Behind the Walls - 1. Chapter 1

"Blue! Get up, breakfast is ready!" Koa Māhoe, Blue's father, called up the stairs from the kitchen doorway. "It's getting cold." Turning to his partner, Frank Rivers, he said, "Doesn't that kid have an alarm clock?"

Frank sat at the breakfast table and chuckled. "Don't get so wound up, K. He's got a phone. He knows he has an appointment." Frank scraped up the last of his cereal. "And he's a kid."

"He's nearly eighteen," Koa said, sitting down and pouring a cup of coffee from the carafe. "I don't know. He doesn't have a sense of urgency and no direction. I mean, what's he going to do?"

After a sigh, Frank gazed at his husband. "He's not you or me. He'll find his way, but he needs our support. Pushing too hard isn't going to help."

"You never push him." Koa glared at Frank. "Life isn't easy. He needs to fight for what he wants. Like I have."

"Is now when I'm supposed to apologize for not taking that management job?"

"If you had, then maybe we'd have a better life than we do." Koa poured cream into his mug and took a sip. "Maybe we could afford a vacation. Management isn't that hard."

Frank shook his head and said nothing, but Koa wasn't yet finished.

"That's what I get for marrying a haole."

"Wow. Are you going there, Koa?" Frank pushed away from the table and got to his feet. "I thought we married because we love each other." After a last look at Koa, he said, "I'm going to work."

Upstairs, Aouli 'Blue' Māhoe-Rivers sat up and listened to his parents argue. He scrubbed his face, shoved his thick, short hair back, and sighed. "Again." He got up from the warm bed, opened the door to his room, stepped into the hall, and yelled, "I'm up!" He then stalked into the bathroom, his mind filled with a mix of frustration and uncertainty about his future.

Once dressed, the young man ran downstairs to the kitchen. Blue swung into the kitchen by holding onto the door jam. He slid smoothly onto a vacant chair. "Morning, Dad. Where's Papa?"

"Papa's gone to work," Koa said, finishing his coffee. "Are you all right getting to your appointment this morning? I've let the school know." He gathered the dishes and began loading them into the dishwasher. "Eat your breakfast."

The young man stared down at the congealed eggs on his plate. He picked up and bit into a piece of cold buttery toast. "It's all cold."

"It wouldn't have been if you'd gotten up on time!" Blue's dad leaned over him. "Set your alarm. We all have to get out of the house on time. This shouldn't be a surprise every day."

Blue squinted up at his parent. "You don't need to yell. I set my alarm. I just didn't feel like coming down here when you were yelling at Papa … again! All you two do is fight."

Koa slammed the dishwasher closed and slid the lock into place. "It's none of your business. And watch your tone, Aouli." He set the machine to start. "I'm on my way. Wash your plate before you leave."

"Yes, sir!" Blue felt like leaping to his feet to salute but thought better of it. To calm the waters, he added, "I'll make sure I leave with plenty of time to get to my appointment, Dad."

Koa pulled on his jacket and took a breath before speaking. "Good, thank you. I'll see you tonight."

"Bye. Have a good day, Dad."

Once his parent shouted, 'Yep,' Blue sat back and sighed. He finished the toast, poured and drank some black coffee, wincing at its bitterness. "I guess I'd better tidy up and get ready to go." Tipping back his head, he swallowed the remaining coffee, got up, and pushed the cold eggs into the garbage with a fork.

As he put the plate, mug, and a few utensils into the sink, Blue thought about his appointment with his therapist. "I don't know why I still have to go. Things have been better." Once the dishes were in the drainer, he wiped off the table and the counter. "Those two should go get some marriage counselling or something." Behind him, the dishwasher clunked over to its rinse cycle. Blue checked the time on the stove.

"I better get moving." He ran upstairs to his room, pulled on his trainers, grabbed his camera bag and backpack, and then ran down and into the front hall. Opening the closet, he grabbed his down-filled winter parka and pulled it on. "Okay. Got everything?" He scrutinized his couple of bags and patted his pockets. "Yeah."

He opened the door, closed it behind him, and turned the knob. "It's locked. Okay, get going, dude."

**

Two and a half hours later, Blue carried his tray to a corner table. The giant burger and steaming onion rings made his mouth water. His backpack and camera bag were slung over his shoulder. He got the tray onto the small tabletop before the two bags slipped. He put them on the seat next to his. "Okay. Let's eat!"

