The Bee's Knees

Chapter 27

The earthy scent of mulch filled Anna's nose as Eliza led everyone into the garden center. Butterflies, wasps, and other pollinators filled the air with fluttering wings as they flew from one flower to the next. Anna's bees circled her in a humming cloud as their attention flitted from purple lavender to bright yellow marigolds beckoning to them with plentiful pollen.

An old man waved at Eliza, his gardening gloves caked in soil. "Here to put your hummingbirds to work again so soon? Much more nectar, and those little guys are bound to burst!"

"Not today, Mr. Fitzgerald." Eliza's hummingbirds chirped in protest as she guided them out of a rosebush. "We've gotta get brainstorming!"

Eliza led everyone past countless flowers, heaps of fertilizer, and burbling fountains until finally coming to a stop near rows filled with potted trees. "I don't come to this part much since I usually stay by the flowers, but I figured it might be better for you since there's a whole lot of fruits here."

Anna craned her neck to look at the fruits growing on the tallest trees. Even in the middle of winter, lemons and limes filled the air with the scent of citrus. "I always forget plants still grow this time of year."

"They're doing really well, too. Look at this." Mason pointed at a thick ridge on a branch sagging under the weight of all its fruits. "That scar means they grafted part of another tree onto this one."

"Why would anyone do that?" Taylor asked. "Wouldn't that hurt the tree?"

"Not if you do it right," Jack said. He ran a hand down Harry's back as the boar sniffed the ground in search of fallen fruit. "Dad grafts trees all the time 'cause it helps 'em fight diseases."

"And they start growing fruit sooner," Mason added. He smiled at Jack warmly. "It's awesome how much you know about trees."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, a slight redness creeping into his cheeks. "It's hard not to pick up a few things since Dad's always growing stuff."

"That might help, but most people think all you have to do to have a healthy tree is water it enough and keep pests away. It's so cool you actually know how grafting works!" Mason flapped his hands as he started gushing about everything he knew about the process from growing a whole bunch of different types of fruit on a single tree to merging roots into an interconnected system.

A few months ago, if anyone had told her that Mason and Jack would get along so well or have much in common, Anna would have thought they were nuttier than squirrel poo. Yet, Mason's fingers never once rubbed his termite chunk while he talked to Jack, instead petting Harry's back as the boar leaned into his touch. Jack looked a whole lot happier around Mason, too. Before, he'd stomp around as if he was always itching for a fight, but now he hung onto Mason's every word with the biggest smile on his face.

If Jack and Mason could get along so well despite not making the best first impressions on each other, then the least Anna could do was try to do the same with Eliza. "You said you come here when you've got art block?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's one of the best places for me to get flowers for my collages." Eliza reached up and gently bent a tree branch, bringing tiny white blossoms closer to her face. The bright yellow lemons growing alongside them filled the air with the scent of citrus.

Anna had heard of people baking with flowers, but she couldn't imagine willingly putting any in her mouth. As pretty as they were, none of the plants gave her any ideas. "So do you just stare at the flowers until you come up with something or...?"

"Kinda, but that's not all there is to it." Eliza released her grip on the tree branch, leaving the tiny white petals trembling from the sudden movement. "Mind if I show you my favorite spot? Trees are nice and all, but they don't usually give me many ideas."