Ch. 8

On Tuesday, Phillip had to work. He waited the requisite amount of time for the Lewises to be out of the house before getting out of bed, and he found coffee, cooling toast, and his paper on the table. The kindness of the gesture was not lost on him, even though he was a bit off. It was a drizzly kind of day and somehow the weather matched his mood. Although it was only the fourth day the family was with him, it seemed he actually missed seeing the kids in the morning. Finding everything waiting also made him think that maybe he disappointed the children, and now his house just seemed oddly empty.

There was an errant piece of paper on the counter, and on further inspection it was from Gareth. Phillip couldn't help but examine the broad and clear teacher writing that Gareth used. His letters tidy and even, kind of like the man who put them to paper. It reminded him of his own time in school, but this was a list of important numbers and information with an apologetic note.

It was entirely practical for Gareth to leave health card numbers, emergency contact information and birthdates for the children, as well as Gareth's work and cell phone number. After all, they were sort of under Phillip's care for about forty-five minutes in the morning, and yesterday Phillip had been truly scared for a few seconds before the nature of Franny's accident had been ascertained. While Phillip affixed the paper to the top corner of the refrigerator door, he realized that maybe being up in the mornings to see the kids and the father off wouldn't be such a bad thing. Only a small adjustment to Phillip's schedule would have to be made.

At work, Phillip pruned and watered and fertilized. He was in his element, comfortable. Caring for plants was easy for him, almost second nature, and there were few customers on such a cool, rainy day. He was lucky his job allowed him to get his gardening fix, even in winter, but who knows how much longer it could last. It did set him to thinking; he needed to do something about his work situation. And maybe something for the kids, too?

"Mel?" Phillip approached his manager as she set up a display of plant stands and decorative pots. Always in motion, her spiky hair was out in all directions, held off her face by a polka dotted hair band. Honestly she reminded him of Sonic the Hedgehog, but in a totally non-insulting way.

She turned and smiled broadly, "What's up, Phillip?"

"Two things, actually. Could you give me a reference?"

"Like job reference?" she asked and Phillip nodded. "Of course, no one knows gardens like you. But wouldn't you want one from someone more influential?"

"I already have one from Mrs. Bentman. A second is handy. I believe three is the expected norm."

"If you have Mrs. Bentman's, you're golden, Phillip, but I'll still give you one. Now what was the second thing?" She was looking at a tray of tropical foliage to add to the display but couldn't decide, so Phillip reached over and handed her two exemplary specimens. "Thanks." She plopped them into complementary pots of vibrant colours.

"I need some plants."

"Oh for heaven's sake, you're the garden guru. I'm pretty sure you have lots of plants." Mel shook her head incredulously while chuckling.

Phillip cleared his throat nervously and clarified, "I need some indoor plants suitable for children. Definitely not my area of expertise."

Mel cocked her eyebrow and put her hand on her hip, giving Phillip a little bump. "Interesting...whose kids?"

He was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. "Just, uh, nevermind." Phillip realized he was being ridiculous. Really, they were only here until the end of the week probably, anyway. He turned away and walked off, leaving a very confused Mel behind.

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Nearing the end of his shift, Phillip examined his handiwork. The section he tended to today was looking fantastic. He had a compost bin of clippings that he'd trimmed and an area full of customer ready wares. The tomato plants were starting to flower and the herbs were looking full and lush, not a bad looking plant in the bunch. It was almost sad that his plants would go to homes where the majority of them would die due to inattentive gardeners, but such is life.

The idea of caring for other people's gardens was, if one pardons the pun, growing on Phillip. He wouldn't necessarily have to interact with customers in the same way he currently did, and it might make better use of his botany degree than what he was presently doing, really just a slight variation of the same job he'd had since he was in high school.

"Looks great, Phillip," Mel exclaimed, pulling him from his reverie. "Didn't mean to scare you, but I think these might be what you were looking for earlier." She held up a few plants. "Can't go wrong with an aloe around kids, hardy and handy. And I was thinking maybe a spider plant. At least they're resilient. Kids like things they can't kill."

"The aloe is a great idea in case any of them get a burn, but I hate spider plants." Phillip screwed up his face in a show of distaste. Spider plants were like the scourge of the houseplant industry as far as he was concerned.

"But it's not for you," she reasoned with a little stamp of her foot.

"Yes, but it has to be in my house," he countered. Oops.

"Interesting," she drew the word out with her eyebrows raised. "Since when do you have kids in your house?" Mel was like a dog with a bone, so before she could pester him to death, Phillip very briefly explained that he was renting out rooms and there were kids involved.

Mel was completely flabbergasted, although very pleased. She'd been trying to get Phillip out of his rut for ages, and she was thrilled he was taking an interest in anything. It was just shocking kids were involved, given his unease around them when they were in the store. "Take the plants as a gift from me," Mel offered, rather than let Phillip dither with the decision. "And a few herbs for the kitchen, too. Kids love that kind of shit."