Blue's mind was occupied with eating for the next several minutes. He chewed the delicious, juicy, dripping burger and golden onion rings, filling his empty belly. The happy youth closed his eyes, pleased for several reasons, mainly because of what the therapist said.

**

"I honestly don't think we need to carry on, Aouli." Dr. James gazed at his copious notes. "Unless you feel differently in the future, I think we can part ways."

Blue grinned. "You think so? I feel good, Doc. I know now that I needed this and that I feel differently about a lot of things. I know how to deal with things better as well."

"I'm glad. You are your own person. Remember that. It's okay to love who you love." James Cochran smiled. "I'll send a letter to your parents, just confirming that there is no reason to continue at this time. So, unless you have anything else, we can say goodbye."

Blue got to his feet and smiled. "Thank you. Like, I mean that. I think you've helped me." He moved toward his therapist and put out his hand.

"Good luck, Aouli." Cochran rose and shook it. "But you don't need it. You take care."

"Thanks, Doc." Blue continued to grin as he left the office. He stopped. "Oops, I nearly forgot my stuff! Thanks again." Grabbing his bags, he waved and left.

**

After finishing his food, he rubbed his left hand over his belly. In his right was a strawberry milkshake made with natural ice cream. He formatted a plan while sipping the thick, sweet drink. "Dad told the school I wouldn't be there this morning." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I don't want to go." He glanced out the window. "Sun's out; it's warmer. I'm gonna walk and get some shots. Shit, I finished therapy, and I want to celebrate. Have a little only-me time."

Blue slurped up the last of his milkshake, got rid of his tray and garbage, and readied himself for some adventure. He shoved away the guilt he was feeling. "This day is about me and what I've accomplished. I deserve a few hours of doing what I like to do."

Choosing to walk south, he knew he was heading for an old part of town. There were many boarded-up homes and derelict businesses. He stopped and unpacked his monochrome camera. "Black and white is the way to go. Some of these places are interesting."

Blue had been taking pictures here and there for about forty-five minutes when he came across a brick wall. The high barrier had been set away from a now-derelict house. He was nearly six feet tall, but the top of the red brick structure was a good two feet above his head. He could see no door or opening on the side to his left or before him, so he moved along and found that the wall continued around the corner. He looked around it and inspected the wall. "Huh, this seems like a square, but how do you get in? Maybe on the other side." Stepping over garbage, old furniture, and junk, Blue continued exploring. "No door." The budding photographer turned left at the next corner. "There's an entrance up there."

When he arrived, he noticed the pathway to the door was clear. "That's weird. It's like someone cleans it up. But why would they?" Blue gazed at the old faded gingerbread-like house. No one lived there, for sure. Turning back to the wall, he studied the feature before him. It was wooden and as high as the walls. "Single door, no doorknob." He squatted down. "A keyhole." He grasped the handle, but there was little movement. "Locked."

Blue straightened up and backed away. Looking up, he saw a rusted iron arch over the door. He moved back a little further. "What does that mean? Si Vivit, Spes Est" After staring for a moment the teenager said, "I'll take a picture and Google that."

The camera hung around his neck on its wide strap while he used his phone to search for the translation. "It means: If one lives, there is hope. Huh, okay." Blue put his phone in his pocket. "I want to see what's in there. Maybe I can climb over."

Blue mumbled to himself as he tried the locked entrance again. "Nope." Releasing the rusted handle, he gazed around while wiping his hands on his parka. He jumped up, caught the edge and managed to hang from the brickwork by his fingertips. The bricks were rough, and Blue needed more purchase to haul himself up. "Damn it." The young man dropped down and gazed at what was close by. "There's enough junk around here, maybe I can pile some up and get over that way."

The curious teen dragged an old chest of drawers over. Then Blue bullied a rusting two-drawer filing cabinet up on top of it. Placing both hands on his jerry-rigged platform, he gave it a shake. It was far from stable, but his curiosity outweighed the possible danger. He climbed up and peered over the wall.

