Page 78 of The Wedding Hoax

Simone’s mouth fell open. “Harry! I was just joking about the second house! Are you serious?”

“I mean, it’s not a second house. Well, not exactly.” I grinned before I turned to leave the room. “Come on! It should be waiting for us in the yard.”

* * *

“Oh my God.” It was all Simone said as we arrived in front of the greenhouse. It was bigger than the average greenhouse to accommodate Eileen’s wheelchair, and hopefully in the near future, her walker. The door to the greenhouse was open, and we could already see that it was lined wall-to-wall with colorful flowers and hanging vines, every plant accessible at wheelchair height.

“Is this what they’ve been working on back here this whole time?” Simone gasped. “I knew it had to be something when you made us use the side entrance to the house that one time. But I just figured it was some rich guy thing.”

“Some rich guy thing?” I laughed. “What rich guy thing did you think they were building in my backyard, Simone?”

“I don’t know! They always kept it covered with tarps.” Simone seemed to think over the question. “Maybe new parking for some fancy sports car?”

“Do I really seem like the fancy sports car type?”

“You don’t not seem like the fancy sports car type.”

Simone’s mom wheeled past us as she made her way into the greenhouse. We both quietly watched as she seemed to gravitate toward a certain section, her focus sharp and intense. She picked up a potted pink rose, and she brought it up to her face.

And tears began to stream down her cheeks.

“Eileen?” I hastily walked up to her. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No. I’m not in pain.” Eileen was all choked up. “It’s just—Simi’s dad—my husband—he would always bring me pink roses just like this. I would always plant them, too. But roses can be so fickle, and ever since I’ve been in a wheelchair, I haven’t been able to grow them. But now…”

Eileen motioned toward both of us. “Would it be okay if you left me with these flowers? Just for a moment.”

“Of course, Eileen.” I grabbed Simone’s hand and led us out of the greenhouse. Wanting to give Eileen as much space as she needed, we didn’t stop walking until we were standing back near the main house.

“You’ve really outdone yourself today, Harry,” Simone said as she leaned against the wall. “My mom rarely gets emotional like that. It’s like you brought Dad back to her, if only for a little while.”

I smiled.

Simone suddenly looked up. “Hey, why’d you build a greenhouse, anyway? I get why you built the rehab room, but you can always put that back the way it was, after my mom and I leave. But the greenhouse? Isn’t that more permanent?”

“I built the greenhouse because you were mad at me.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. After that night in your room, when I came in but didn’t really do anything? It sort of felt like you were pulling away from me. Honestly, it’s felt like that off and on for the last few weeks. Like you don’t want to be as close to me.”

“I’m sorry I made you feel that way.” She looked down at the ground. “I’ve just been going through a lot lately.”

“I understand.” I put a finger underneath her chin, forcing her to look back up at me. “There’s another reason I built the greenhouse, though.”

“Which was?”

“Because I want you to feel comfortable to stay as long as you want. Or as long as you need.”

“Harry, you don’t have to—”

“I know sometimes recovery takes longer than anyone wants it to. But I don’t want you or Eileen to have to worry about that. Eileen doesn’t deserve that kind of stress and neither do you.”

Simone looked at me without saying a word.

Before I knew it, her lips were pressed against mine. Her body was close to my chest as she kissed me, and instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her waist. We were like that for more moments than I could count, completely lost in each other, holding each other tight.

Stay, Simone.

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