Read Online Jennifer's Garden by Dianne Venetta - Free Book Online Page A

suggested, “If you’re ready we can head to the back.”
    “Around this way,” she said, her mind still buzzing with images of fountains and flowers.  Curious to what he would propose next, she led him to the pool area via the driveway.
    “Those Oaks are some real beauties.”
    She followed the direction of his finger.   “They are lovely,” she agreed, steering her line of thought to one of the few positives, at the moment.
    As Jackson rounded the corner and stopped dead.  The smile dropped from his face.  “That’s depressing.”
    Jennifer sighed.  It was one of the things she hated most about moving in before the landscaping was finished.  Like living in limbo, it was incomplete; a mix of beauty and waste.
    A disorganized mess.  She frowned.  “The same contractor who remodeled the house built the pool, so naturally they were completed together.”
     “Not to worry.”  Jackson shrugged off the brief dip into negative territory and his smile was back.  “We’ll get this yard in shape before you know it!” 
    If only she felt as certain.
    “Does that wall run along your property line?”
    “Yes,” she confessed.  Like being seen without makeup, he was observing her yard at its worst, particularly the huge blemish—the ugly, cracked back wall.  “Unfortunately.  It’s an awful eyesore.  The workers cleared the weeds from it and found the stucco is in need of serious repair.  They’re scheduled to fix it next week and then I plan on painting it the same color as the house, maybe put a bench or something in front of it.”
    She turned to him for his reaction, almost woeful at the prospect.  “I could tear it down, if you think it might help.”
    Jackson looked aghast.  “Oh no, that’s a definite asset!”
    She scrunched her brow.  “ Asset ?  How on earth do you figure?”
    His expression brightened.  “I’d like to put in a wall fountain, surrounded by colorful Spanish tiles and a half round basin on the ground.  About midway up.”  Once again, his hands were working through the air as he seemed to be thinking on his feet, encouraging her to envision the project.  “A splash ledge, maybe in the shape of a giant clam shell.”  He made a wavy motion with his hands.  “Keep it simple, but elegant.”  He looked to her as though seeking confirmation.
    Jennifer squinted, trying to imagine it as he described.  “You like fountains,” she said dully.  While she considered herself a positive person, she found it hard to match his enthusiasm.  Living with this mess took a toll on one’s outlook.
    “I love fountains.  Water is good for the soul,” he said, words flowing from him like a river of poetry.  “It’s a powerful cleansing force that heals anything from stress to illness and everything in between.  For added texture, we can place some climbing fig on either end.”  He paused, as though waiting for her to catch up.  “It makes for an attractive, dense wall covering.”
    As the sun eased past the treetops, she raised a hand to shield her eyes.  The artist in her was embarrassed she couldn’t keep up with his vision.  Intricate, emotion-provoking, it was clear his ideas for the property were superior to her own.
    “The pool is a good size, the shape simple.”  A rectangle with inverted corners.  “Gets plenty of sunlight—an important thing to consider, as it dictates the mood of the pool.”  Jackson flashed an approving smile.  “And a pool full of sunshine is like a party on demand!”
    Yes, she nodded, thinking absolutely not.  This was to be her sanctuary, not party central.
    He curled a finger around his lips.  “I like the paver pool deck.  It coordinates well with the driveway and roof, and the keystone coping completes the look.  I see a couple of statues at the far corners.”  He pointed out the imaginary fixtures.  “Some small cherubs, nothing elaborate, or maybe some lions.”
    He framed the area with his hands again, a