Well, she should know, he supposed, as he loaded them into the trunk of his car after she checked them out and paid. Not that Mel had any kids, but as a general rule she actually liked them.

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"What's all this, then?" Gareth asked, when Phillip came into the kitchen after work, his hands full.

"For the kids," Phillip muttered as Gareth took a few pots from his hands.

"You didn't have to, Phillip. You're spoiling them," Gareth smiled at Phillip to show he didn't actually mind, in fact, it was really rather sweet. And Phillip's face reddened as he ducked behind the foliage.

The children were thrilled with the plants Mel had chosen. The girls asked if they could have the spider plant in their room (much to Phillip's happiness, since he really detested spider plants), and the herbs took up residence in the kitchen window above the sink. As a rule he didn't like houseplants due to the mess and possibility of mould or bugs--those things belonged outside his father had always insisted whenever the subject came up, but surely these were special circumstances.

Gareth carefully studied Phillip as he explained how to take care of the plants and why the Aloe was a succulent, as well as its' uses for burns and such. The children were fascinated, and Phillip was completely at ease giving the little lecture. He spoke more in that short period than perhaps the entirety of the last few days combined. His voice, when not nervous and stilted, was actually quite baritone and lovely, and he had an engaging smile on his face. Quite attractive, actually--but Gareth didn't want to dwell on those thoughts. Yet. One thing Gareth was sure of was that Phillip was a kind and gentle person, and he truly hoped he needed them as much as they needed him.

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The next morning, Phillip made a point of being up. Not to get in the way or any such nonsense, but just to see everyone off. He was sitting at the table in the corner, sipping his coffee with his newspaper while the Lewises buzzed around him. When Gareth came in almost ready to leave but brandishing a hair brush and some hair ties, Phillip watched rapt with attention as the father began to braid Daisy's hair.

"That's quite a skill," Phillip's eyebrows raised in awe.

"They don't get done by themselves. I'm a dad of a daughter who needs braids, so it was learned by necessity," Gareth spoke awkwardly, cloth covered elastics hanging out his mouth while both hands were busy taming Daisy's very lengthy hair. Phillip was spellbound as Gareth's slender fingers twisted and pulled the long strands on one side into submission and, in the end, a very tidy braid. Then he did the same to the other side of Daisy's head. He worked quickly, and the whole ordeal only took a few minutes.

"Impressive," Phillip observed.

"You don't want to see what happens if she runs around with it wild. It becomes one giant tangle that will break the teeth right off a comb."

"You could cut it." Phillip thought that was a sound suggestion. He was wrong.

"Never!" Daisy yelped, jumping to her feet. "It's my hair and you can't cut it." She took a defensive stance, shooting foul looks in his direction. The normally docile girl was all porcupine quills.

He felt as though he'd been slapped. "I would never dream..." Phillip mumbled and looked down at his coffee cup. He nervously chewed at his lips. Perhaps being up to see them off was a bad idea after all.

"It's okay, I'm sure you didn't mean anything by it. Her hair's kind of a sore spot between her and Leeann," Gareth explained gently.

"Oh." Phillip wasn't sure how to react and stared pointedly at his hands, picking at imaginary fluffs on his flannel pants. "Sorry." He thought about leaving the room, missing Gareth's frantic gesturing to Daisy.

"It's okay, Phillip." She took a deep breath. "I know you won't try to cut my hair," Daisy said and she patted him reassuringly on the back. He tried not to start at the contact, not wanting to upset the girl more.

"I... No, never," he mumbled into his coffee cup.

Phillip was more than relieved when he finished his coffee and could retreat to his room until everyone had left. Maybe tomorrow he'd be able to stay for the whole time and say goodbye to them in the morning, but it was one step at a time. And today, he'd obviously trod on some rocky ground.

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One week was up, it was Friday night. After putting the kids to bed, Gareth sat on the couch in comfortable clothes while Phillip made the nightly tea. It was a difficult subject to broach, but Gareth needed to address it as soon as possible. He thought that the week had gone well, with a few hiccups, but for the most part Gareth was hoping that Phillip would let them stay. He was fairly certain the little herb garden and aloe on the window sill were a good indication, but he needed verbal confirmation.

When he walked into the room with the tray, Gareth asked immediately, "So, Phillip, I have your money. I should have given it to you yesterday. Can I put money for next week with it, too?"

"Yes." Phillip was so relieved that Gareth didn't want to go, and he hadn't known how to bring it up. Even though it had only been seven days, he couldn't believe how much more alive the house felt, he felt. He bit back a grin as he put the steaming mug down in front of Gareth. "Thank you."

Gareth's hand reached out and clasped Phillip's wrist gently, slender fingers curling around his skin. Heat from the touch seemed to travel up Phillip's arm. "No. Thank you, Phillip." Their eyes met and Phillip looked away quickly, nervous about the fluttering he was feeling. It was a new reaction for him and he felt foolish. Wasn't it inappropriate? After all, Gareth had three kids—an obvious sign he wasn't gay—and there wasn't much chance he'd be interested in someone as inept as Phillip anyway.

