Chapter 5 Pebbles

Pebbles

I press my cheeks against the cool tiles in the bathroom and sigh. The sweltering heat has been murderous, but a cool shower will remedy that. The strength to move is my issue; everything aches.

"You can do this, you'll be alright!" I don't believe those words because these pep talks stopped working days ago. "Once I have enough money, I'll be standing in Paris or Italy enjoying good food and wine."

I peel my leggings down and gasp as pain shoots through me. Cutting the pants would have been easier than this torture. I toss the clothes into the washing basket and step under the cool drizzle of water and grin.

The water won't wash away the nerves bubbling in the pit of my stomach, but it's making a good start on the sweat and desperation which seem to cling to me. I scrub my skin with soap and rinse it off.

Water trickles on the mat as I wrap a towel around my body. I lean against the counter and inhale a deep breath as I dry my body.

"This will hurt, but you need to do it."

I slide into a pair of denim shorts and a baggy t-shirt before staggering into the hallway.

"How come you're home from work early? Is everything okay?" Mum calls.

I inhale a sharp breath as I turn to their bedroom. Mum is sprawled across the bed with a romance novel beside her.

"Everything is good." I smile through the pain. "We've completed the garden and it looks amazing! He's hired me to look after his house while he's away on business."

"Congratulations! But do you think house-sitting is a good idea? You don't know this person, and what happens if something goes wrong? It's a lot of responsibility."

My stomach knots, and I sigh.

"If something goes wrong, then I'll handle it."

"It's odd he's hired a stranger."

"He wants to help me earn some money, and do I look like a suspicious person?"

The concern slips from her face. "Fair point, you don't look suspicious. I worry about these jobs because you don't know who you're working for."

She has every right to be worried, but I stand taller and smile brighter.

"Lounging around an empty house sounds good to me, and there's no risk of gardening in the nude or being murdered since he won't be there."

"Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise!"

"How long are you house-sitting for?"

"I'm not sure, but it could be a long-term arrangement since he's a busy man."

"Alright." She nods.

"I'm going to pack a bag and head over. I'll see you in the morning."

"Please message me when you get there so I know you're safe."

"Yes, and I'll message when I'm coming home."

"Thank you! Now come and hug me in case it's the last time."

"Please don't say that." I groan.

Mum pats the bed as I wander over. She squishes me to her chest and I gasp in pain, but this doesn't stop her from nuzzling her nose into the crook of my neck.

"What's that smell?"

"Sweat and plants, I assume. It's been a long day, I'll wash my hair tomorrow."

"What plants are you wrestling? It, hm..." She inhales a long breath. "It smells pungent."

"I'll take that as a nice way of saying, wash your hair." I laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just a curious smell."

"No harm, now I must go before I'm sacked from this awesome job."

"Hm, that doesn't sound like a bad idea." She clings tighter.

"Unless you want to pay me for lounging around, you have to let go."

"Fine," she grumbles, "lounge around at this stranger's house."

"Thank you, I'll see you soon."

She unwraps her arms, and I escape to my bedroom. I pack pyjamas, a book I'm half keen on and a sketch pad. I hope it's enough to amuse me because I doubt there's Wi-Fi.

Once the bag is packed, I put my shoes on and head downstairs. On the last step, I realise I've forgotten my colouring pencils. I glance at the stairs and shake my head. There's no way I can do any more stairs unless it involves throwing myself down them.

Screw it, I'll just have to enjoy the book.

"I'm going now, goodbye," I shout as I leave the house.

* * * * *

The earth is warm, and the breeze is cool against my skin as I wander across the road. I input the code and glare as the leaves shake because I want to trim the plant.

Pink and orange hues explode across the sky as I walk to the secret door. I inhale the sweet smell of lavender as I descend the ladder. I hope this decision doesn't turn out to be the worst thing I've done in my life.

John is leaning on the bench with a cup between his hands. He takes a long sip and smiles.

"Hello Daniela."

"Hi." I wave.

"You looked so worried, I thought you weren't coming back." He chuckles.

"I told you I was going to come, and so I'm here." I tug on a smile.

Luis consumes the rest of his drink and waves me over. He removes a folder from a drawer and slides it across the bench.