Blue's mouth gaped. He blinked. "Well, that's kind of a letdown." Looking right and left and down, he sighed. "It's a crappy old garden with beds on four sides and a dead tree in the middle with a busted bench around it." As he gazed at the garden further, he noticed something on the wall across from him. "Whatever that is, it's hidden behind the stalks of those dead plants." These rustled and scraped against the brickwork as the wind began to pick up. "It's getting cold." Blue shivered. "Whatever, I'll grab a few more pics, and then I better start for home, or the dads will be pissed off."

After he'd climbed down from the filing cabinet, he pushed it off and back to where he'd found it. He did the same with the chest of drawers. "Don't need to draw attention." He smiled momentarily, wondering why he felt protective of the old dead garden.

Ignoring that thought for the moment, Blue put the camera into its bag and noted the time on his fitness watch. "Shoot. I better get a move on!" He jogged back the way he'd come and then caught a bus home.

**

Frank chopped up the romaine lettuce and added it to the salad spinner. "I read somewhere that salad spinners were a waste of money, and you can wash lettuce and then dry it on a tea towel."

"Yeah? The spinner is useful, and who wants dripping tea towels everywhere?" Koa stood beside the stove and stirred a pot of red pasta sauce. "This is about ready. I'll set the table." He tapped the spoon on the pot and laid it on a saucer. He opened the cutlery drawer and began picking up a setting for three. "You hear from the boyo?"

Now, at the sink, washing the green salad, Frank replied, "Not so far. Maybe he had an after-school thing or something. I'm sure he'll be home soon." He dumped the water, put the lid on the spinner, and began turning the crank on the top. Once he again dumped the water that had spun off the greens, Frank placed the bowl in the refrigerator to allow them to crisp. "There. I'll make the dressing."

"I missed lunch today. I'm starving," Koa said. "Frank. I'm sorry about being so … whatever I was this morning."

Wiping his hands, Frank moved closer to his husband and into his arms. They embraced and kissed.

"Grumpy." Frank smiled. "I think that's the word you're scrambling for, K. It's forgotten."

"Thanks. I do wonder about Blue, though." Koa remained in Frank's arms. "He doesn't seem to have any direction. Has he said anything to you about college or anything?"

"Nothing specific. I don't know if pushing him straight into college is a good idea."

"Are you kidding?" Koa stepped back, and his tone rose an octave.

Frank closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Don't. Okay? Why can't you give the kid even the smallest of breaks? He's our son. Why don't you trust him? College isn't for everyone."

"What's he gonna do? A college or university degree will help him get a job."

"And the stress of having to perform, to achieve, can cause another breakdown." Frank crossed his arms. "You need to look at Aouli, all of him and see who he is. He's a hard worker. Maybe ask him what he wants, rather than—"

"He doesn't know what he wants or what he needs. I do."

Frank gazed down at his feet. "Koa, please. You have to stop all this pressure on the kid."

Koa stepped away and glared. "I don't put that much pressure on him."

Frank picked up the spoon and stirred the simmering sauce. "Maybe you don't mean to, but he thinks you're unhappy with him. Why don't you just talk with him?"

"Talk to me about what?" Blue stood in the kitchen doorway with bags in hand.

"It'll keep until after dinner." After a glance at his partner, Frank turned to Blue. "Honestly."

"Right." Blue walked through the kitchen and paused at the bottom of the stairs. He knew he'd interrupted another of his parents' arguments. "I'll take this stuff to my room, then come and help."

"Okay." Frank smiled and watched his son climb the stairs. He turned to Koa. "Can we please just have a peaceful dinner without agro?"

"Fine."

After everyone had nearly finished their meals, Frank began a discussion about the day. "So, how did your session with Dr. Cochran go?"

Blue was mopping up red sauce with garlic bread. He glanced up and smiled. "Good. Dr. James said he's gonna send you a letter because he says I don't need to go back."

Frank grinned. "That's just great."

"Yeah." Blue focused on Frank then Koa. "He really helped me. I feel pretty good about things."

Koa nodded. "Good news. What time did you get to school?"

"I-I." Blue stumbled over his words. "I didn't go. After finished all that therapy, I just wanted a little me time."

"What?" Koa's eyes darkened.

"That's okay, Bluey," Frank said quickly. Underneath the table, he gently kicked his husband's shin. "You know how we feel about skipping but we get it. This time."

Koa took a deep breath, fighting to calm his reactive nature. "Yeah, Papa's right. We'll let it go. What did you do with your afternoon?"

