Soon Pt 01

This story has three parts. They'll be posted with a few days in between them. I hope you enjoy it.

* * * *

Tending to someone's garden hadn't ever been a part of Geoff's plans for his life. He thought back to the seemingly endless list of what his parents thought of as failures in his past and laughed. They called him lazy and a screw-up. The decision to send him to a prestigious law school had been their way of trying to straighten him up. Geoff's opinion of success differed from theirs in every way. After two years studying for a career he didn't want, he quit. By the time the school notified his parents, he had already joined the Army and left for boot camp. If he was going to be in a battle, he decided, it was going to be against something that would make a difference in the world, not his parents. Their assumption that he would join Holt Land Development hadn't been debatable. A Holt didn't abandon the family business... ever.

Thinking of the past didn't accomplish anything, he thought, shoving the wheel barrel across the yard. Turning the forgotten land into a thriving garden was just one part of the job. He often wondered if he would be around to see the lawn green and lush again. Spotting the rickety old fence separating the property from the neighbor reminded him to replace it with a safe structure.

Taking the job to oversee the restoration of the old house for his friends, Bill and Penny Vinrey, hadn't been planned. However, in early 2020, a pandemic hit the world and caused people to change how they lived and worked. State officials made social distancing and wearing facemasks to reduce the spread of the virus the law. They ordered people to remain at home, shutting down any business they regarded as non-essential to daily life. Hospitals scrambled to save everyone they could from the deadly virus. Hearing the daily number of deaths made Geoff think of all the soldiers who never returned home from the war.

Within a short time, people lost jobs, schools closed, and families remained stuck at home. His own business, GH Investments, sent employees home as required. Geoff worked hard to coordinate the jobs they could do because he didn't want anyone going without a paycheck if at all possible.

Bill and Penny had already submitted their plans to the county for approval. They were excited about living there after Bill retired at the end of the year. With his headquarters shut down, Geoff had time to spare to help. His favorite part of the work was inside the decades old house. He loved working with his hands. Turning a pile of discarded wood into something usable was a way of preserving the earth. Much of what he saw told a story with the layers of paint, flooring, and wallpapers. Finding a scrap of faded newspaper dated 1939 made him research the happenings of that year. Geoff found ways to continue learning regardless what he was doing.

He looked forward to restoring the mantel and staircase as well as any baseboards and trim that survived the years. His experience working with wood came from the time he spent on his grandparents' ranch. His grandfather taught him how to use the assorted tools needed to strip off years of dirt, grime, and paint to reach the beauty of the grains underneath it all. Geoff loved the constant motion of sanding because it didn't take anything more than using his arms. He didn't have to think about the world around him.

The grumbling in his stomach pulled his thoughts back to the present. He gathered the tools scattered around and put them into the wheel barrel at his side. It was time for lunch--and a break from the heat of the sun. His favorite lounging spot was under the massive walnut tree by the fence. Taking his time, he opened the cooler he had with him and pulled out an icy cold bottle of water. Before he had a chance to take a drink, a dusty soccer ball rolled across the grass, landing at his feet. Although he hadn't seen anyone around, he heard a young girl's voice through a cracked spot in the fence.

"Hey, mister, can you throw my ball back, please?"

Without replying, Geoff reached down for the ball, planning to toss it back as the child asked. But he didn't remember what was on the other side of the fence and didn't want to break anything. He rose to look and spotted a young girl. Then he gently dropped it into the grass near where she stood.

"Thank you."

Geoff smiled at the girl's manners. "You're welcome."

He went back to his spot under the tree and finished his lunch. A few more hours and he could stop for the day. Thoughts of the family swimming pool floated through his head as he wiped the sweat off his face. He missed the cool waters, he realized, adding it to his ever-growing list of things to make time for again.

Late afternoon, Bill called to check on the progress. The man itched to drive over and see the house himself but stayed home with his wife where they hoped the dangerous virus didn't reach them.

"Penny's doing great with the delays. She knows there's nothing we can do to speed up the work. Are you sure it's safe for you to continue though?"

