Mortals: Meet... the In-Laws!

Sherman Yang/Demeter

I was kneeled down in my front yard, sweating what I haven't sweat in years.

Is ridiculous the amount of sweat you can get only by cleaning your yard.

That Saturday's predicament was mine and mine alone, as it was my idea to embellish our front yard for my wife. She had been staying at home lately, as her pregnancy is a little delicate and, also, having two rascals who are two-years-old each doesn't help her much. I made her leave her store in hands of the assistants until she felt better.

Today, was one of those half good, half bad days.

I had woke up early and made breakfast for everyone. The only thought running through my head at the moment was that 'my sister Clarisse couldn't see me, or I'll be teased merciless'. Once that was done, I headed to the porch and drank my cup of coffee, staring at the yard. Mir always talked about making a flowerbed, and teach the kids a bit of responsability.

I feared she was going to be disappointed about them in that area.

Which is why, I'm with my knees on the ground, my oldest and most tattered shirt on me and a little shovel, creating said flowerbed. The lucky part of it was that it wasn't too hot outside to work, so I was relatively safe about passing out.

"Aren't you missing something?" I heard a voice speaking next to me. I looked to my right and saw a woman, not older than thirty, with long auburn hair in a fishtail braid (I know that name because it's Mir's favorite. She wears her hair like that all the time). Her skin was slightly tan and wrinkled around her hands, like if she used them a lot to work. Her eyes were greener than the grass I was kneeling on. Her clothes were a pair of jeans and a shirt with the phrase 'Wheat ain't weed'.

There were little options regarding who she was, but it was pretty obvious even for a clueless person like me. She was Demeter, Mir's mother.

"Could be. I'm doing this for my wife..." I played ignorant and fool. I didn't care about why she was here, but slashing out at her wasn't going to help "You see, she's pregnant and it's delicate..." I explained, like if I was talking to a nosy neighbor. However, Demeter simply listened.

"So, your first time doing gardening" Wasn't a question. And I wasn't gonna answer either way. I kept digging and moving the dirt out of the way, so I could have space for flowers "What kind of flowers are you sowing in there?"

"Poppies" I replied without hesitation "Those are the wife's favorite..." I smirked, peeking a glance at her shocked face. Wondering what she expected me to say...?

"You still have something missing" she insisted, so I looked at her again. Was she expecting a flaw or she wanted to annoy Mir today? "How can you say you'll sow poppies when you don't have the flowers? Nor the seeds?" I looked back around my tools and saw that, she was right, I didn't have neither the seeds or flowers to sow in the flowerbed. Somehow, I could feel her smugness at me.

"True" I admitted, getting up from the ground and shaking the dirt from my pants "But, this first needs the approval of the wife..." Her face showed me a frown. Was she expecting me to do whatever she said? No, thank you "Can I help you with anything else?"

"No, you cannot" And, without saying goodbye, she turned around and left. I stayed in my place, watching her walk away, before I walked back inside the house. I was in need of food and a shower. But first, I had to check on Mir. I walked into our room and saw her opening her eyes from slumber.

"Morning, sleepyhead..." I teased her, making her groan and cover herself with the sheets. I chuckled and sat next to her, leaving a tray with breakfast on a nightstand "Mir, I know you're awake..."