"Well, after grabbing a burger and fries from Tommy's," Blue began. "I walked to the old part of town because of all the closed buildings and stuff. They look pretty neat. I'm going to print the pictures and then you can them out. I found this old garden."

"Garden? In that neighborhood?" Koa leaned forward.

"Yeah, it has a wall around it, and everything there was dried up and lifeless. But it has an arch over the door that says something about, if you live there's hope."

Frank's mouth drooped as he considered this. "I had no idea there were many homes with gardens over there. We'd love to see your pictures when they're ready."

Blue smiled. "Great! I'll print them off, and then you guys can look at them."

"We'll check them later. After you finish your chores." Koa started to collect the dishes.

Not wanting to change his dad's mood, Blue quickly agreed. "Okay, Dad. I'll get the kitchen cleaned up first. No problem."

Frank gazed at Koa and then at Blue. "Well, it sounds like a pretty good day, all-in-all."

**

Blue printed his pictures and then sat examining them. "There are some nice shots of the old businesses." Next, he looked at the garden. He peered closely at the inner garden walls. "You know, I think these would be better in color. The brick and mortar look way better in color, I—" He held the picture closer to the light. "There's something there on the wall, but I can't make it out."

After deciding on another trip with a color camera, Blue gathered that day's shots and trudged up the stairs from the basement to share his work with his parents.

"These are good, Son." Frank took the pictures Koa had seen and studied each. "I like some of the angles you've chosen."

"Thanks." Blue handed Koa a few pictures of the garden. "These are what I could get of the garden. I think maybe color shots would be better."

Koa glanced at the pictures. "I think you're right." He handed them over to Frank.

Once Frank had glanced at them the first time, he went through them again. "Yes, color for the garden. I bet that old brickwork looked amazing. You know it might be fun to go in the spring and summer to see if there's anything growing."

Blue frowned. "Do you think there might be?"

"Yes, why not? Lots of plants continue to grow even when no one tends to them." Frank held out the pictures to his son. "It's worth a try."

Blue sat nodding. "Yeah, that would be cool. To have a collection of them or something."

Frank said smiling, "You could try researching and finding out more about the garden. I mean, someone built that. It could be an interesting project."

"It could." Blue grinned at his Papa, now excited about what he might discover. "I'm going to do that."

Koa listened to his husband and son. "I think it's a good idea as well. You may be able to use that for a school assignment or something."

That suggestion made Blue think. "You know, Dad, that's a good idea. Maybe I should organize myself and my pictures more. Keep detailed notes about why I took the photograph in the first place. Things like that."

Koa smiled. Blue's thoughts matched his own need for organization. "That's smart. I always think it's a shame when you find old pictures; the reason they were taken is often lost. A few words can help."

Blue jumped to his feet. "I'm going to do that."

"Are you going to do it digitally or old school?" Koa asked.

"Hmm. What do you think?"

"I'd go old school because I'm old." Koa shrugged and offered a tight smile.

"You're not that old, Dad." Blue laughed. "Maybe I'll do both. I'll have to see what the best options are."

**

The winter worsened before it settled and melted into Spring. Blue had also settled in over winter.

Before the significant seasonal snowfalls began, he worked on the new color shots he'd taken of the walled garden. He set up digital storage and chose a small gray-linen-covered photo book to display his growing printed collection. Each page held three photographs; when opened flat, the viewer would see six slots. Blue added five pictures and a card in the sixth slot with notes about each of the five photos.

Blue hadn't thought much about the garden until the flowers his parents had planted began to poke through the warming soil. The young man had never been interested in plants, but the walled garden had awoken something in him. "I should go this weekend and get some pictures for spring."

One Saturday morning, he arose early, left a note for his parents, and jogged, carrying his camera and phone, to the main street to catch a bus.

After his twenty-minute journey, Blue pressed the stop request button when the driver called his stop and hopped off.

"Wow. It so different here now." Gazing around, Blue noticed small patches of green grass, and the previously stark trees had new, fresh green leaves. He smiled and hurried along to see the walled garden.

Blue checked, but the garden was still locked, so he dragged over the chest of drawers and again forced the old filing cabinet on top. He removed the camera from the bag and hung it around his neck. Blue climbed to the top and kneeled there to stare over the wall.