"Hey, I wear a respirator when I'm working inside and I have a basic mask for all the other time," Geoff said. "Besides, most times there's no one around but me so it's safe--and keeps me from going crazy."

"Just don't take chances, Geoff. The house can wait. You know as well as I do how precious life is," Bill said. "Call me if you have any questions."

After the call ended, he went back to the section of the yard he had been working in. The first thing he saw was the same dusty soccer ball he had tossed over the fence earlier.

"I'm sorry, mister. I didn't mean to kick it so high."

He smiled at the little girl through the hole in the fence. Her grin confirmed what he suspected--she intended for the ball to go over the fence. He tugged his facemask up into the required position at the same time she pulled hers up.

"It is quite high. You must be really good for it to land on this side."

"My mom said kicking the ball was a good way for me to use energy. Since I can't go to school, I don't know what else to do all day. I'm not a little kid so I don't want to watch cartoons. And my mom has to work--"

"Are you home alone?" Geoff asked, suddenly concerned about the youngster.

"No, she has an office downstairs. I'm supposed to stay out of trouble, but it's boring 'cause I can't see my friends."

The child's tears affected Geoff more than he expected. Kids cried for all reasons, he knew, including for attention. Somehow, he was sure this one was genuinely sad. A topic change was in order, he decided, stepping a bit closer to the fence.

"My name is Geoff. I'm here to help the people who own this house get it ready for them to move into."

"I'm Poppy. I'm seven."

"Well, Poppy, I'm pleased to meet you, even if it is through the fence. You know, I'll be putting a brand new one up after I finish the garden area that will look really nice. If it's all right with your mother, you could sit on your side while I'm working, and we can talk," he said. "That way we're still obeying the orders to keep a safe distance from each other. Plus, we have our masks too."

The little girl nodded. Geoff noticed how the icy blue color of her eyes hinted at an intelligence that exceeded her age.

"I'm sure it's hard. Maybe you can find something to do to stay busy."

"Like what?"

"Well, have you thought about making cards to send to your friends? You could color pictures and write notes to them. If you're bored, I bet they are too," he said.

She seemed to ponder his suggestion. He wasn't sure where the idea came from yet hoped it would take away some of her sadness.

"Do you have kids?"

"I don't but I used to be one."

"That's silly."

Her giggle made him smile. It made him wonder if his siblings had children. Since he left for the Army, he hadn't heard from any of his family. He wasn't even sure if they had tried to keep tabs on him.

Geoff loved the innocence of a child. They didn't yet know about the extreme violence in the world. Even when he was in war-stricken countries where people didn't have access to good food and water the children often ran around and played. He knew it was because they didn't know any other life than what they had. Before he had a chance to say more to the girl, he heard someone call her name.

"I'm here, mama," the girl yelled in response although she didn't move.

Geoff watched the redhead make her way through the tall grass to where Poppy stood. The woman stopped when she saw Geoff. He spotted the fear on her face and swore to himself. Any mother who saw their child talking to a complete stranger would be afraid for their safety.

"Mama, he's working on the other side of the fence and said I can talk to him. He's nice."

Geoff didn't wait any longer. He leaned over the old boards and faced the woman.

"Ma'am, I'm Geoff Holt, the gardener and handyman here. I apologize if my behavior caused you any concern. I meant no harm talking to your daughter."

Robin hesitated. She knew there had been contractors at the house but that had been before the virus hit. The house wasn't finished which she was sure saddened the new owners. When she moved into her own home, she had often looked at the abandoned decades old brick house and imagined it as it must have been when first built.

"I'm Robin. Poppy is finding it difficult to keep busy while I'm working. Without school and her friends..."

"It isn't easy for anyone right now. I can keep doing odd jobs here because I'm friends with the owners--and I live on the property. They have an old trailer parked on the other side of the barn so I can keep an eye on things better. Even though this seems like a nice neighborhood, you never know who's scouting out construction sites for things to steal."

Robin stared at the muscular man leaning on the old fence. She wondered how the rickety boards stayed up under his weight and hoped they didn't break. Although she often heard someone working at the house, she hadn't given it much thought. And because the barn was toward the back of the property, she hadn't even seen the trailer.

