Chapter 6: Ms. Parker’s Garden

I blinked the sleep out of my eyes as the sun peeked through the blinds, painting my room in streaks of gold. My body groaned in protest from yesterday’s adventures, but my brain was already buzzing with excitement. There was a weird, dream-like quality to recalling how Ms. Parker, the enigmatic history teacher, had actually hung out with us.

A gentle rap on the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in!” I hollered, a bit louder than I intended.

Mom pushed the door open, her blonde hair catching the light like a halo. “Everything alright, Andy?”

“Just a bit wiped from yesterday’s epic swim marathon,” I admitted, stretching the sleep from my limbs.

She gave me a knowing smile. “Did you catch any Z’s at all?”

“More than usual, believe it or not,” I said, sitting up. “Must’ve been the excitement.”

“Well, that’s a plus,” she quipped. “You planning on becoming a bedroom hermit today?”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “Thought I’d play hero and tackle Ms. Parker’s jungle of a garden. I promised her, didn’t I?”

Mom raised an eyebrow. “Really? Going above and beyond for your teacher, huh?”

“Absolutely,” I grinned.

Mom sighed, though I caught the hint of a smile. “Well, if you’re sure you’re up to it...”

“I’ve got this,” I reassured her, hopping to my feet.

“Alright then, have fun, Tiger. Need anything before you head out?” she asked, heading for the door.

“Just toss me an energy drink for the road.”

“Enjoy yourself!” she called back, her voice trailing off.

After gulping down the last of my liquid lightning, I made my way to Ms. Parker’s. A quick press of the doorbell, and seconds later, she was there, her smile wide and welcoming.

“Morning, Andy. Happy to see you’re a man of your word,” Ms. Parker greeted me, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I said, my eagerness not entirely feigned.

“Want a bite or something to sip on before we start?” she offered graciously.

I waved her off. “I’m all good, thanks. Eager to dive in.”

“Alright then,” she said, motioning me to follow. “Let’s get to the battleground.”

We entered Ms. Parker’s backyard, and it was a sight to behold. Weeds had taken over, as if they had claimed the territory for themselves, and there wasn’t a single flower to be found. Instead, random bushes were haphazardly placed around. To my surprise, there was even an old swimming pool, but it held nothing more than a murky puddle at the bottom, clearly neglected for years.

“Check out these weeds,” Ms. Parker said, shaking her head.

“Yeah, they’re having a party back here,” I replied.

“Well, party’s over. Think you can crash it for me?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with hope.

“Absolutely. Where do you want me to start?”

“How about tackling the left side first? That should keep you busy for a bit.”

“Got it,” I said, grabbing a hoe and getting to work.

As I hacked and yanked out the stubborn weeds, Ms. Parker watched with an approving nod. “That already looks way better. Keep it up, Andy.”

I shot her a thumbs-up and kept going, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction as the yard began to transform. After a while, I had cleared the entire left side. Ms. Parker reappeared, carrying a tray with cool drinks and a plate of sliced fruits.

“Here, take a break. You’ve earned it,” she said, offering me a glass.

“Thanks, Ms. Parker,” I said, taking a big gulp. “This is perfect.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, ready for round two?”

“Absolutely. And thanks for the fruit,” I added, munching on a slice of apple.

I moved on to the right side, pulling and cutting away the weeds with renewed energy. As the sun started setting, I was exhausted but proud of the progress. The yard was starting to look like it had potential.

“I didn’t know this place had a pool,” I commented, eyeing the empty basin. “I remember the old lady who lived here before. Never pegged her as a pool person.”

“Yeah, she was quite elderly. I guess maintaining it was too much for her,” Ms. Parker said, looking a bit wistful. “It is a shame, though. A pool’s a real asset. Nowadays, everyone wants one.”

“Totally agree. It’s kind of stupid to let it go to waste,” I said, imagining how cool it would be to dive into a sparkling pool after a hard day’s work.

Ms. Parker smiled, her eyes twinkling. “Well, maybe that’s something we can tackle next, once the garden’s back in shape. Imagine the epic pool parties.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I guess. Who wouldn’t want to cool off in a pool after a day of pulling weeds?”

“Exactly,” she said, her tone lightening up. “Anyway, I hope it will be used again. Maybe you can clean it and make it usable.”

“I’ll give it my best shot,” I replied, already picturing myself lounging by the water.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “You know, I can tell you’re really into gardening. I’ve got this book that might interest you. Would you like to borrow it?”

