Tollie's Garden Pt.2
Date: 1/15/2016,
Categories:
Love Stories,
Author: Sisyphus
... muffin to toast, staring at it in the toaster, my back to my mom. Finally, she said, “I was surprised to see you gardening with Tollie. Is that a new thing?” I don’t know if she meant it that way, but it felt sarcastic. “Yeah Mom, it’s a new thing. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” “I’m not making a big deal. It’s just seemed strange.” I turned around and looked at her. “I just thought I’d help Tollie—that’s all. It’s not a big deal.” When the bell on the toaster rang, I took out my muffin, buttered it and took my mug of coffee upstairs and heard mom shout at me, “I don’t like your tone.” I didn’t respond but hated what I was feeling. Mom and I hardly ever had fights. She was a really great mom and gave me a lot of space, but at that time, with Tollie’s friend Lark visiting—that was her name I found out later--I really liked that name—I didn’t want to talk to her about what was going on with me and Tollie ‘cause really nothing was going on except in my head. In my room, I tried to read, but all I saw were words and nothing registered. I called Janine and she was at the mall, telling me what a cool tank top she bought on sale, and I should have gone shopping with them. I started to call Tristan but just before I pushed his number, I stopped and closed my phone. I got out of bed and went to the window and saw Tollie and Lark in the garden and watched Tollie pointing at things and looking around at the whole property, the trees, the bushes and remembered being on my knees the ...
... day before planting tomatoes with him for the first time in my life. I could see how much they liked each other and how gorgeous she was. Then they got in her car and drove off and I have to admit that was one of the hardest days of my life. Later, my mom went to work and I heated up the chicken casserole she’d made and just zoned out in front of the TV. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up with the news on and picked up the remote and shut it off. I heard the car drive up and park about eleven that night and went to the window and saw Tollie and Lark looking up at the moon. It was a starry night and I just stared at them, hating how jealous and foolish I felt as I sensed their closeness. Then I watched them go up the stairs to Tollie’s apartment. I went into the kitchen and grabbed two chocolate chip cookies, something I always do when I’m upset and was about to take a few more but caught myself. I stood at the kitchen window and looked up at his apartment and saw the lights were on, but I couldn’t see them. I couldn’t stop sighing and hated how I was feeling, knowing she was in his apartment where I wanted to be. I went upstairs and got undressed, tossed my clothes on the floor, then put on my short satin nightgown and went to the window. I saw the apartment was dark and knew what was going on. I picked up my science book and tried to study for a quiz but that didn’t last long. I fell asleep and when Janine picked me up the next morning for school, Lark’s car was still ...