"So, uh, hear anything from Leeann?" Phillip stared at his mug like it was going to burn a hole through the table and played uneasily with his calloused fingers in his lap. But he was trying. He wanted to be someone Gareth could talk to, maybe like a friend.

Gareth took a sip of his tea, then carefully placed the cup back down. "No, but that doesn't mean I don't expect to."

"Oh." Phillip struggled to spit out, "Well, I guess she is your wife."

Gareth should his head adamantly, "No, god no. We never married. We never dated. I don't even remember the two times we supposedly had sex."

"But you have three children?" Phillip was supremely confused. None of the children were twins, and immaculate conceptions just didn't happen in this day and age, or at least not that he knew of. Heck, they weren't even in the tabloids at the grocery checkout anymore.

"I adopted Daisy shortly after Leann and I moved in together. Leeann didn't know who her father was, so she still maintains," he shook his head in disbelief, "and Leeann didn't want to keep Gabe when she discovered she was pregnant. Initially she wanted money for an abortion, but I stepped up. I told her I'd take care of everything, everyone, her included. I never thought I'd have one child, let alone children of my own and I desperately didn't want to give up the chance, probably my only chance. Daisy was adorable and Leeann couldn't possibly handle anything in her state. Then a bottle of tequila later and along came Franny," Gareth explained with a rueful chuckle. "I'm not stupid, though, I did get paternity testing, both times. Leeann's really not my type and aside from the fact I'm gainfully employed, I know she wouldn't have stayed. Like I said, I don't even remember it happening."

Phillip needed time to fully process what Gareth was saying, so he took a big sip of tea, which fortunately had cooled enough as to not scorch his tongue. He thought hard about what Gareth said, the words he'd used. Why didn't he think he'd ever have kids of his own? Phillip desperately wanted to ask what Gareth's type was, and if maybe he'd be included in that type, but he didn't dare.

"How about you?" Gareth asked. "What's a great guy like you doing here all alone?"

Phillip shrugged, embarrassed by the compliment, if indeed it was meant the way Phillip so wanted to interpret it. "My parents were older, they weren't even supposed to be able have kids. They'd tried for years then gave up; I was a happy accident a few years later, my mother said, and there was no chance of siblings. My dad died in his late 50's when I was thirteen—massive heart attack—then I played nursemaid to my mom for quite a few years until she died of cancer when I was twenty-five. I didn't ever really mix with people my own age."

Gareth found Phillip's tale profoundly sad and it made him want to just hug the shy man. He also felt honoured that Phillip was sharing with him. "Aren't you lonely?"

"I was." Phillip quietly examined the patterns his cup made on the coaster intently.

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Things in their odd household ticked along nicely. Maybe it was still the honeymoon period, but the kids seemed to settle in well. Perhaps it was just the lack of yelling that made it better for them, or not having to walk on eggshells everyday after school. The cookies and plants the first week went a long way in securing the children's good impression of Phillip, but it was his treatment of Franny and her accident that had given the most purchase. Since the children seldom behaved like the monsters who frequented the store, Phillip was also relatively pleased.

Phillip found he enjoyed sitting quietly with Daisy, both of them engrossed in their novels, while Gareth and the other two constructed buildings and vehicles with Phillip's old legos that he dragged out of the storage room. Daisy had been overjoyed when given access to Phillip's bookshelf and especially loved discussing his childhood favourites. The fridge, which was previously barren, was now covered in artwork and worksheets the children brought home from school, a few even crudely drawn pictures of him surrounded by plants.

Soon there were daily rhythms and routines that mimicked that of a real proper household and Gareth was relieved, feeling like he could finally focus fully on his lesson plans and doing his job to the best of his ability. Not that he hadn't been doing a good job before, his students liked him and they appeared to be learning, but teaching required an emotional investment that he wasn't always able to provide and it had hurt Gareth to know that he could have been giving more.

Once the children were asleep, Gareth could sit and do his school work while Phillip read and sipped his tea. The quiet companionship was comforting for them both, neither feeling the need to converse but happy knowing the opportunity was available. Phillip found his routines hadn't ended, but had been altered to include the Lewises, and that was okay. He especially enjoyed the evenings, often taking little looks at the man sitting across from him, studying the sureness of his hand as it glided across his papers, the expression in his eyes as he read his students' work. Occasionally Gareth would read humorous answers aloud, and Phillip would chuckle appreciatively. It wasn't lonely. It was friendly. It was good. Phillip found himself enjoying it, but couldn't help but wonder if there was more.

A/N: I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday. I'm kind of swamped right now, but wanted to get this out when I could eke out a few minutes. Things are progressing, slowly but surely. :)  Next update is Wednesday. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

<3 JJ