Gemotions

The doorbell rang, and Leo, mid-morning snack of chips and salsa, froze. He knew instantly who it was. The woman from next door, Mrs. Rodriguez, a gardening fanatic, had probably come to complain about the state of his lawn. It was a jungle.

He opened the door slowly, bracing himself. Instead of a complaint, however, Mrs. Rodriguez had a different request.

“Leo, dear," she said, her voice unusually quiet, "I was hoping… if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I perhaps put in a little garden on your side?” She gestured to the weed-choked space between their houses. Leo felt his ears burn, and a lump formed in his throat. He looked away, focusing instead on a lone dandelion pushing its way through the cracked concrete.

“Yeah, sure,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. He wanted to disappear.