In the Garden

"Rita..."

At the sound of the voice, Rita stood up quickly and spun on her heels, her heart beating with recognition. He stood by her fence, partially obscured by the large plants.

Jimmy looked at her through the branches, his large gray eyes making his face appear so small. She was by his side before he could say any more.

"Jimmy! What're you doing here? Where's your mother?"

He looked up at Rita and then down at the ground, his small hand resting on the railing. Rita had to kneel to look into his face, and when he glanced back up at her, his own little face was angry. "I ran away."


He was so small for his age, and so careful and cautious. Rita leaned back on her heels slightly. It was their day to visit the village, so Vivian had to be nearby. In her own way, she would be worried, but Rita was more concerned for Jimmy first.

She reached out her hand for him, encouraging him to follow her through the fence and into the garden. "Well, I'm glad you stopped by because I have something for you."

His face opened again, the eyes widening. "For me?"

Rita smiled, blinking her tears back. "I saw it and thought of you."

He slid through the fence and took her offered hand. The two of them walked together into the back door of the bar. Frank didn't exactly approve of Rita's friendship with Vivian or her concern for Jimmy. It didn't stop her, and he knew it. But she wasn't about to start a fight with him. They would be quick. Just a quick stop, and then Rita would take Jimmy off to find Vivian, hopefully happier than when he appeared.

Upstairs, in the living quarters, Rita had Jimmy wait while she dug the small gift from its hiding place. She pressed it into his hands then stepped back to watch him.


Jimmy held it in both his hands, one finger spinning the wheel. He looked up at her, his eyes large and shiny. "What is it?"

Of course he wouldn't know what one was-- very few were still in use. But nothing said boy's toy more than a small car. "It's something from when I was a kid. People used to use them to get from place to place." She gently showed him how it rolled along the ground.

Jimmy watched it, then gave it a try himself before giving a small laugh that Rita wished she could hold onto forever. She grabbed onto the sound of it, repeating it over and over in her mind until she would burn the memory in. Rita was determined to never lose this moment.

"I can keep it?" He held it in both of his hands, his eyes so wide he looked absolutely shocked.

"Of course. It's a gift from me to you."


Jimmy smiled again, all trace of the angry boy he had been ten minutes before, completely gone. "Wow!" He sat down on the ground and held the toy car in the air to look at it closely.

Rita let him for a few minutes. They had to go find his mother. She knew that. But each moment of joy from him was an extra layer she could add to the memory. If they could only stay there all afternoon.

The door opened and Frank walked in with a deep frown. Before Rita could think of what to say in her defense, Vivian walked into the room.


"Oh god, Jimmy. Don't ever do that to me again!"

The boy jumped up, his face twisted with anger. He hopped away from her, glaring at her with the toy car still clutched in his hand. "No, I wanna stay here. I don't wanna go with you."


Frank crossed his arms, his eyes on Rita. She wanted to defend Jimmy and fight to keep him, but she knew it was impossible. The village wouldn't allow Jimmy to stay. He was the son of the second in command of the tribe. No one would want to get involved and risk the wrath of the tribe, especially such a large and dangerous man.


Vivian faced her. "What did you do? What did you say to him to make him act like this?"

Rita took a step back, her hands in the air. "Me?" Jimmy stepped back, closer to Rita, and slid the toy car into his back pocket. "I didn't tell him anything. Maybe you should try asking him why he would say such things."

Jimmy was still angry. Rita had never seen him this way before. He stayed between the two woman and faced his mother. His tiny shoulders trembled with all the venom contained inside his body. At the sight of him, Frank's arms uncrossed.

Rita knelt down, putting her hands on Jimmy's shaking shoulders. His eyes were on the ground, his tiny mouth turned down. Rita tried to calm him with a smile, but she knew she failed. She didn't know what to say to any of them.


Jimmy caught her eye. He still looked angry though the shaking had stopped. He reached over and hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear, "I love you." She patted him on his back, rubbing between his shoulder blades. The words were stuck, not even in her throat. They were words that weren't fully formed yet in her head. She loved him too as if he were her son and letting him go with Vivian was impossible. There was no way Rita would be able to encourage him to go.

Tears stuck on her lashes. Jimmy pulled back and mumbled to his mother. "I'll go now."

Vivian snatched for his arm, but he moved quickly, twisting his hand away from her. He stepped away first, leading the way out the door and down the stairs. Vivian gave one last glare back at Rita before following after him.

She was drained. Her body shook. Frank didn't speak. He shook his head and shut the door to head back down to the bar.



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