Chapter 24 - Grace's Garden
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Spring finally broke through the lingering winter frost, turning the grounds of the river house into a vibrant explosion of green.
I found Grace kneeling in the dirt near the back porch, wearing a pair of faded gardening gloves and aggressively wrestling with a stubborn patch of weeds.
"You know, we could hire a landscaping service to handle that," I offered, leaning against the wooden railing.
Grace paused, wiping a smudge of dirt from her forehead with the back of her wrist.
"A landscaping service doesn't know how to talk to these hydrangeas," she retorted, pulling a massive weed from the soil and tossing it into a bucket. "Besides, I like the dirt. It reminds me that things take time to grow."
I walked down the steps and sat on the lower porch stair, watching her work.
"Noah finalized the center's expansion plans yesterday," I told her.
"I know," Grace smiled, her eyes fixed on the flowers. "He showed me the renderings last night. He actually included a small indoor garden near the waiting area. Said it was inspired by my refusal to let anything in this house die."
I laughed softly. "He's not wrong."
Grace sat back on her heels, taking a deep breath of the fresh spring air.
"Daniel," she said, her voice shifting into a more reflective tone. "We did it, didn't we?"
"Did what?"
"We survived," she said, looking out toward the river. "For so many years, I thought we would constantly be looking over our shoulders. I thought the Mercer name would be a permanent curse."
"It was, for a long time," I admitted. "But curses only work if you believe in them. We chose to believe in each other instead."
Grace looked at me, a fierce, undeniable loyalty shining in her eyes.
"You're a good father, Daniel," she said simply.
May you like
"And you are the heart of this family, Grace," I replied.
She rolled her eyes, picking up her trowel again. "Save the poetry, Mercer. If you want to be useful, grab that watering can."
