The Kettle Calls

 Today is the day. Darrel is coming over for tea. We don't see each other very often any more, I have been busy with my new job. I'm a dog walker now. Funny how things turn out, I don't even like dogs.

 As the water boils, I gaze out the kitchen window into the back yard. Darrel used to love digging in the garden, now, sadly, its nothing but weeds and such. The kettle calls. I reach for the tea bags and ready the pot. Darrel takes cream with his tea, not milk, cream. I glance out the window again as I open the fridge door, 

Maybe I'll take honey, today, I thought as I set the cream down. I got the good tea cups out, Darrel always liked them, said it gave him a certain kind sophistication or something. A knock at the door. Good, he's on time.

 Darrel poked his head through the door and looked around.

 "Hello, Darrel," I said as I walked towards him, " I'm glad you could make it today."

 "Kathy," he said, "I noticed you haven't been in the garden, lately."

 "Old age has a way catching up with people, doesn't it, Darrel, one lump or two?"

 "None today, I'm afraid I can't stay, I have a meeting with the boss."

 "Now what could he want to see you for?" I asked.

 " I don't know, off hand, I think he may want to talk about how much time I spend here."

 I would miss him if he said he must go. I sigh and slowly take the cups and put them back in the china cabinet. Darrel just watched.

 "Since I'm here, has anything interesting happened in the world these days?"

 I didn't look up, " Cannabis has been legalized, Prince Harry, the Queen's Grandson, got married and moved to Canada. Anything you want to talk about?" I asked.

 "Cannabis? Isn't that that hippie smoke?"

 "Yes, the very same. Says it cures everything from cancer to anorexia." I looked over at Darrel to see his reaction. He always said, if we let those hippies take over we're all doomed. Darrel, who was staring out the window, could be a little dramatic at times, said nothing, "What do you see, Darrel?"

 Without looking up, he said, "I think the hippies have risen up, Kathy. You should be on the look out for hippies in the back yard."

 "Hippies in the backyard."

 "Yes, hippies." This time when he looked at me, the sun shone on his face and showed just what a handsome man he used to be.

 I smiled tiredly, "Okay, Darrel, I will watch for hippies."

 " That's my girl," he said with a big smile on his face," gotta run now dear, meeting you know."

 With that he disappeared out the door, as the wind slowly pushed it opened.

 A week went by before I saw Darrel again, this time I waited to see if he was going to stay or not.

A knock at the door, " Good morning," he called, "hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

 " You never catch me a bad time, and you should know that." He always had a way about him. He always knew if I were home or not, always knew if I had a bad day.

 "Stay for tea?" I asked, a little too hopeful, I thought.

 " Of course," he smiled, "Sorry it took so long to get back here, there was some loose ends the boss wanted wrapped up, and it had to be taken care of."

 "Of course, Darrel," I said as I put the kettle on to boil. I went to the china cabinet to fetch the cups and saucers, and felt weak in the knees, never had that happen before. Oh well, when you reach 60, you're bound to get some aches and pains.

 Darrel quietly watched me as I steadied myself, then he spoke. "You know, Kathy, the time is coming." I looked at him, I didn't know what he meant, but nodded anyway.

 The kettle calls, I went to the stove to turn the gas burner off, I ask, "You will let me know ahead of time, won't you?"

He smiled, "of course,"  As we talked, I thought about the weeds in the garden, that was when Darrel stood up and held out his hand.  Its been so long since I felt the touch of another person. I stood, we walked out into the back yard. I paused and looked back at the house, "Do you think the children will come by?" I asked.

 He smiled and said, yes. We walked towards the end of the yard, I thought I heard the kettle calling, but I had to tend to the weeds.

Darrel stood and watched me, then finally asked, " Have you thought about planting this year?"

" I have," I lied. I planned on a garden just as much as I planned on a Caribbean cruise. If he knew I was lying, he didn't let on. He just nodded.

"The tomatoes should be started in the house," he said. That's what he was talking about. Okay, I thought, a garden it is. How I'm going to pull this off, I don't know. I still walk dogs 4 days a week.

I looked at him and smiled, "Okay," I said," I'll start them in the house tomorrow." That's when I realized, it was the kettle I heard. I quickly walked to the house, thinking of the gas burner on all by itself, and went in and turned it off. The kettle had boiled dry. Well, no tea today. I went back to the garden then decided to take a detour to the garden shed. Opening the door, I got the scent of old potting soil, not moldy, just old dirt smell. Its been a long time since anyone's been in here. I reached for the rake and a spider scuttled away from it, I shuddered, then reached for the gardening gloves. I wondered what may have made a home in the fingers, then I got brave and stuck my hand in. Nothing, thank the good lord. I turned and discovered Darrel had gone, but I went to the garden anyways.

Two weeks. Where was Darrel? I went and checked on the baby tomato plants, then, feeling light headed, I decided to lay down for awhile. I drifted off to sleep, and woke up to a knock on the door. Darrel, finally, I thought.

"Hello, Kathy?" he called.

"Yes, I'm here," I called back.

" I brought someone, I think you might want to meet him,"

When I got to the kitchen, there was standing Darrel with a young man who looked perfect in every way. His smile seemed to shine in a way that can only be described as heavenly. He had dark blonde hair, shoulder length, which I thought was out of context for Darrel because of his love for hippies, but when he spoke, it was the most comforting voice I had ever heard.

"Kathy," he said, " I saw your lovely garden and had to stop by. Will you show it me?" I smiled, nodded, then the three of us walked out to the plot and he looked at me and smiled, " Will you walk with us, Kathy?"

I looked over at Darrel, he was smiling. We walked pass the garden, past the edge of the yard, I then stopped and looked around. I didn't recognize anything, but I had no fear.

"Do you think the children will be by, Darrel?"

He smiled and said, yes.