Under the Garden Tree

By Mary Gant Bell

Tracy has some difficult choices to make, choices that will impact not only her future, but the future of other people as well. Will she take the easy route and make the decision that all of her friends believe is best for her? Or will she choose to be wild and adventurous with the man everyone believes will ruin her life? Tracy is not convinced that her friends know what kind of life she really dreams of having. Then again, Tracy herself might not even know! Join Tracy on her journey to discover her future as well as herself.
Under the Garden Tree is book 1 of the Under the Garden Tree series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781716076107

Book preview

Chapter 1

On beautiful days like today, Tracy longed for a career that allowed her to be outdoors from dawn to dusk. The sky shown so blue and clear. The breeze gently lifted her hair. The birds soared playfully in the air. Even the flowers appeared to be dancing in the wind just for her pleasure.

Tracy settled into her car and left the parking lot of her office building. As she prepared to dial Paul’s number, her phone rang.

Are you ready for the weekend, Girl? Nikki’s bright and slightly mischievous voice greeted Tracy’s ear.

Of course, I’m ready. I’m a good girl and always prepared for anything, Tracy answered. Tracy had met Nikki in grade school. They had been best friends and inseparable ever since.

Good girls are boring. Haven’t I always told you that? Nikki smirked. I suppose you are on your way to your weekly dinner with your in-laws.

I am driving to Robert and Catherine’s estate for our weekly cigars and cognac by the fireplace, Tracy replied in a pompous voice. They are not my in-laws yet, and you know it. You know I don’t like it when you make fun of them. They are the sweetest people on the planet. They even like you.

Yes, they really are the nicest people on the planet, Nikki agreed with a heavy sigh. You have all the luck. Landing the most eligible bachelor in the county and snagging the loveliest in-laws to boot. Are you sure they don’t have any skeletons in their closets? No long-lost mistresses or black sheep siblings that no one talks about in polite company?

Tracy laughed. Well, if no one talks about them, how would I know?

So, when are you and Paul going to set a date for the wedding? What’s the hold up?

"I’m waiting for you to get a boyfriend so you’ll have a date for the wedding. You are the one holding it up.

Tracy did not like discussing her wedding plans. It was like a small pebble stuck in her shoe. She could still walk with it there, but life was not as comfortable. If she were actually engaged to be married, perhaps the pebble would not feel quite so much like a boulder.

"Silly girl. You have it all mixed up. Weddings are where you meet the men, not where you take the men. All that romance and misty-eyed business. Men are suckers for that sort of thing."

I can hear you snarling over the phone, Nikki. You really need to embrace your feminine side one of these days. No man is going to want to date you when your claws are so sharp and visible. Find your inner diva and flaunt it to the world, Tracy encouraged with a tad bit of mocked seriousness.

Enough of that. Can we please get back to the reason I called? pleaded Nikki.

I thought you just wanted to hear my voice.

Right. That, too. Seriously, is everything set for our girl’s night tomorrow? You aren’t going to back out at the last minute like you did last time. Surely you can have a night off to let your hair down.

Yes, yes, and yes. I have not forgotten. I will be there with a permission slip safety-pinned to my shirt. Please let me bring something though. You never let me contribute anything.

If I let you bring something, we’ll end up eating tofu and eggplant rolled into a lettuce wrap with organic raspberry lemonade as our only drink option. I want real food, so I will do the shopping.

Whatever! Tracy laughed. Now you have me hungry. Tofu and eggplant rolled in lettuce wraps sounds yummy right about now.

Instead you go to your in-law’s house where their personal chef will prepare something worthy of a state dinner at the White House, Nikki complained.

You are always welcome to join us. You know that.

I’m not sure they would appreciate that. I’m covered in paint and haven’t washed my hair today. I’m not sure the butler would let me past the front door. He would probably hose me off like a dog.

You know you are welcome anytime, Tracy assured Nikki. You know they love you, paint and all.

Well, they do have one of my oils in their dining room, so I guess they appreciate my talent at least.

Nikki, look. I’m here now. I need to hang up. Are you sure I can’t bring any tofu tomorrow?

Nope, just your pretty face. Now go be the perfect daughter-in-law-in-waiting and tell everyone I said hello.

Of course. See you tomorrow, Tracy chirped as she disconnected the call and gracefully swung out of her car.

Good evening, Ms. Tracy, intoned Thomas, the butler, as he opened the door for her. The family is gathered in the front room.

Thank you, Thomas. Am I late? I hope they have not been waiting for me.

No, they have not been waiting. I’m sure all of your questions will be answered shortly, Thomas responded.