"This contains the schedules and our contact details. There's a checklist to note everything is working, along with the hours you've worked."

"Alright." I nod.

"Sometimes, The Boss will note when people are coming to harvest. Nobody can walk onto the premises without our permission."

That should make me feel better, but it doesn't.

"Okay." I nod.

"Tick the boxes and watch the plants. Do you have questions?"

"What questions should I ask?" I bite my lip.

"There's a walkie-talkie on the bench if you need help."

"Who's on the other end?"

"The Boss."

"Mm, okay." I nod.

"Do you need me to stay, or will you be okay?"

"I can do this."

"Just remember to breathe when you say that." He chuckles.

Luis swings a backpack strap over his shoulder and moves to the ladder. He shoots me a vibrant grin and climbs the ladder. He drops the doo,r and the bang causes me to jump. I inhale a deep breath and cough.

This job isn't rock bottom, but it's giving me anxiety.

I take the folder and stride into the living quarters. There's a double-size bed to the right and a desk opposite it. I take a seat and upend the pages onto the desk.

There's a schedule for the plants, contact details and a blank timesheet. I complete the timesheet and read the schedule. The water won't turn on for a while, which means I can sleep.

I set the timer and remove my shoes so I can climb into bed. Thankfully, the sheets smell like fabric softener, and it feels like heaven.

* * * * *

I spring upright as something buzzes in my hand. My heart races as I hit the stop button and watch the pipes. I inhale a sharp breath and bite my lower lip. The pipes rattle, and water sprays onto the plants.

"Thank goodness!" I sigh.

I shove the blankets away and inhale a deep breath to soothe my erratic heartbeat. It still beats like a jackhammer, so I slide out of bed and walk to the desk. I tick the box and wander out.

Some people would think I'm so cool babysitting plants for a mysterious drug dealer, and I'm not sure if it scares or excites me. Dad would murder me for being reckless.

I walk along the line of plants until I catch him. I inhale a sharp breath and bite my lip. The Boss is crouched beside a pot of pebbles, which contains small plants.

Our gaze meets, and amusement swirls within his blue eyes.

"How long have you been here?"

"Give or take thirty minutes."

"Oh, okay." I fumble with my fingers.

"You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"Thank you."

He tends to the plants while I sit on the stool. Luis mentioned the plants were expensive, and now I'm curious because there are tons here. Knowing the price would cause too much stress.

"Don't you have someone to do this, and what's with the pebbles?" I frown.

"Soil is unpredictable."

"Alright." I nod.

His muscles tense as I jump up and wander over. I keep some space between us because he's unstable, and I'd like a small headstart if I need to escape.

"You have a lot of plants."

"Thank you."

I look around the hole and bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from groaning. Looking at the plants is boring, and I can't be bothered reading.

The Boss pushes the pot into line and drags the next one forward. Another plant is placed in the pebbles, and I frown. I don't understand, but hey, I'm the one with dead plants decomposing in my bathroom.

"Do you grow these from seeds or buy the plants?"

"I've created this strain, which is why it needs constant supervision."

"Oh." I gasp. "Where did you learn to do that?"

He grips onto the pot and sighs.

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"I'm, uh." I bite my lip. "I'm sorry, I'm curious and a little bored."

He exhales a sharp breath and adjusts the pebbles around the plant.

"I have a degree in botany."

"Wow, that's cool." I smile. "Why'd you study plants?"

"Because there's a lot to know about them. Perhaps you can read about plants when you're bored."

"Do you have a book suggestion?"

"Google would be a good start for you."

"Alright then."

The Boss moves to another pot while I wander around the plants. I glance over my shoulder and catch his intense gaze. My heart pounds as I dash behind a plant which might cover the large grin.

"Have you run out of questions?"

My stomach churns as I step to the side.

"What's your name?"

"Now that's not important."

"Any name would be better than referring to you as 'The Boss' because that's weird."

"Your feedback will be taken into consideration." He sighs. "I like how ominous 'The Boss' sounds."

"I'll be sure to use 'The Boss' on ominous occasions."

We chuckle, and he returns to his work. I crawl into bed and peek over the blankets. His gaze snaps away, and I grin under the covers