The Startling Inaccuracy of the First Impression by Amanda Radley

Author:Amanda Radley [Radley, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Heartsome Publishing

21

A Stroll in the Garden

Katie stopped to bend over and pick up a stray twig from the lawn.

“Don’t do that,” Verity called out from the open kitchen window. “Callum, pick up that stick for Katie, please.”

Katie looked up at her ever-present watcher and made a face. Verity made one back. Callum hopped across the garden, easily bent down and snatched up the stick, and handed it to Katie before hopping away again.

She slowly continued her walk, heading towards the garden waste bin to deposit the twig. It had been a week and a half since she’d been out of the hospital, and this was the fourth time she’d been for a little walk around the garden.

It was the first walk where Verity wasn’t hovering around her, ready to catch her if she slipped. Which she never did.

But Verity was watching from the kitchen as she washed up the cups and plates from the mid-afternoon snack they had shared with Callum.

Katie’s walking speed was slowly improving, but she still felt a pain in her side if she over-exerted herself. Walking around the apartment was getting boring, but she didn’t feel ready to walk out in public yet. Just the idea of bumping into someone made her wince.

She’d hoped that her recovery would be further along by now, but unfortunately it was a slow process. When she thought about where she had been, she’d made remarkable progress, but it wasn’t enough. Katie wanted to be well again. She wanted to be back to her old self.

She gently lifted the lid to the garden waste wheelie bin and tossed the stick in. The garden was getting messy again, and she longed to be able to clear it up. Spring was truly on the way, and the plants, bushes, and trees were bouncing back to life. Even the lawn could do with another trim.

“You look sad.”

She turned to see Verity standing behind her, a concerned expression on her face.

“Just wishing I was well enough to sort the garden out,” Katie admitted.

Verity looked around the space. “It’s not too bad. I could help, if you like?”

Katie quickly shook her head. “No, no. You’re already doing so much.”

“Nonsense, I love gardening.”

Katie put her hand on Verity’s forearm. “Seriously, I appreciate everything you’ve done and are doing, I’d be lost without you. But I don’t want to add to the list. I’ll do it when I get better. Please?”

Katie knew Verity loved to solve a problem. Given the chance, she’d fling open the shed and start work immediately, but Katie was already feeling the pressure of owing Verity so much for all that she was doing.

Verity looked down at the hand on her arm and then up at Katie. She looked confused but nodded her agreement anyway.

Katie retracted her arm and watched Callum gallop around the garden. He’d decided he was a horse soon after agreeing to walk Katie around it.

“I know you feel that it’s taking a long time,” Verity said. “And I’m sure for you it feels like a very long time, but you are doing remarkably well.

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