“Oh, look, sunflowers!”  Vi reached for the colorful packet.  “I didn’t know there were so many varieties.  Let’s plant some.”

 

“Sunflowers?  We can’t eat those, can we?”  Gil had been trying on a pair of leather gloves, but pulled them off.  “Crap, they just don’t make any that fit me right.”

 

Gil fingers were too short for most men’s gloves. He was five foot, six inches tall, but his powerful build gave him the presence of someone to be reckoned with.  Vi would never forget the day he had been helping some friends work on their car.  Gil had been lying under the car, loosening the bolts that held the engine.  His friends had a chain around the motor, and planned to hoist it out of the body of the car.  The chain slipped.  Gil caught the engine and lifted it up for his friends to get the chain back on.  Although Gil didn’t think it was a big deal, Vi never forgot the looks of awe that remained on his friends’ faces that day.

 

“Why don’t you try some women’s gloves?  They might fit better.”

 

Gil looked at her.  “Yeth,” he lisped, “and if the guys teathe me, I can jutht hit them with my purthe, right?” 

 

“OK, tough guy.”  Vi giggled, and helped him find a pair that fit.  She was glad he had joked about it.  Sometimes he could be pretty sensitive about his size.  She had always been thankful that she had fallen in love with someone who didn’t mind having a wife who was less than five feet tall.

 

“Let’s look at those seeds now.”  He was holding the gloves so that the tag could not be seen.  Vi knew he had settled for the women’s size.

 

On the drive home from the garden store, Vi looked out at the landscape.  New growth could be seen everywhere.  Trees were pushing out tender new leaves, road ditches had a slight greenish hue, and birds returning from their winter homes were busy gathering materials for their expected families.

 

“I’m so glad we are planting a garden this year.”  Vi reached into the bag that held the seeds.  “I hope we remembered everything.”

 

“If every seed we plant germinates, we are going to have enough vegetables to feed an army!”  Gil reached over with his right hand and squeezed her shoulder tenderly.

 

“There’s nothing like having your own home-grown veggies!” 

 

“I know.  We’ve waited a long time to have a place where we could grow our own.  If the Navy hadn’t kept us on the move for 20 years, we would have been able to do this sooner.”  Gil turned the car into their driveway.  “The hard part is coming up, though.  Sure hope that tiller I got works.”

 

“You’ll make it work.  You can fix anything.” 

 

“You’ll get my bill tomorrow.”  Gil laughed.

 

Their neighbor had used his tractor and plow to break the ground for them the previous fall.  He had even recommended the area by the old abandoned barn as the best location.  “Yup,” he had told them, “that’s an old cow yard.  Has about 30 years worth of cow shit there.  You shouldn’t have to add anything to it for a long time.  Now, in the spring, just run a tiller through there, and it’ll be good for planting.”

 

Vi hoped the old man was right.  Having their own vegetables would really help out on the food bills.  Gil had gone hunting in the fall, so their freezer was full of venison, and the old man had given them plenty of fish.  “The wife and I can only eat so much fish,” he had commented. 

 

That night after they made love, Gil placed the pillows under her hips as she put her feet on the headboard of the bed.  “Are you sure this is what the doctor said to do?”

 

“He told me that the laparoscopy showed that my uterus was tipped, so I have to stay like this for at least 15 minutes.”

 

“So my swimmers can find their way, right?”

 

“That’s basically the principle, I guess.”  Vi felt uncomfortable and foolish in the position. 

 

Sensing her mood, Gil lay alongside her, rubbing her stomach.  “Hey, I can feel your hip bones!  Have you lost more weight?”

 

“Maybe a couple of pounds.  Hopefully, I’ll be gaining soon and you’ll have to hunt to find those bones!”

 

They spent many long, hard days tilling, raking, and planting.  Both were thankful for the rain that came just as they put the last of the seeds and tomato plants into the ground.

 

“OK, now comes the fun part.”  Gil grabbed her hand and they ran for the house.

 

“Stop!  I can’t run as fast as you can.”  Vi was laughing as she tried her best to keep up with him.

 

Gil made supper that night.  He was a very good cook.  His mother had cooked long hours each day in a restaurant, and as the oldest child it had been up to Gil to make sure there was food on the table for his younger sisters.

 

“Hey, how long are you going to soak in that tub?”  He knocked on the bathroom door.  “Supper’s getting cold, and you’re going to get all wrinkled!”

 

There was no answer and he knocked again.  “Vi, you OK in there?”  Still nothing.  He opened the door.

 

Vi was sitting on the floor, wrapped in the bath towel.  She looked up at him and pointed to the counter.  He turned to see what she was pointing at, and saw the newly opened box of tampons.

 

“Oh, hon.” He bent down to help her up.  “I’m so sorry.  We’ll try again next month.  Practice makes perfect, you know.”  He laughed, but Vi knew it was forced.

 

“I’m such a failure.  You should’ve married someone else.”  She was sobbing so hard he had trouble understanding the words.

 

“Vi, you can’t keep doing this to yourself every time.  It’ll happen, just give it time.”  He led her into the bedroom.  Sitting on the edge of the bed with her, he kissed her forehead and wiped her nose with the towel. “Now, get your nightgown and robe on, and come out for supper.  I love you.”

 

“I know.  I love you, too.  I’ll be out in a minute.” 

 

The next few weeks were a gardener’s dream.  Warm, sunny days with gentle evening rains encouraged growth all around.  Trees were fully leafed out; the yard was so green it almost hurt the eyes to look at it.  Birds were now flying with bugs in their mouths to feed their young.

 

“Vi, come look!”  Gil called from the yard.

 

“What is it?”  She was kneading bread and didn’t want to leave it.

 

“You have to see the garden.  I think we have a winner!”

 

Vi wiped her hands and walked out to join him.  The rows of tender green shoots stood out against the black soil like stripes on a flag.  Tears came to her eyes as she looked at the scene.  “Well, we’re going to have lots and lots of vegetables, aren’t we?”

 

Gil just smiled.

 

* *

 

That fall, the phone rang just as Vi was setting the timer on another canner full of green beans. 

 

“Hello,” she said.  “Who?  What did you say?  Please repeat that.”  She was having trouble breathing.  “Are you sure?  When?  Where?  OK.  We’ll be there!”

 

          She hung up the phone and stared at it.  This can’t be happening.  I’m dreaming.  We’ve waited so long.  No, they wouldn’t call and lie to her.  They’re a reputable agency.  Where was Gil?  Oh my God, I think I’m going to be sick.  She ran for the bathroom.

 

“Honey, here’s some more corn.  I have it all shucked.  Do you want me to cut it off the cob?”  Gil put the pail down.  “Honey, where are you?”

 

“In here.  In the bathroom.”

 

“What are you doing. . . oh my God, are you OK?  What happened?”

 

She was still retching into the sink.  “They . . . called.”  She said between spasms.

 

“Who?”  He didn’t know what to do to help her.

 

“The agency.”  She splashed some cold water on her face.  The spasms were subsiding.  “Gil, they have a baby for us.  He’s 6 weeks old, and we can pick him up tomorrow.”

 

He sat down on the edge of the tub.  “Oh, honey.  Dreams do come true.”

 

“Gil, I’m so nervous.  What if he doesn’t like me?”

 

“Hon, he will LOVE you!  You’re going to be the best mother ever!”  Gil stood up and put his arms around her.

 

 In the mirror, Vi could see the smile Gil’s face.  I’m sure going to try.  Yes, Lord, I will try my best with your help!