Spring, Year 3, Month 3

Sue Blanchard had never counted herself lucky. She had earned her spot in society by working hard, being generous, and seeking out those who needed help and friendship. It helped that her husband was the youngest of a very old Boston family with a significant inheritance but Sue never let that fact make her seek a comfortable life. She sought to make a name for herself, despite her husband's connections.

But on the day of the dedication, Sue would have considered herself very lucky, blessed even. Granted, she had passed away three years before the dedication was held but if she was still alive, all she would have talked about that day was how warm it was, wasn't the sun just beautiful, and couldn't you just feel that it was going to be an early spring, couldn't you just feel it?

The Sue Blanchard Rose Garden was officially opened March 15th,. So was it's dedication. During that time in the year, Boston had a forty percent chance of a blizzard, another forty percent chance of a rainstorm, and only a twenty percent chance of sunshine. Not only did Sue get sunshine, but she also got warm and a balmy breeze that came up from the south. It was an unseasonably warm March day when all her friends, family, and loved ones gathered at a small city park, set in the heart of downtown Somerville, just on the outskirts of Boston, to celebrate her life and memory.

Reeve was almost tempted to remove her sweater the sun was so warm. The cool mist floating off the fountain where it stood bubbling in the center of the park kept the light pink cardigan on her shoulders. All around her, it looked like Easter had come early. The trees were still bare and the roses that the garden was supposed to be filled with hadn't yet thought it time to peak out from their hibernation but a few brave snowdrops were littering the ground in a soft white. A few little purple flowers were holding their heads proudly a scant three inches off the ground, stretching towards the sun.

The host of people who had turned out in honor of Sue were decked out as if it were Easter morning. Even Reeve had dug through the boxes of her old clothes currently clogging up her living room to find the recital dress Sue had purchased for her almost ten years ago. It fit, hanging loose on the hips where it should have been tight, it's bright pink roses folding upon themselves on Reeve's scant frame. She had even found the matching cardigan and flats.

She had only ever worn the outfit once, for a recital performance Sue threw together her sophomore year. Sue had insisted she buy Reeve just the right dress for the event and picked out the most girlish thing Reeve had ever owned.

But it felt wrong to attend the ceremony in anything else.

Reeve was surrounded by faces she knew, the older members of her mother's church showing up in droves. Their group maxed out the center of the park, leaving room on the perimeter for the local families that had shown up to enjoy the warm weather. There were kids playing catch on the grass and moms chatting on the benches that wound along the edge.

But the fountain was the main attraction and it was around that that Sue's old friends had gathered. The pastor gave a long speech, recalling to everyone's mind Sue's constant smile, her sharp tongue, and her endless generosity. When he finished, one of Sue's children said a few words of thanks, and the service was over.

Reeve moved instinctively to the edges of the crowd watching as people mingled, the crowd slowly dispersing and heading for a reception hall nearby where a lavish lunch was being served. She watched her mom as she smiled and chatted with all her friends, greeting all the Blanchard children with tight hugs, commenting on how big all the grandchildren had grown.

Among the crowd, a head of dark blonde hair caught her attention and Reeve found she couldn't pull it away once it did.

Noah stood on the opposite side of the crowd, standing along the fringes as well. He stood with his hands clasped in front of him, smiling and nodding, shaking the few hands that reached out to greet him.

He wasn't alone. He stood beside a man much older than him with dark black and silver hair, his dark-skinned wrinkled with age. All of Noah's interactions were hand-me-downs from the man standing next to him, the people's acknowledgment of him a second thought, a courtesy.Â

But he didn't seem to mind. He stood straight, with a light of pride in his eyes as he tried to keep his smile at the appropriate brightness. But Reeve caught it widening every time he got a chance to look around him, taking in the beauty of the park surrounding them.

"Who are you staring at?"

Dani's question pulled Reeve's attention from across the park, her heart racing as she recovered from the small shock of her sister's sudden appearance.

"What?"

"I said who are you staring at?"

Dani stood on the tops of her toes, a few inches shorter than Reeve, and needing to stand on tiptoe to look over the crowd of heads to look in the direction Reeve had just been staring.

"Who's that?"