Life had come to the hidden garden. Blue's eyes widened as he peered down into it. The tree had sprouted. Fat buds sat on branches, ready to greet the sun. Tulips now began to open, and the iris began to grow. Rose bushes were slowly coming to life.

Blue started to snap pictures. "This will be great. So much is growing."

"Who the heck are you, and what do you think you're doing?"

The voice was loud and female, and Blue jumped, nearly dropping his camera on the top of the brick wall. His heart hammering, he abruptly sat on the rusty office cabinet.

"Shit, you scared me. I was just checking out the garden." Blue held up the camera. "Who are you?"

"This is private property even though it's… "The young woman gestured her arms out wide. "… it's like this."

Blue sucked in air. "I-I'm not trying to hurt anything. I just like the garden." He still held the camera up. "I take pictures of it in different seasons." He added hurriedly, "For a project. I'm Aouli."

"Aouli? Is that a name?"

Blue, used to this reaction, explained, "Yeah, it's Hawaiian. It means a great feeling like a blue sky. One of my dads comes from there. You can call me Blue, though."

The young woman stared as she took measure of the trespasser. "I think I've seen you around school. You go to William Street High, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. Sorry, I don't remember you."

She shrugged. "I'm Beatrice. Bea. Come down from there. You're lucky you haven't broken your neck or something. I'm going to do some gardening. You can come in through the door."

Feeling a bit sheepish, Blue clambered down. "Are you sure?" He realized what Bea was thinking. "Oh. No. I've never jumped down into the garden. Mostly because I couldn't think how I'd get out."

She laughed. "You're honest, at least."

"The dads say that's the best way to be." Blue dusted the rust off his butt.

Bea was dressed in overalls. She slipped her hand into the bib pocket and located a key. "Dads?"

"Yeah, my dads. Dad and Papa. They're gay. They adopted me from an orphanage in Hawaii."

Bea stopped just as she inserted the key in the lock. "That's interesting. What's it like having two dads?"

Blue smiled. "Same as having one dad, just twice as much."

Bea laughed again. "You're funny. Come on. I don't have all day to spend here. You can help if you want. But take some before pictures."

Blue did that, and then helped clean up the old dead plants from the previous year. He also took pictures of the four bricks, one on each wall, that contained a single word: Love, Hope, Healing, and Strength.

The pair piled everything in a wheelbarrow. Bea removed her gardening gloves and wiped some sweat from her brow.

"The only problem with this garden is that it doesn't get a lot of breeze." She smiled. "This junk and the wheelbarrow need to go to the back of the house. I have a cooler with some cold drinks if you'd like one."

"I could use one, thanks. I just want to get some after pics. Maybe you can tell me about those signs on the walls and the carving on the tree."

"Oh, yeah, sure. Let's get a drink first." Bea smiled. "Well, get those pictures before we die of thirst."

"Right." Blue picked up the camera from where it lay on the bag and quickly shot each wall and the tree. He then grabbed his camera bag and walked over to Bea and the wheelbarrow.

"I'll push this thing." Blue put the camera inside, placed the bag on top of the waste, grabbed the barrow's handles, and lifted it. "Lead the way."

As they left the garden, Bea turned and locked the doors, stowing the key in her overalls. Then, together, they walked over the stones and crumbled driveway.

"Is this your family's house?" He gazed at the ornate old house as they walked.

"It is. It's my mother's. You can't live in it, and no one wants to buy it." Bea stopped and peered up at the soft yellow paint on the siding. "I like it though. And then there's the garden."

They arrived in an overgrown and unkempt backyard. The grass was long, and a large maple tree dominated the space. Just behind it was a wooden compost bin.

Bea pointed at the compost pile. "You dump that in there, and I'll get the cooler."

"Okay." Blue pushed the wheelbarrow over and up-ended it to dump the contents. He shook the barrow to get all the dead plant life out. He turned, smiled and thought, "She's pretty nice."

Blue left the wheelbarrow near the driveway's edge and joined Bea on the house's back steps.

"Grab something to drink from the cooler. My brother will be here soon to pick me up."

"Oh. Okay. I was hoping we could talk more about the garden. I have lots of quest—"

Blue was interrupted by a car engine coming up the drive. Bea turned her head as the car stopped.

"That's my mom's car."

