To Everything There Is A Season

July 12, Afternoon

I was lost in thought as lunch came to an end. The last couple days with these nine made me happy. I'd never felt like my work had value until them and that scared me. What was I going to do when they left, and Jed came back? The longer my husband was gone the more I hoped he would stay away. Rather than dwell on thoughts of the future and what ifs, I decided to just live in the moment and enjoy the friendship of these men who had appeared in my life so suddenly.

            "Owen, what were you up to all morning?" Dr. Sean asked with a grin.

            "Sean, you know very well what I was doing all morning, you were there." Owen replied with a quelling look that bounced off Dr. Sean. "We checked out the gardens and the greenhouse with an eye towards future planting and what needed to be harvested."

            "Be honest Owen you were walking through the flower gardens smelling the roses." Dr. Sean snickered.

            The table laughed. I just smiled. The flowers that grew around the house had a few purposes, they were pretty and smelled nice, but they were also useful. I liked growing plants that had multiple uses beyond delighting the eye and nose. Even my secret love of exotic plants served a purpose. If Owen found joy in my plants, I wasn't going to laugh at him for something I was guilty of myself.

            Gathering my nerve, I informed the table at large, "I will be cleaning the house this afternoon. Luke has already offered to make supper and we have planned it out already. The cheese is pressing and won't need much attention until bedtime. Gabriel is with me still I assume. If I could get each of you to tidy your rooms before you head back to your assigned tasks, I would appreciate it. I want to air out and wash the floors in the bedrooms."

            "Very good. Kota and Nathan, you have lunch clean up. The rest of you head up to your rooms and make sure you gear is stowed. Check the bathrooms as well and clear out any personal items. Talk to Miss. Sang if you have questions." Owen directed. I rose to start hauling dishes into the kitchen only to be waved over by Owen.

            "Miss Sang, Sean and I will be picking vegetables this afternoon. I'm assuming you will want to can tomorrow. Is there anything else beside the ripe vegetables that need to be picked?"

            I thought for a few moments and nodded. "I need to check the chia plants on the side of the house and see if the flowers are ready to pick. I can show you which flowers are ready to pick, then you can pick those as well. Any other questions?"

            "Just one if you could join me in the greenhouse?" Owen asked and then led me towards the greenhouse. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to ask.

            "The tall plant in the corner appears to be an orchid, but a type I've never seen before can you tell me what it is?" Owen asked.

            Blushing, I softly answered, "I was gifted a vanilla orchid a few years ago at camp. My parents let me keep it as it was given to me by an elder and his wife. I brought it with me and moved it out here this spring. I'm hoping to get vanilla pods off it this year."

            Owen looked stunned. "It is a beautiful specimen. I've heard that they are hard to grow in this area."

            "Maybe. I babied it the first year I had it This year it just grew and when I came here it came with me as Jed heard I had it and wanted me to keep it. Otherwise it probably would still be at my parents in the greenhouse there. Anything else? If not I should head back in, I haven't properly cleaned the house in a few weeks." I turned and left the greenhouse, silently promising my plants I would be back that evening to tend them.