"We're doing online schooling but I'm afraid it's not the same. She loves to learn. Yet I'm just not a teacher, and keeping to a routine... well, it hasn't gone well so far," Robin said.

"I hope I haven't interrupted you with the sound from the saws. If they bother you, I can move inside the barn. Maybe it will block some of the noise."

"Mama, I did my homework before I came outside. You said I could."

"I didn't give you permission to bother anyone," Robin said. "The whole yard is full of things to play with."

"But they're all baby toys. I'm not a baby, mama. I'm seven, remember?"

Geoff didn't interfere with the discussion. He wasn't a part of the family and didn't have the right to voice an opinion. He found it interesting the way Poppy seemed to think she had to remind her mother of her age though.

"I'm sorry, Poppy, but we've talked about this. You have homework to do while I'm in my office."

"But it's all done before you are and--"

"Enough. Let's go inside and fix dinner. I'm sure this gentleman--"

"It's Geoff, remember. He told you his name already," Poppy said, standing with her hands on her hips in a display of frustration.

"Inside before I ground you."

Robin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her daughter wasn't a difficult child. The changes due to the pandemic restricted her to the point each day was rougher to get through than the one before. She had to work. She needed the income. Poppy's father hadn't paid child support for over three years. They didn't have much, she admitted, but Poppy had what she needed.

Geoff watched the redhead make her way back to the house. Her tiredness was obvious. Anyone looking at her would see it. He wondered what her story was as he turned away. Maybe one day he would know.

A steady rain fell for the next two days. Geoff spent the time stripping old layers of stain and varnish off the mantel. Music played in the background, just loud enough to hear, but not to block out the occasional bursts of thunder. He stopped working to watch the streaks of lightning that zigzagged across the sky. He took a bottle of beer and went out to the covered porch. He would finish the mantel later, he decided, settling against the faded boards.

Poppy stood at her bedroom window and sighed. She hadn't been outside since the storms started. Her mother promised they would make cookies but she was still working. A flash of lightning lit the sky over the fence and made her think of the man she talked to there. Geoff, she reminded herself. He had been nice to her. As the rain continued, she wandered through her room, looking for something to do. Spotting her stack of craft supplies, she grinned.

Robin hadn't heard Poppy for over an hour. She usually made enough noise that she knew where her daughter was. Concerned that something might have happened, she rose from her desk, stretching her back as she did.

"Poppy? Where are you?"

"Here," the girl yelled.

The bedroom was a disaster. Papers, crayons, and markers covered the floor. Too tired to figure out what happened, Robin dropped onto the edge of the bed.

"Care to tell me what's going on here?"

"Mama, it was his idea."

"What?"

"Mr. Geoff, the man working by the fence, he said to make cards for my friends 'cause if I was bored, they were probably too, and maybe I could color pictures and write on them and put them in the mail and--"

"Slow down, honey. I'm right here."

Robin grinned at her daughter. She had a way of running her sentences together so fast it wasn't easy to decipher what she meant. Poppy stared at her mother from where she sat on the floor and started over.

"I was coloring pictures and writing my name on them, mama. He said we could maybe send them to my friends 'cause we're all bored. He's nice. He didn't even yell when my soccer ball went over the fence."

"Just remember to be careful when you're outside, honey. And don't be a bother. I'm sure he has a lot to do. Now, let's get this mess cleared up and go make some cookies."

Poppy ran to the kitchen as soon as they had everything back on the shelves. They worked together to assemble the ingredients needed for the child's favorite chocolate chip cookies. Robin felt the weight of her stressful day lifting as she listened to her daughter's chatter.

"Mama? Can I give Mr. Geoff some cookies tomorrow if it's not raining?"

Robin nodded. She appreciated how generous her daughter was. Unlike some children her age, Poppy thought of others before herself, sharing whatever she had. Realizing both she and her daughter needed time together without focusing on homework or bills, Robin made a mental note to set aside one afternoon a week to spend with Poppy.

Geoff was tired of staying inside. It wasn't as if he didn't have things to do in the house but more that he hated how the weather forced him to stay indoors. He gazed through the old window and went over what he needed to do in the yard yet. Then he went to bed early. Maybe the sun would be out in the morning.