The engine shut off, and the driver's side door opened. From it came a very handsome young man whose hair color and smile matched his sister's.

"Hello on the porch!"

Bea rose and smiled. "That is my older brother Roy." She waved. "Hi."

Roy waved and walked toward the porch. "You ready to go, Sis?" He squinted a little and nodded at Blue. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Blue, he goes to my school. He's a senior too. He was helping me. He's interested in the garden."

Roy pursed his lips. "Is he now?"

Blue, who had remained silent now, finally said, "Yeah. I've been putting together a study of it in photos taken during different seasons. I didn't know anyone took care of it."

Bea stepped off the porch and said, "I'll put my stuff in the car and stick the wheelbarrow in the garage. Then we can go, Roy."

With eyes that stayed long on Blue before they flicked to his sister, Roy agreed. "Okay." The lanky young man moved to the porch. "What about you? You need a ride or something?"

"No, thank you. I'll just grab the bus." Blue stooped to retrieve the camera bag. "I'll, um, say bye to your sister." The photographer stepped from the porch and slipped by Roy. He walked over to the garage.

"Bea?"

The girl turned. "Hey, Blue. Would you like a ride anywhere?"

Blue grinned and hung his head. "No, I'm good, thanks. Listen, I'd like to talk more about the garden. You know, like what the plaques on the wall mean and what's carved on the tree. Can we do that?"

Beatrice considered Aouli for a moment before replying. "Okay. Sure, why not? You're doing a study. You may as well know the whole story."

Blue's heart leaped. "Oh, that's great. I appreciate it. When do you think?"

"Are you free on Friday night? That's the best time for me. I have practice on the weekends."

"Yeah, I'm free." Blue was reasonably sure that was correct.

"How about at my place? My parents will be home if that's okay. If not them, then Roy will be."

Blue let his mind slip to the slim older brother. He smiled. "Yeah, your place will be great."

"Okay. So, let's say seven-thirty on Friday. Lend me your phone and I'll give you the address."

Blue unlocked his device, opened Keep, and handed it over. "Just add it in there."

Roy's voice carried into the garage. "Come on, Bea." He leaned out the car window. "I have to go out."

"On my way."

Bea and Blue walked out of the garage, and Blue closed the door.

After locking the garage, Bea said, "Okay. See you on Friday night. I gave the phone number in case you need to call."

"Okay, thanks. See you Friday."

Roy was listening and grinned while Bea settled on the passenger seat. He started the engine, checked his mirrors, and backed down the driveway.

He eyed his sister. "Blue, huh?"

"That's a nickname. His real name is Hawaiian … Aouli."

"Interesting." Roy backed onto the road, but before driving away, he gazed at the driveway while Blue walked down it. "Very interesting."

**

On Wednesday, Blue sat at the dinner table with his folks. "So, um, do we have anything happening on Friday night?"

Frank and Koa glanced at each other, and with knowledge of only a certain level of intimacy offered, Frank replied, "No, I don't think so. Why? What's going on?"

"Oh, remember I told you I met Roy and his sister? Well, he invited me over because I have questions about the garden."

"Yes, I remember. What time?" Koa smiled.

"I'm supposed to be there at seven-thirty."

"I don't see why not, do you, Frank?"

"Nope. I'm assuming his parents will be there?"

Blue looked up. "Yes, sir, or his sister will be."

"Okay. Just get your chores done first." Frank smiled. "One of us can pick you up. No later than midnight, please."

Grinning broadly, Blue agreed. "Great! Thanks. Can I be excused?"

Koa laughed. "Sure."

"Thanks. Dinner was great, Papa!"

"No problem." Frank watched his happy son run off. He turned to Koa and said, "Roy?"

Koa grinned. "Seems like it."

**

It took forever, but Friday finally arrived. Blue allowed Koa to drive him to Bea and Roy's home. They stopped before the house, and Koa turned to see out the passenger-side window.

"Nice place. So, give us a call when you want to come home, or we'll be here at midnight, okay?"

Blue nodded. His hand was on the door handle. "I know. I'll call before that."

"Okay." Koa nodded. "And behave yourself."

After rolling his eyes, Blue replied, "I will. You don't have to say that anymore, Dad."

Koa chuckled. "Probably not, but old habits die hard."

