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‘Can I get you a drink Kevin?’ Stella asked as he sat in her kitchen ‘tea, coffee orange juice?’
‘Orange juice would be great, and please call me Kev’

Stella smiled ‘so what made you answer the ad?’
‘Well I was just looking for some work to tide me over for a few weeks and I saw your ad. Im quite good at gardening, I've gotten used to it over the last few years’

‘Are you from around here?’
‘No, Im originally from Kentucky, I've been travelling around for a couple of years’
‘That sounds like heaven, going from one place to another, seeing the world’

‘Yeah’ he smiled ‘it has it's good times, but I've seen a few not so nice places too’
‘I bet your family miss you though’

Kev just smiled and Stella felt she shouldn’t push the issue, maybe he was away to get away from them

‘Well, Kev the job is all yours if you want it’
‘Wow Mrs Finch that’s great. Thank you’
‘That’s all right’ she smiled ‘and please it's Stella’

‘Well thanks Stella’ he grinned ‘could you tell where I could find some where to stay?’
‘Oh sure there's a nice guest house on the top road, Greyfold Road number 25 I think it is’

‘Brilliant’ Kev said as he picked up his back pack ‘I’ll go right over. Thanks again’
‘No problems Kev, I look forward to seeing my jungle of a garden tamed’

‘I’ll be over in the morning to make a start’ he grinned as he walked out of the front door

He walked back into town as the Finch residence was on the outskirts. He found the place that Stella had told him about and soon he had a room.

He dumped his bag and had a refreshing shower. Pulling out the few clothes that he had he hung them up in the wardrobe. He pulled out the framed picture and with a sad smile he placed it on the nightstand facing the bed.

He got dressed and wandered back into town finding out where everything was. He picked up some new clothes and then some supplies from the store on the corner.

Later that night he watched some tv in his room and crawling into bed he looked at the photo by his bed. He lifted his fingertips to his lips and then put them to the picture. He whispered ‘I love you’ into the darkness then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He rose early the next morning, ate breakfast and walked over to the Finchs house. He knocked on the front door and Stella answered it with a smile

‘Good morning Kev. How are you today?’
‘Im good thank you’
‘Did you find the guest house ok?’
‘Yes thank you. It's a nice little place’

‘Come on through and I’ll introduce you to my husband Philip’

She led him through to the kitchen where Philip was just putting on his jacket
‘Philip this is Kevin, Kevin my husband Philip’

Kevin reached out to shake Philips hand ‘Pleased to meet you sir’

Philip ignored the outstretched hand ‘I hope you will be competent in your work. I can’t stand slackers’
‘I will sir, you can be sure of that’

‘Im going to work’ Philip said picking up his briefcase. He stalked out of the room without even saying goodbye to Stella.

She followed him out to the front door ‘you could at least be polite’ she hissed at him
He ignored her ‘I’ll be late home tonight I've got a meeting’ with that he was gone.

Stella bit her bottom lip trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. She blinked them away and put on a bright smile and went back into the kitchen.

‘Sorry about that, he’s under a lot of stress at work. He’s not normally so rude’
‘That’s ok Stella, don’t worry about it’
‘Can I get you anything before you make a start? Have you eaten?’
‘Yes thanks’ he smiled ‘I’m fine’

‘Ok then lets go and see what we can do with this garden’ she led him through the French windows and out into the garden.

It was a beautiful day full of sun shine and bird song. They discussed Stellas plans on how she wanted the garden to look. It was a huge garden and she was planning on a rockery, a water feature and lots of flowerbeds.

‘Do you think we’ll be able to do it?’ she asked
‘Easily Stella, it will be a pleasure to do’
‘Excellent. So let’s make a start then. Might as well start with digging out those awful dwarf trees’

She opened up the tool shed and they picked out spades and shovels and set to work. After a couple of hours hard work two out of the four trees were uprooted.

Stella disappeared into the house and returned with two ices from the freezer. She passed on to Kevin
‘Thanks’ he grinned ripping off the paper ‘just what I need’

They ate the ices sat on the lawn

‘So how long are you planning on staying around?’ Stella asked
‘Don’t worry, I wont be running off before this is finished’ he smiled
‘I didn’t think you would, you don’t seem the type’
‘Oh and what type am I then?’ he asked

‘The strong independent type, but someone who you can trust and lean on if ever the time comes’
‘Well that’s nice of you to say’ Kevin couldn’t help but smile at the compliment

He liked Stella, she was pretty and a good natured woman, always a smile on her face even when things weren’t going her way. He took an instant dislike to Philip and he was pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.

He felt sorry for Stella having to put up with an ignorant guy like that for a husband. He didn’t even say goodbye to his wife, no sign of affection or anything. He was probably one of these guys who marry because they want a trophy on their arm and then a couple of years later after the novelty wears off they neglect them, taking them for granted and leaving them feeling alone.