Chapter one
"Yessss!!! Thank you soo much, that's great! I will see you this afternoon. Yes! Thank you again!" The squealing voice pierced the silence in the small flat and made Adam flinch and frown. He turned his head towards the living room door, momentarily pulling his concentration away from his game console. Susie burst in seconds later.
"We got the allotment! One has come up! It's unbelievable!" she bounced over to Adam and wrapped her small frame around him. She hugged him close. "Get off me, I am in the middle of game!" he complained. Susie pouted. Adam felt a twinge of guilt. "Look, I know it's important to you and I will help, it's just, well, it's your thing baby". He kissed her forehead and returned to the flashing screen in front of him. Susie sighed, got up and headed up stairs.
Three hours later Susie was walking down the path to the allotments. As she walked she thought about the lack of interest from her long term boyfriend. They had been together for 5 years, both now in their late twenties, not much had changed since they first got together.
Sure, they now had a house together, albeit rented, and a cat, and they both worked, but generally things weren't much different from a few years ago. Adam loved two things, gaming and football; Susie didn't come close to either. Not even the offer of sex could dissuade the young man from his obsessions.
It was a warm spring day and the cool breeze tickled her bare legs as Susie skipped through the gate to the allotment. It was a small site only hosting a handful of plots, but it had been there for years. Susie took a deep breath in and savoured the fresh earthy smell surrounding her. She smiled and instantly felt better. It had been a dream for some time to be a plot holder and the day had finally arrived.
Catching the eye of Tony, the chairman of the committee, she headed his way. Tony was a newly retired HR Manager and keen gardener. He was given his new role as the chairman due to no one else wanting it. Tony, being Tony, accepted the challenge with relish.
The young lady in her yellow coat and pink wellies had caught his eye when she pushed open the gate. At first she looked like she was only in a coat and wellies but on further inspection, it was noted that the coat was open, and a short floral summer dress was hidden beneath. The lithe young body made its way to Tony dancing over the uneven path.
"Susie?" Tony questioned as she approached him. She nodded and held her hand out. He shook it and started to talk. He explained the site and where everything was and then gave her the guided tour before stopping at plot number 14.
The two bodies stood in silence as Susie surveyed the plot. Whilst she had done some research she was still in awe of the size of it. "Is this all mine?" She asked. Tony smiled "Yes it's all yours!" After a little more chat and the exchange of cash for the rent and the shed keys Tony left her to it. Susie, still a little shocked, just stood there.
The sound of a door squeaking open broke her trance and made her look to the left. An old man, tall and wiry framed, emerged. Brian was old. He felt old, he looked old and he was fed up. It had been two years since his beloved Mary had passed and he needed something, anything to brighten up his dull, monotonous life.
Prior to his appearance, Brian had seen the young girl walking down the path to the gate and her meeting with Tony through the window of his shed. He watched and smiled. She was cute and small.
He watched as the coat revealed the short summer dress and hid it again as she walked. He noticed the wellies and her bare legs. He noticed her hair, medium length, teased by the wind. She was open faced, inviting, friendly and more importantly, on the plot next to his.
"Hello?" Brian stood by the corner of his plot and moved slowly towards the girl. "Oh hi" she replied cheerily. "I am Susie, I have just got this plot! I am soo excited! Sorry, I talk too much when I am nervous!" Brian just smiled and held out his hand. Susie shook it. Her hand was soft and warm. Brian loomed over Susie as she stood there, still overwhelmed by it all. Brian noticed this and stood by her side.
"It's okay lass, once you give it a good going over and get some beds in, you'll be right" Brian tried to sound optimistic and cheery. "Gosh, its soo big!", "Why thank you madam" Brian wittily replied. Susie looked at him and laughed. "I meant the plot you dirty old man!" She sniggered. "I was talking about the plot you naughty girl!" Brian replied, thankful she had seen the funny side. This set the benchmark for their friendship.
Over the next few weeks Susie, with the help of Brian, got her plot in a good state so she could plant a few things to get her started. Brian also sorted out the shed for her and got her a new padlock for it. Their relationship blossomed like the surrounding cherry trees.
Brian would work on his and Susie's plot during the day and Susie would join him a couple of nights in the week and at weekends. Adam visited once, got attacked by a spider and stood on a slug. He never returned again.
One night, after a day in the office, Susie was getting ready to go up when Adam took a break from his gaming and started to talk to her. "Hey Babe, I am so glad you got an interest that's just yours. You seem to really like it up there". Susie smiled. Adam continued, "Does that old boy give you any grief? He was a real grump that time I was up there, and I noticed he was checking you out!". Susie sighed. Here we go again she thought.