I just need a breather...

I had been down in NYC since late last night. I hadn't slept. I hadn't had more than a few cups of coffee. Momma had called last night, telling me that Pops had been shot. She was so scared he was going to die. I took the first flight I could hop down there. Pops jet wasn't up here. It had gone back to the city after it dropped us off last week. But Momma had paid for the ticket for me to take the airbus down. I had gotten there just after Pops had gotten out of surgery. Momma was with him in ICU. They told her if he makes it through the night, they'll be out of the woods and they can move him up into a normal room. I didn't know what I'd do if he didn't make it through the night. Yeah, Binx and I had decided we were going to be moving back here to New York anyway, but I wasn't so sure I wanted to have to worry about Momma while everything else was going on. They moved Pops up to a normal room and he came to about an hour later. He told me I needed to get back to my family and that they'd call me if anything else happened. We had't been close since I told him I didn't want anything to do with the business, but that didn't keep Momma from trying to keep us held together. I took Pops' jet back up to Buffalo and took the rented Jeep back to Dante and Abigail's place. When I pulled up, I saw Abigail out front gardening. I really did't want to go back to the house and hash what had gone on with Bianca yet. She was just like Momma, and always tried to get Pops and me back to good, but I wasn't about to do that, not yet anyway. I parked the Jeep in front of the house and headed over to Abigail. "Like some company?"

I had just finished putting my daisy in the dirt when I heard a car behind me. I turned over, still on my knees and wiped at my brow with the back of my arm. I smiled softly when I saw Jackson getting out of his jeep and heading my way. I knew he was coming back from the hospital so I went to ask about his dad but he beat me to the punch and spoke first. "Sure, you know anything about gardening?" I decided to leave the father question out of the conversation because part of me felt like maybe he didn't want to talk about that just yet. If he did he'd run inside to his wife and tell her all about it... so I left it at that.

I laughed, shaking my head, kneeling down in the dirt with her. "Not a thing." I laughed even more. "But I'd like to learn. Who knows when Binx is gonna want Lilies planted, or even lilacs. My luck, she'll want both someday."

"Well, then I can teach you all about that and you can surprise her someday." I smiled at him. "Here," I handed him my extra pair of gloves. "Put those on and we'll plant this yellow Daisy next to this white one." I pulled it out of the plastic case, handing it to Jackson after he hand the gloves on. "Now, the trick is to make the dirt your putting the plant in wet, not too wet, just enough to make the soil healthier for the baby flower. And yes I said baby flower. That's what it is. A baby. And very precious. So don't cram it in the hole, be very nice." I smiled, sprinkling a little water in the hole in the ground. "There, give me your hands." I moved closer to him, gently taking his hands in mine and starting to lower the flower in the dirt.

I looked down at her, inhaling deeply. She was so close I could smell her. She smelled good. Like... vanilla and honey... Just like I liked my tea. Yes, I liked tea. Blame it on my momma. Of course, I didn't like it all the time, but I did like it. "You smell good," I told her, turning my eyes immediately down toward the flowers. "Like vanilla and honey," I said, letting my shoulders roll in a shrug. "B smells like Vanilla and lilacs, it's the lotion she uses. Well, I think it's like in everything she uses. Shampoo, body wash, even her hair stuff." I laughed, shaking my head. "Don't ask me. I use aftershave and the rest of the usual, and that's about it." Shaking my head, I let go of a heavy breath. "Enough about fragrances and stuff, tell me about these baby flowers." I sat the flower in the ground and picked up the small watering can.

"Thank you." I said softly, my cheeks brightening up as I looked back down at the flower. "Well, you smell good too." I shrugged, taking a deep breath. "Okay, so now your going to take that dirt there," I pointed to the clamp of dirt by him. "And pat it down on the flower. Nicely. And then we'll add some fertilizer. And yes I know they're the same thing sorta, but I like to mix them because it makes the flower grow faster. Just my opinion of course." A piece of my hair fell in my face and I swiped it away with my finger, getting dirt on my cheek.

I looked up at her as I was patting the soil down on the flower. "Not necessarily an opinion if it works?" I didn't know if it worked, but I assumed it did, other wise she wouldn't do it. You got some..." I reached up to brush the dirt off her face, but only ended up putting more on her. I tried to stop myself from laughing, but a short chuckle came out anyway. "I'm sorry! I think I just made it worse."

"I think you did that on purpose!" I said, giggling as I playfully glared at him. I reached out, touching his nose. "Black is a very nice color on you!" I cracked a smile, giggling.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Oh, no, you didn't just..." I picked up a handful of dirt, reaching up and pulling off her hat, dumping the handful of dirt on her head. "No, that one was on purpose." I couldn't help it, I was laughing uncontrollably.

"Mr. Frost!" I said in a heavy giggle as I tipped my head over and closed my eyes dumping the dirt off my head. I made sure to use Mr. Frost, only because I knew he hated it. "You are very rude!" I popped up, grabbing the hose. "I think you need a bath." I smirked, flipping the hose on and spraying him.

I stood quickly, all the dirt she had dropped on me turning to mud in an instant! "Fuck no!" I laughed. I didn't even let her calling me Mr. Frost bother me. I was having too much damn fun. I picked up the flowering pot and tossed the water out of it at her like it was a bucket, laughing even louder. "Maybe you should join me!"

"No, no, no!" I said, giggling. "Just you! I don't need a bath!" I spayed more at him, jumping back away from him. "Cold enough for, Mr. Frost?" I laughed.

I ran toward her, bracing myself through the spray of the water until I grasped her around the waist with one arm, pulling the hose from her hands. "You asked for it, Mrs. Castellano!"

"Hey! Cheater!" I giggled, wiggling in his arm as I tried to reach for the hose! "Soooooo not far!" I grasped at his arm but it was so slippery I couldn't get a good hold. "Give. me. that. hose. buddy!"

I turned the hose toward her, spraying it down on her from her head. "Not a chance, Miss Abigail! You're getting a dose of your own medicine! Cold or not!" I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

"That is soooooo cold!" I squealed, kicking my feet and wiggling against his embrace. "Cheaterrrrrr!"

I let her go, but I kept the hose in my grasp, my thumb over the end so the water wasn't coming out, but still aiming it toward her. "How you gonna stop me now, huh?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her, chuckling a bit under my breath.

I folded my arms over my chest, pouting slightly. "Oh, Jackson, you won..." I sniffled. "Cant we just...," I sniffled again, my pout growing, "call it even?" I was playing him. The second he moved I was snatching that hose.

I turned my head slightly, judging her tone. But then I shook my head. "Nope. Not a chance!" I let go of my thumb over the end of the hose and let it spray at her once more. "No way either of us are getting even!"

"Oh, you!" I said, running toward him, I came up around him, jumping on his back and grabbing the hose, tugging at it. "Give me that!"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Not a chance!" I turned the hose back toward her, but I think I got myself more wet than I was getting her. "Fuck! Jesus, this is cold!" I put my thumb over the end of the hose again. "Truce?"

I raised my eyebrow, hoping down. "Truce," I held my hand out, "Shake on it?"

I arched my eyebrow at her, smirking slightly. "Seriously? No hidden booby traps or anything hidden up your sleeve?"

I touched my bare arms, all the way up to the cut off of my overalls and my white tank top. "No sleeves on this girl! Swear it! Scout's honor!" I saluted him, laughing, before holding my hand out again.

I laughed, holding my hand out to her too. "From one scout to another, I'll accept that." I shook her hand, smiling at her. "Thanks for this," I told her. "I really needed something like this after the night I've had."