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“The garden looks wonderful,” Benson said, and my eyes went to it.
“It’s just a start,” I downplayed the cleaning up I’d done. It was nothing like how it used to be, and I still had a lot to do.
“Still,” he insisted. “When the weather is better, the flowers will start to bloom. Your mom would be proud.”
“Thanks,” I said, humbled. I didn’t have the money to fix it up like I wanted, but I’d hoped to revive what was already there.
“Have you seen the Luminara lurking nearby?”
“The Luminara?” I gave him a confused look.
“The creature—you haven’t heard people about town talking about it?” he asked, a small smile to his lips. He was messing with me.
Still, I was curious. “What kind of creature?”
“A monstrous crocodile.”
“We don’t have crocodiles here.”
“With pearly scales and red eyes that roams the marsh.” He tilted his head towards the water beyond, a mischievous glint in his eyes. His voice lowered, with a camp-fire story quality to it. “Some say it’s a ghostly demon from hell. Others say it’s a vengeful spirit, cursed to roam the swamp for eternity.” His hand stretched out theatrically, “The Gullah people say it’s a gift from God. A spirit of protection from our ancestors.” A pause. “What do you think?”
My face broke out in a grin. “It sounds like Ollie.” I’d forgotten about my alligator friend, and the words suddenly came rushing back, jibber babber, jibber babber…
It had been a long time, but I could still remember some of the words to the old Gullah chant.
“Thought you might get a kick out of that,” he said, returning my grin. “People in town afraid of such a gentle and protective creature.”
I wouldn’t call Ollie gentle but…
“So he’s grown big?”
Benson nodded. “Yes, just like you and Callie. All grown up now.” There was a sadness in his tone, an old man longing for the past, and I nodded my head, staring out towards the water once more. Searching through the rain, hoping for a glimpse of the albino friend.
“He used to be so small,” he said, and I felt like he was trying to tell me something, “But, he survived.” He placed his hand over mine, squeezing it. “And so will you.”
“Mmm,” was all I could say, though I appreciated his comfort. The wind picked up and I shivered, rubbing my arms. “Should we go in?”
“Certainly.” He nodded, waiting for me to pass before following slowly behind me towards the study.
"Go sit by the fire.” I said. “I’ll make you some hot chocolate."
His big, bushy, grey eyebrows shot upwards in astonishment. "I will not go sit by the fire.”
"But you look so--" The word, ‘tired,’ fell silent on my lips at the offended look on his face.
"I'll be the one making hot chocolate around here. You go sit back down. I'll be there in a minute."
I took in the worn look on his face, the way he hunched his shoulders tiredly, the wrinkles around his eyes.
"No, I don't want any, thank you." I didn't wait for him to protest, but made my way to the seat at the window, grabbing a blanket. "Please sit down. I don't like you hovering like that."
I waited patiently as he took a seat across from me, and we both stared at the rain for a long moment. I wondered why he was looking for me, but didn’t want to press.
"Remember when I used to climb that tree?" I pointed to the large and stately magnolia tree way across the way.
He chuckled softly. "Your mother used to get so worried, she could never find you."
I nodded, smiling. "It was the perfect hideaway. I imagined I was in another world."