"Who's who?"

"That. The guy you were just staring at."

Dani pointed straight at Noah and Reeve had to pull her hand down to get her to stop before he noticed. He hadn't looked in her direction once so far but Reeve wasn't going to risk detection.

"Stop that. I don't know who you're talking about."

"Okay. Try telling that to your face."

Reeve could feel her face heating up. She had never been good at lying and had never successfully lied to Dani. Ever.

"Do you remember that guy I told you about from Christmas?"

Reeve had dropped her voice down several decibels in hopes that Dani would follow suit and not drawn any attention from those nearby to their conversation.

"The guy from the cafe who helped you calm down from your panic attack."

"You could have such said 'the guy from the cafe'."

"I was trying to be specific."

"Have there been other guys from the cafe?"

"No. You should go talk to him."

"What? Now?"

"If you won't, I will."

Reeve had to grab Dani's arm and hold her in place. She could see it in her sister's eyes that it was no empty threat.

"Don't. You. Dare. Oh, look! There's Mom! Didn't you say you were going to go help her set up the reception? It's probably time to go do that now."

Before Dani could move even a step in Noah's direction, Reeve shoved her in the direction of their approaching mother, promising to catch up with them at the reception.

Reeve let out a long breath when Dani finally succumbed but stared pointedly at Reeve over her shoulder and mouthed 'Talk to him.' Reeve shook her head and mouth 'No' and Dani rolled her eyes before disappearing through the entrance made up of tall rod-iron gates.

Reeve stayed along the sidelines while the rest of the crowd slowly made their way towards the exit. She chatted briefly with the few people that came up to say hi, bending down to receive kisses from some of the church's oldest members, offering a cheek in greeting.

Finally, she found herself the last of the group, the rest of the park now scattered with regular city-dwellers. Reeve made her way to the fountain, standing in front of the brass plaque set along the marble edge.

It read 'In Memory of Sue Marie Blanchard, For Her Kindness, Her Generosity and Her Spirit. May She Always Remain Timeless.'

Reeve smiled at that last word, finding a tear had escaped and rolled down her cheek. She had a feeling that word was to replace the dates of her birth and her death, to keep people from knowing her real age. She must have been seventy when Reeve met her but instead of admitting to a real age, she simply referred to herself timeless. And timeless she was.

It seemed it was only yesterday Sue approached Reeve and her mother after church, offering free vocal lessons. Reeve had had a solo that morning during the service and Sue saw in her 'massive potential', as she used to say. She was the first person outside her family who helped Reeve cultivate her musical abilities.

She wasn't a trained vocal coach, as Reeve soon found out. But she had been trained vocally when she was younger, so had her sister who went on to become a marginally famous opera singer. What Sue didn't know, she figured out as they went along.

Reeve had spent countless hours, standing beside her grand piano in her large empty ballroom, feet planted, chest wide, singing to the rafters while Sue yelled at her to 'Project!' and 'Breathe from your diaphragm, not from your lungs!'

She had missed Sue's funeral because she was in Australia on tour. It was yet another night that she cried herself to sleep that tour. And at that moment, Reeve felt so acutely the need to see Sue again. To see her grandmother. But knew it would be a while before she'd see either of them again.

The sound of splashing water forced Reeve to wipe the tears from her face and turn away.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I just had to check something."

Reeve turned back at the sound of Noah's voice. But his back was turned to her as he was leaning over the edge of the fountain, his sleeve rolled up and his arm plunged into the water.

"Oh. Hi."

"Hi. I was just checking the filtration system. It was supposed to be the best on the market but I think it's already clogging.

Noah stood, his eyebrows drown, his arm dripping wet. He extended his hand towards her, then thought twice about it and shook it dry as best he could instead.

"That's not good."

"No. But I'll get it fixed. Can't let the fountain run dirty. The estate would have our necks."

"Did you know Sue?"

"Sue?"

Noah looked at her with a confused expression. Reeve nodded down at the plaque.

"Oh!" Comprehension came rushing into his face. "Mrs. Blanchard. No. I didn't. Although I would have liked to. She seemed a popular lady for having drawn herself such a crowd."

