Mandi Bean

Soil

The hand trowel sunk into the soil smoothly, creating a satisfying sort of shushing sound, a soft crunch of soil that was like music to Alexandra's ears. It was one of her favorite parts of gardening, just being out in the sunshine, solitary, with only the sounds of labor and nature to distract her from her own thoughts. Lex, as she was called by her family and friends, had always known her heart was rooted deep in the soil of the earth and that she was happiest on her knees in the dirt. Hell, if it wasn’t frowned upon by her clients and customers, she’d forego her gloves and proudly display a thick, black line of dirt beneath her fingernails that were always too short to be manicured. At first, her loved ones had been concerned when she told them her aspirations of being a professional gardener, wondering what kind of life she signed up for. But she was happy and fulfilled. She was a pretty positive person and didn’t get too bitter too often, not until the sun was hot on her back and the sweat made her tee shirt cling uncomfortably to her slick skin while the owner of the property shamelessly sunned herself by the massive in-ground pool.