After a quick sigh, Blue opened the car door and grabbed his camera bag. "Thanks, Dad. See you later." Once he'd stepped out, he closed the door behind him. He bent and waved.

"Behave!" Koa called again. "That was for my own peace of mind." He put the car in gear and drove home.

Blue watched his dad leave, walked along the path and up the steps, and knocked on the door.

Bea was pacing in the living room next to the front vestibule. She was looking forward to Blue's visit. Her parents were upstairs getting ready to go out to visit some friends. Roy would be home against his will, or so he claimed.

"I don't believe that." Bea ended her patrolling when a car stopped in front of the house. She peered through the sheers and grinned as Blue emerged. "He's here."

Not wanting to seem too excited, Bea waited until Blue had knocked a second time before answering the door.

"Hi! Come in." Bea stepped back to make room for her guest.

"Hey. Thanks." Blue set down his bag and removed his jacket. "Are my Shoes okay, or should I take them off?"

"Oh, um, off please." The young woman reached for Blue's jacket. "I'll hang this up for you."

Having done so, she turned back to her guest. "I thought we could sit in here." Bea indicated the living room. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah, it's great. Come on, I want to show you the pics I took the other day."

"Okay!"

The pair sat down next to each other on the sofa. As Blue removed his photo album, he said, "I wanted to ask some questions about the garden and stuff if that's okay. So, I can add the info to my notes here." He opened the album to the first pages.

Just as Bea was about to answer, there was movement and voices on the stairs. Blue got to his feet as Beatrice's parents entered the living room.

Bea also rose and introduced her parents. "This is Aouli. And these are my parents, Howard and Joyce Sommers."

"Hello. It's nice to meet you." Blue shook hands with the Sommers'.

Joyce smiled. "We're going over to the neighbors for a couple of hours. You two have a nice evening." Mrs. Sommers walked to the front hall and located her coat.

Mr. Sommers, impressed with Blue's handshake, said, "Have fun but behave." He joined his wife, donned his coat, and then helped his wife out the front door.

Bea sat down. "Sorry about them."

Blue chuckled. "Don't worry. That was my dad; behave. I think we're old enough to be able to do that."

"We are. I'll get us a cola. Then we can talk about the garden." Bea once again stood up. "Be right back."

Once the pair had their drinks, Blue pulled out the photo journal and a paper pad. He took notes while Bea explained.

"My grandfather built the garden for my grandmother, Mary Leon. She had always been sort of unwell, and the walled garden was a private and quiet place for her to go." Bea smiled and sipped her drink.

"When you say unwell, do you mean mentally?"

"Yes. Grandma suffered from what they called melancholy. Today, we call it major depression. Grandfather filled the garden with healing plants, like roses, calendula, lavender, chamomile, daisies, and jasmine. All of these flowers may have healing properties. Roses and tulips are for strength, and iris, tulips, and sunflowers are for hope.

Blue flipped the pages of the book back to the beginning. "So, these special bricks with the words, strength, hope, healing and love. He put those in."

"Yes, he wanted the garden to remind and help her. The plants match those words."

"Makes sense and it's an amazing gift." Blue stared down at the pictures. "So, I see plants that match all the words on the special bricks except love."

Bea smiled. "Flowers can have more than one meaning but the roses in the garden are all shades of red … for love."

"That's amazing." Gazing again at the photographs, Blue said, "What about the tree?"

"Well, under that tree was where Grandad first kissed her." Bea moved closer and peered at the photo. "I don't know if you've read it—or can see it in the picture?" She leaned closer, squinting. "No, I can't, but he carved, MJ I will love you always. GL, on it."

As he leaned to see as well, their heads touched. Blue pulled away immediately. "Sorry."

Bea smiled again and said, "That's okay. So, the short story is. They fell in love, married and Grandad built the bench around the tree, and then as Grandmother had her spells of melancholy, he made the private garden as well. As she got worse, he added the Latin saying over the entrance."

"Si vivit, spes est - if one lives there is hope." Blue turned toward Bea.

"That's right. By then she'd started to say sort of negative things about life. She visited the garden daily as well. It helped her find the strength to live."

Blue sighed in relief. "So, she didn't end her life then?"

