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"Those aren’t going tored"

"How do you know that?" I knelt next to the plants as if to shield theestured toward his backyard "Have you taken a look at rass is hardly an expert in growing vegetables," I said haughtily, wondering if that was actually true

Instead of getting angry, Mr Eckhardt looked thoughtful "I used to grow vegetables, years ago," he said

"Why don’t you now? You’ve got plenty of space"

He went silent for a mooing on here?" she asked warily

Mr Eckhardt’s look of chronic disdain returned "I was just telling Paige that those plants are going to die"

Mykia began to spray the plants, froout reality is hardly mean-spirited," he said "It’s necessary at times Do you prefer to live in a fantasy world?"

"I prefer to live in a hopeful world," she responded It was a nice sentier that seemed almost an overreaction

Mr Eckhardt’s eyes narrowed "That’s simply naïveté" He focused his attention onon the vine, you will need to reonna happen," Mykia said

He turned tohi at that moment that it was true

Mr Eckhardt shook his head sadly "That person you were? She’s dead, too The quicker you realize that, the better off you’ll be I’, devoted, oblivious person--was soht in a quicksand of grief, and I had to figure out how to help her escape "Your help was not requested," I said, and Mr Eckhardt’s eyes widened with surprise atto be sore to rooet--he liked leather; I preferred fabric--so we got both and shoved theainst each other, armrest to armrest When Trey was smaller, he liked to run back and forth between us until we all erupted in fits of giggles It was one of those fas, not quite a joke but funny nonetheless, and one that didn’t make sense to others, so I didn’t mention it to Mykia She was lost in a postdinner haze, stirring her rapidly cooling coffee with her index finger We’d weeded the garden, ed the front lawn, hauled mulch, and baked in the sun all afternoon The hot day had turned into a gorgeously , fireflies popping intermittently into the view afforded by my front bay , and I tried to reht like this Unfortunately, er shared

"Your neighbor has a fence post stuck up his ass," Mykia said, drawing et to you," I responded after a beat "He’s a miserable oldso sour"

"Do you really think that’s what happens? You didn’t go sour" She paused a moment "I didn’t"

I didn’t want to be iave it a second thought How did people become friends? They shared parts of their pasts, bit by bit, until the other person had so to?"

She poked at her coffee and stared into its depths for a , "When ot a little crazy"

"Crazy?"