“Absolutely,” I said, curiosity piqued.

“Follow me,” she instructed, leading me into the house. She took me to her bookshelf and pointed to a thick, well-worn book.

“This is a gem,” she said, pulling it out. “It explains everything about plants and even how to grow your own food. It’s got a little bit of everything.”

“Really?” I asked, my interest growing.

“Yep. Why don’t you take it?”

“Are you sure?” I questioned, glancing from the book to her.

“Of course,” she insisted. “I think it will really help you. Plus, I’m glad to see you’re eager to learn.”

“Thanks, Ms. Parker!” I said, genuinely grateful.

She then reached for her purse and handed me some money. “And this is for all your hard work today.”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to pay me. I offered to help.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a wink. “Consider it hazard pay. Plus, I’m your teacher; I don’t want to feel like I owe you something the next time I have to give you a bad grade.”

“Haha, fair enough,” I chuckled.

We both laughed, the air between us light and easy. “See you tomorrow,” she said, her smile warm.

“Sure. See you,” I replied, heading home with a sense of accomplishment and a new book in hand.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted. After a much-needed shower, I flopped onto my bed, feeling relaxed. Too bad Aunt Cloe had already left; she would’ve gotten a kick out of my day.

I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed. The weekend was over way too fast and it was time for school again.

I pedaled hard, the morning air crisp against my face as I rode to school.

I spotted Hazel by the bike racks, her red hair catching the morning light. I waved and she smiled, her eyes brightening as I approached.

“Hey, Andy! How was your weekend?” She locked her bike and fell into step beside me.

“Pretty eventful,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual. “Went to the beach with Mom and Aunt Cloe. Ms. Parker showed up too.”

Hazel’s eyebrows shot up. “Ms. Parker? Really? How was that?”

“Surprisingly fun,” I replied. “We had lunch together and swam a lot.”

Harry joined us, looking a bit groggy but curious. “Did I hear something about Ms. Parker? You lucky dog, Andy.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “It was just a day at the beach, Harry. How was your weekend?”

“Spent most of it gaming,” Harry said with a shrug. “But enough about me. Tell us more about Ms. Parker.”

“Well, yesterday she asked me to help with her garden,” I said, feeling Hazel’s gaze on me. “It’s a bit of a jungle back there.”

Hazel’s eyes lit up. “That sounds like fun! Can I join you next time?”

I hesitated for a moment, picturing Hazel in the overgrown garden with me. It seemed like a perfect way to spend more time together.

“Absolutely,” I said at last, grinning at her excitement. “I’m sure Ms. Parker would be fine with it. I was planning to look at her pool today, so I can bring it up then.”

Harry gave me a playful nudge. “Man, you always land the best gigs—gardens, beaches ... what’s next?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress my grin. “Who knows? You should tag along with us sometime.”

“Gardening’s not my thing, but seeing Ms. Parker in her pool would be awesome,” he quipped.

“Jerk!” Hazel exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

We walked into the school building together, chatting about our weekends and upcoming plans. The thought of Hazel joining me in Ms. Parker’s garden filled me with anticipation.

As we headed to our lockers, Hazel turned to me again, her expression earnest.

“Really, Andy, I’d love to help out with the garden,” she said softly.

I nodded, feeling a warm flutter in my chest. “I’d love that too.”

Since I had a short day, I decided to head over to Ms. Parker’s house after lunch. I rang her doorbell, and she answered.

“Hi. How are you?”

“Hi Andy, I didn’t expect to see you again today.”

“I wanted to help with the pool, remember?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t realize you were so eager to help.”

“Well, I enjoy working with you, Ms. Parker. I don’t want to miss another chance.”

“Why, thank you. You’ve made my day, Andy.”

“So, what’s on the agenda?”

“First, we need to drain the pool and give it a good scrub.”

“Okay.”

We started by draining the dirty, algae-filled water, removed the filter and drain cover, and checked for debris.

“Now let’s clean the filter, which might need repairs.”

“Sounds straightforward.”

Ms. Parker went inside and returned with cleaning supplies.

“Great. I’ll show you how to clean the filter, then you can try.”

We changed the cartridges and reassembled everything.

“Next, fill it with water and test the pool filter. If it doesn’t work, we’ll reopen it.”

“Okay.”

“Good job.”

She handed me a brush and soapy water. “Time for scrubbing.”

“What now?”

“Spray the bottom with soap, scrub off the algae and dirt, then do the sides. Rinse the brushes and put them away when done.”