"No, thank goodness. Grandma was doing pretty well by the time her daughter, my mother, married. She died only a few years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, but thank you." Bea was quiet and then said, "I feel so lucky to have had her in my life. Sometimes I think she lived because of the garden."

Blue thought about that. "It's filled with so much meaning. What's going to happen to it?"

Beatrice sighed. "I don't know. My mom wants to keep the house. It needs a lot of work inside. People are starting to move back to that area."

"You decided to work on the garden."

"I couldn't just let it all go."

"I don't know much, but I'd be happy to help if I can."

"And take pictures?"

Blue grinned and nodded. "Yeah, lots of those. I'll make you a book too."

**

"You're not feeling well, Bluey?" Frank gazed at his son.

Blue looked up from the chair. "Sorry?"

"You're home. You haven't been here much over the past month. I thought maybe you didn't feel well." Frank sat on the sofa next to Koa, who was reading.

"I wanted to talk to you and Dad."

Koa closed his book and laid it on the coffee table. "Everything okay?"

"Yes and no."

The two men glanced at each other. Koa asked, "Has this to do with that boy Roy you've been seeing?"

Blue felt his heart start to pound faster. "Sort of." He licked his drying lips.

Koa's own heart sped up. "What's happened? Has he done something to you?"

"No, Dad. Calm down." Blue closed his eyes for a moment. "I need to tell you something and I know you'll be disappointed in me."

"Disappointed?" Frank frowned. "Why would we be disappointed?"

"Because you spent all that time and money sending me to a shrink." Blue's tone went up an octave. "All that money, and I still feel like I'm straight."

Koa made to say something, but Frank motioned him to stay quiet. "What do you mean, Bluey?"

Frank's control didn't last long, and Koa said, "You think we sent you to a shrink because we want you to be gay?"

"Well, didn't you? I told you I was confused and wasn't sure."

"That's why we sent you. So you could figure out your feelings. So you'd understand that whoever you are is who you should be." Frank moved to his son's side and knelt next to the chair. "It's okay with me and Dad if you're straight."

Koa's eyes filled, and he wiped the tears away. "Have you met someone? That Roy's sister?"

"Sorry I lied and said I was going to see Roy." Blue nodded. "Yeah. I like her a lot."

"That's great. Papa and I will be happy as long as you are, Aouli. We never wanted you to be anything more than yourself."

Frank smiled. "Have you asked her out yet?"

"No." Blue stared at his parents. "I didn't want you to hate me or be upset."

"We're not. Not at all." Franks squeezed his son's shoulder and said, "Take the girl out somewhere and invite her to dinner sometime." Frank smiled and gazed at his husband and son. "We'd love to meet her."

**

It was late summer. The garden, which had been a riot of color earlier, had started to slow down. Here and there, flowers still bloomed, imparting their soft scents to the air around them. The warm breezes carried them aloft.

Blue and Beatrice sat on the circular bench, which they repaired together. The large maple's green leaves would soon change to the intense colors of autumn.

"It's cooling off." Bea smiled as she sipped from a mug of coffee. The thermos she'd brought sat between herself and Blue.

After a sip of his coffee, Blue said, "The weather or the coffee?"

The young woman snorted softly. "Both."

The pair were comfortable as good friends often are. Blue gazed into his drink, wishing it was a crystal ball. He drew in a deep breath and said, "You know I told you about going to the shrink, right?"

"Yes." Bea gazed at her friend.

"I wanted to be gay. Like my dads."

"Oh." Beatrice swallowed and held her breath. Disappointment beat inside her like a heart. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"Bea, I like you so much."

She wanted to scream but held it inside.

"I like you, but I'd like to know if we could be more than friends?"

What? She moved so quickly the coffee slopped over the sides of the mug she held. "I-I'm not—"

Determined to finish, Blue pushed on and asked, "Would you go out with me, like on a date?"

Bea smiled while tears slipped down her face. She nodded.

**

Five years passed, and today, Koa and Frank stood with Joyce and Howard talking together before their children's wedding.

Koa held a large envelope. "Do you think they'll like it?"

Joyce smiled and put a hand on Koa's forearm. "I think so. Beatrice loves that house and the garden."

"Those two are a great match. They'll get that house finished and have a wonderful life there," Howard said.

"They will. You're right, they're a great team." Frank nodded and reached for Koa's hand. "I guess we'd better take our seats."

**

The End