.
I pick up the perfectly healthy green stem with three leaves attached and scowl at it. I start to add it to the pile for the trash but stop short.
“No reason I can’t try to get some roots on you. Then I could just plant you back in the same pot.”
I find a water glass, fill it, and place the cutting into the glass. I set the glass on the small windowsill above the kitchen sink.
“That should get you a little extra sunshine. Will you be warm enough there for a while? Spring will be here soon enough.”
My phone dings, and my heart beats faster. I know it’s Nate.
Nate O: How’s my Cherice today?
I’m good. Giving Vee a little TLC
Nate O: You’re having conversations with your plant again, aren’t you?
Are you making fun of me?
Nate O: Never! It was autocorrect.
Riiiiiight…
Nate O: Still on for this morning’s festivities?
Absolutely!
Nate O: Festival starts at 10. I’ll pick you up about 9:45, ok?
Perfect.
Nate O: See you soon, cherice
Today is the first day of Cascade Falls’ Maple Syrup Festival, and I’m really looking forward to it. Banners have been hanging all over town advertising the event, and I’m anxious to taste the fruits of my recent labors. I’d spent the better part of the month helping the workers from the factory choose which trees to tap for sap, and I’m excited to watch the process of converting it to syrup and sugar candy.
Nate arrives just on time, but I’m not quite ready.
“Give me just one second!” I say as I race off to the bathroom. I hate porta potties, and that’s all there will be out there.
“What happened to the plant?” Nate asks when I come back, indicating the little glass with the pothos trimming.
“Well, I guess I got a little overzealous when giving Vee a haircut,” I reply with a laugh. “It should take root and become a whole other plant.”
“Your knowledge continues to astound me.”
“Ha! Hardly. Really, you should be astounded that I have managed to keep poor Vee alive at all. My schedule has been crazy!”
“It should settle down in a couple of weeks,” Nate says. “Once the festival is over, you might find yourself getting bored.”
“Melissa hasn’t been forthcoming in exactly what my duties will be once the festival is over. All the tapping has been done, so I don’t need to evaluate any other trees. I did a lot with preparation for the festival, but I’m not actually working any of it. That’s all being done by people at the maple syrup plant.”
“Did you watch them set up all the old-school maple syrup boiling?”
“I did! I helped set up a giant cauldron. It should be boiling syrup over a fire as we speak. I can’t wait to see the whole process. Did you know all the sap is gravity fed to the sugar shack?”