Poppy untangled the blankets from her legs as soon as she looked out the window. Then she ran into the kitchen.

"The sun is out! Can I play outside?"

"Honey, I think you should have some breakfast first. And maybe get dressed?"

Robin laughed as her daughter raced back to her room. They could make it through the quarantine, she decided, filling two plates with eggs and toast.

Poppy peeked through the fence but didn't see anyone. Her smile left as she kicked the soccer ball. She watched it roll over the grass and weeds and sighed. Minutes later, she heard sounds from some kind of machine. The curious child found a big gap in the fence where she saw Geoff push something across the clumps of weeds and grass. She sat on the wet ground and watched.

He knew she was there even before he saw her. A quick glance assured him the powerful rototiller wasn't throwing dirt or rocks in her direction. It took longer to finish that way, but he had to be sure she stayed safe. Of course, he reminded himself, it wasn't his job to watch over her, yet she touched him in a way no one had in years. He shook his head and continued preparing the land. Bill and Penny wanted a colorful flower garden much like their research showed houses similar to theirs originally had. The gardening centers were all still closed so he couldn't plant anything until they opened. He hoped it wouldn't be too late in the season to get them into the ground once they were.

It was close to noon and Geoff was thirsty. He turned off the rototiller and jogged to the porch where he had put his cooler that morning. Without much thought, he grabbed two bottles of water, intending to ask Poppy if she wanted one. His disappointment took away his smile when he didn't see her. The only dry place to sit was on a huge rock behind the walnut tree.

"Mr. Geoff?"

Poppy's voice caught him off guard. He looked at the spot where she had been other times but didn't see her. She poked her arm through a different opening in the fence before speaking again.

"Me and mama made cookies last night. She said I could give you some. They're my favoritest cookie ever--chocolate chip."

He stood from his seat on the rock and walked toward her. The smile he expected to see wasn't there. Instead, she looked worried.

"I love chocolate chip cookies. They're my favoritest too," he said using the word as she had. "Thank you, Poppy. That's very thoughtful of you."

Her eyes sparkled. If the sun hadn't been out, her smile would have lit the sky.

"I have an extra bottle of water. Are you thirsty?" he asked.

She nodded as she chewed on her cookie. He cracked the cap of the bottle open before handing it to her. He remained standing at the fence as he ate all the cookies. He knew there was more rain in the forecast for the week and he had a lot to do outside before it returned. Nonetheless, nothing seemed more important right then than spending time with Poppy--even if it was through a fence.

The days the sun was out the pair formed a routine of sorts that included Poppy kicking the soccer ball to him while he listened to her seemingly endless chatter. She asked questions about the house and talked about how much the pandemic changed her days. One thing she never brought up was her father. Geoff wondered about the man but didn't ask.

Late each afternoon, Robin called out the back door to her daughter. The redhead didn't join them although Geoff wished she would. The small family intrigued him. He considered asking if Poppy could spend time on his side of the fence so he could show her more than what she saw through the cracked wood. Maybe later, he decided when the woman ignored him.

The next morning Poppy seemed sad again. Geoff didn't think before he spoke.

"Hey, little one, are you all right?"

She shook her head and plopped onto the ground. "I can't get my mama a present for her birthday."

"Is it today?"

"No, but I can't go to a store and I don't have any money--"

"I bet your mama will be super happy with anything you give her."

He saw the way she shrugged her shoulders. Kids hadn't been a part of his life before so he wasn't always sure what to say.

"You know, between the two of us, we can figure this out. I have some ideas but I need to check on something first. Sound OK?"

Geoff remembered an old-fashioned push lawn mower he spotted in the barn. It wouldn't take much to get it working. He went inside that night to see what else he could do to help the little girl.

The following morning, Geoff walked to the back section of the fence where he ripped several of the loose boards free. Then he stepped into Robin's yard. He waved at Poppy but put his finger to his lips in hopes she would catch on that he wanted her to be quiet. She waved and ran toward him. He was sure she had a smile on her face behind the mask she wore.