"She was. Sue was friends with everybody. She seemed to collect them. She liked introducing people to each other, creating connections."

"She sounds like she was a wonderful woman."

"She was."

Reeve swallowed to keep her voice steady.

"Why were you checking the filter?"

She said something before a pause arose or Noah could make a move to leave.

"It was put in last minute. I just wanted to check to see if it was working properly."

"Did you build this?"

Reeve looked up at the fountain where it towered high overhead. A few degrees colder and the water would have frozen in its pipes. Reeve was sure it was only on for the occasion as winter was still far from over, despite the unseasonably warm day.

"The fountain, no. We ordered that. But my firm did build this park."

Reeve looked around.

"All of it?"

"It was my project, actually. I headed it up."

"You're a landscaper."

"Landscape architect, technically. I work for the firm Foreman and Birch in the city. The Blanchard estate hired us to build this park."

"You did a wonderful job."

"Thank you."

That look of pride was back, along with the broad stance and wide smile. He wasn't keeping it in check for Reeve.

"Would you show me around?"

Reeve didn't want him to go and she didn't want to leave yet either. It was the only reason she could think of on that spot that would keep their conversation going.

"Sure. I'd love to."

Noah led the way as he showed her around the small city park. There wasn't far to go but Reeve kept her pace slowly, forcing Noah to do the same.

Around the long stretch of grass, past the fountain, a long corridor of arches wrapped itself along the perimeter of the park in a long u-shape. The temperature was lower along the walkway and Reeve was grateful for her sweater.

If she shivered, Noah didn't notice. He was telling her about all the types of roses they had planted along the walkway, how the latticework overhead would let in just enough light for them to bloom but that they would be protected from hot breezes during the summer and the snow in the winter.

Reeve didn't say anything while he talked, happy to listen to all the minute details that had gone into honoring Sue's memory. It felt as though anything less would have been disrespectful.

Halfway through their slow-moving trek along the u-shaped pathway, Noah ran out of the logistics it took into building a park in the city versus in a less-populated area and started asking Reeve about Sue. Reeve was more than happy to talk. His job and Sue offered neutral territory for conversation.

Reeve told him all she could remember. How Sue had grown up here in Somerville but moved to a large mansion on the nicer side of Reeve's hometown when she got married. She had grown up poor, working odd jobs to help support her family and younger siblings. She fell in love with a young man from Beacon Hill, the youngest of one of Boston's oldest families. The family had not approved and it had taken them years after the wedding to finally let Sue into the fold. And when they finally did, she couldn't have cared less.

She used her connections and wealth to help the less fortunate. She was generous with her time and her energy. At her death, her house had been donated to a local foundation and converted to a battered woman's shelter.

Reeve grew comfortable enough to talk about her own relationship with Sue. How she had taught her how to sing and get the most out of her voice. How she had taught her to perform, making her recite long passages from Shakespeare to her household staff until Reeve felt comfortable in front of a crowd.

It was only while talking about it with Noah that Reeve realized how much Sue had given her the tools she needed to be the performer she had become.

She was aware of the other gifts Sue had given her. Reeve talked about Sue's love to connect people, about the large dinners she used to have, inviting people from all different walks of life, from all different parts of the city, and a letting them mingle. Reeve had met musicians at those dinners, club and bar owners, people who would later give her a chance to perform when she finally took her music seriously.

And now Sue was performing one last connection, bringing Reeve and Noah together again.

They walked through the rod-iron gates, stepping back into the little city and out of the garden. Reality rushed back in along with a cool wind that came with the late hour.

"Thank you. For creating all of this."

Noah nodded.

"Happy to do it."

"I didn't get to say goodbye. When she passed."

Reeve wasn't sure why she was saying this but felt it needed to be said.

"I was on the other side of the world and couldn't make it back for the funeral."

"You finally got to say goodbye."

Reeve looked back at the fountain.

"Yeah. I did."

A/N:

The park in this chapter is based off of the Norman Levinthal park in Boston.

One summer's day, many years ago, I spent three hours sitting on a bench watching people enjoy the park, watching kids play in the fountain.

It's one of the most beautiful spots in the city. If you don't believe me, Google it and check it out for yourself.