5.

As it is upon the arrival and after the completion of a delivery, Christopher Lenard Furlong figures there is something wrong at the Fontaine family household, not so much with the household itself rather he figures there is something wrong with the family child, something that extends to a degree or at least effects upon the mother of the family. He also suspects that the father of the family James 'Jim' Fontaine is aware of something too and has possibly distanced himself from the strange family goings on.

One thing as far as Chris is concerned is that he feels the need to do something about whatever it is he knows or at least suspects he knows but is it his place to interfere? Probably not ... still he cannot keep to himself and do nothing. If it is not to be him then who? Chris is nothing to the Fontaine family, he is not a relation, he is not a family friend despite the contact he has had with mum Estelle over the time she has been coming to the garden center.

That is just it. Chris is an employee at a garden center, a garden center that Estelle Fontaine has frequented quite often. He has served her and aided her and even delivered to the Fontaine family home and this makes him no more than an acquaintance, an assistant of sorts so what place does he have to state his observations? What right does he have to interfere?

The first time he delivered to the Fontaine home, Chris saw Jim's displeasure, he saw the floral obsession full on, and more than that Chris notices the unnatural. The floral arrangements, particularly those out back of the home, are seriously vibrant and bright and this may be down more to daughter Ester than to mum Estelle. Like he noticed in the garden center, the plant life visibly reacts to Ester. How can Estelle and Jim not see this? Maybe Estelle thinks it natural and perhaps Jim does not want to know.

Christopher's relationships with staff and management at the garden center is strained to say the least and it is something he is willing to endure if he is to ever have an impact on whatever it is that is going on. Staff finds him weak and easy to pick on and abuse. Management throws abuse too, finding it easy to blame Chris for whatever problems may exist within the store despite the fact that he actually is an excellent employee.

He knows his stuff and customers know him, often seeking his assistance specifically and Chris is keen to help even when he has been given the most difficult of store tasks to perform.

Thing is, so Chris believes, he may one day be a difference maker not to a work place though accomplishing something there would be good too, but the difference he can make is for the world, or his part of it at least and if he is to be that difference maker then he needs to stay put. When, where or how may all be mysteries but there is a little something that tells him to keep one eye open so that is what he will do.

How odd it can be thought that a child can develop a sense of humour at as young an age of three, as it more than seemed, little Ester Fontaine did exactly this. She could indeed manipulate and influence any and all kinds of plant life. A couple months after her third birthday she had herself a moment, her dad was near and was making his way into the living room of the family home when Ester couldn't help but influence the hallway plant life to mess with dad.

Yeah, in the hallway and heading for the living room Jim receives a tap on the shoulder. He stops and turns but there is no one anywhere close enough to him to have tapped him on his shoulder. He can see his three-year-old standing in the kitchen and looking his way. She is too far away and way too small to have touched his shoulder, so he considers making a move once again to the living room.

He hardly gets to take much more than a single step when he is once again tapped upon his shoulder. He turns again to see exactly what he saw a moment ago with one difference. There is, like before, no one close enough or tall enough to have tapped him upon his shoulder though three-year-old Ester is now in convulsions of laughter for she knows exactly what has occurred and she finds it extremely funny.

The confused look upon Jim's face looking Ester's way also suggests that he knows she knows something, and he suggests without verbally saying anything that he would like to know what that something is. Ester can't stop laughing long enough to tell of what is so funny; her limited vocabulary would be enough to tell of what she finds so hilarious though since laughter has taken her over, she decides to show father what is so amusing to her.

One of the vines from a flowering hallway plant begins to slowly extend outwards towards Jim. He hears it first before seeing it and has absolutely no idea of what to make of this. He is not a dumb man, far from it. He has known for quite some time that things are very strange to say the least. He had never experienced anything which could be worthy of worry, so he has always let things be. This, this however is something quite different.

Ester is still consumed by laughter especially with dad's reaction to what is currently happening. That reaction of Jim's is not one of fear, not wholly at least, rather it is one of being lost in confusion. The vine continues to move slowly and as dad takes one step backwards the vine taps his chest then retreats back into the plant it emanated from.

The way Ester is acting it is clear she has control of what is happening so dad plays it quiet for the moment. He simply smiles and heads off into the living room. When he next gets an opportunity, he has a thing or two to discuss with mum Estelle and he wants this discussion not to occur in the presence of their daughter.

Thing is that when that conversation does come, Estelle doesn't want to listen, she doesn't want to know. Yeah, she is aware of certain things though all is perfectly well and normal in her eyes. There is nothing to worry about and there is nothing to fear. Indeed, there is nothing wrong, nothing that needs immediate attention though what if that changes? Something has to be set up; something has to be put in place for not so much as an if comes but a when.

There is that chap from the garden center to consider. Jim has never been to the garden center and hardly knows the young man at all though he has been to the house. That young man, Chris, as Jim sees it, there is no harm in having a conversation take place. Jim indeed had nothing to fear or seriously worry about, not yet anyhow, but if something were to happen somewhere down the line then could Jim possibly rely on that young man for whatever might be needed?

No time is wasted for on the first opportunity Jim gets he pays a solo visit to that garden center he is spotted right away and upon entry by Chris. No words are needed as they both share a look over quite the distance of the store; it is as if each knows what the other is thinking. They do not get to come together on this occasion however for the store manager being exactly who he is adds tasks to an ever-growing list for Chris to perform and Chris gets right to it but not before offering a nod Jim's way.

This may not only mark the beginning of a change for the Fontaine family as it can also mark a commitment for something larger which will bring huge change for both men.