Oh, now you have that look that makes me nervous, Thomas, Tracy grinned playfully.

Thomas only smiled and gave a slight bow. Tracy could not help wondering if the formalities of this family would wear thin in the years to come. But they are such gracious people. Kind, caring, and generous. They had taken Tracy into the fold as one of their own at a time when she so desperately needed family. Tracy turned into the front room while stifling a sigh and pasting a public smile on her private thoughts.

Robert, the family patriarch, was immediately on his feet, moving toward Tracy with a welcoming hug. Robert’s embrace was formal, but also compassionate and sincere. It felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around her on a cold, winter’s day. Tracy welcomed his embrace while a quiet, nagging voice tickled her ear with doubt and worry. Will this feel claustrophobic after twenty years?

Catherine, the matriarch of the family, did not rise, but her greeting was personal in her own way. She was more formal, more reserved than her husband. Tracy always believed that if Catherine’s inner emotions were set free, she might be like a small puppy when its master came home after a long day apart. Perhaps that is why she controls her physical responses when greeting people. Nikki called Catherine the Ice Princess and thought Tracy was crazy to believe Catherine had any emotions at all. Sometimes Tracy worried that Nikki was right. Still, Tracy continued to trust that Catherine was all heart and was simply careful not to show it.

Tracy, my dear, I’m so glad to see you. You are the sunshine on a cloudy day now, aren’t you? That suit looks divine on you. That particular shade of blue really draws out the color of your eyes, and the cut really flatters your figure. I think you should buy twenty more like it. One in every color they make, Catherine suggested from her brocade winged-back chair by the window. The way the evening sunlight came into the room almost made it appear that Catherine had a halo.

Hello, Catherine, Tracy greeted Catherine and exchanged air kisses on their right cheeks. Tracy never understood why Catherine insisted on the right cheek. Even as she thought this, Tracy admonished herself to stop picking apart the details tonight. She had a delightful life. The Webbers were wonderful people. She was part of this family, even though Paul had yet to put a ring on her finger, and she loved her job. Why was she dissecting the particulars? Perhaps it was a good thing that tomorrow night was girl’s night with Nikki. Tracy was ready to relax for a while.

The last person in the room to approach Tracy was Paul, her intended. As the most junior member of the family, he was trained to wait his turn while his parents offered their greetings first. Even though they dined together regularly and claimed to have a wonderful relationship, the formalities still remained.

Hello, Princess! Paul received Tracy with a smile that was genuinely heartfelt and personal.

Tracy wondered if that was the trained warm and personal smile that Paul had been taught since his toddler years to give to his future wife. Tracy mentally kicked herself, yet again, for thinking such ideas. What brought all of this up now? Why were all these routine and normal things getting under her skin today?

To avoid dwelling on those questions, Tracy focused instead on asking Catherine about her upcoming charity event. Paul and Robert were chatting about some work issues, leaving the ladies free to catch up on their own news. Technically, Tracy acted as co-chair with Catherine for this event. Since Catherine had hired a battalion of people to handle the details, there was very little that Tracy, or Catherine for that matter, would actually have to do.

As Catherine reviewed the plans for the event, Tracy’s mind wandered to how her life had gotten to this point. Considering her past and all that she had overcome in her childhood, this meticulously-appointed drawing room in a mansion (well, a mansion compared to her childhood home) in the finest neighborhood in town was the last place she ever imagined she would be. Yet here she sat. And they considered her part of their family, part of their future. Would she and Paul own a home similar to this one day? Would she be the matron of a glorious house ten years from now? Would her future daughter-in-law work on her charity events with her like Tracy did with Catherine?

Funny. This is the first time Tracy had ever considered what her home would look like after she and Paul were married. People often questioned her about why they had not set a wedding date yet. There was constant chatter about the wedding day itself. But what came after the wedding? Tracy had never seriously planned that part. Did the fact that she had never envisioned their future together mean she was not ready to marry Paul after all?

Tracy? came the far-away voice of Catherine. Tracy, Dear, are you all right? You suddenly turned very pale. We can change the color of the tablecloths if that is what you want now, can’t we? It’s not too late.

Tracy mentally shook her head in the hopes of shaking those nagging questions out of her mind. Yes, Catherine. I’m fine. I was thinking of something else for a moment. I apologize for not being more attentive. I’m sure the tablecloths you’ve selected will be perfect.

Tracy was not entirely sure that her fake smile was convincing, but Catherine let it pass.

Think nothing of it, Dear. You simply work too hard and have too many things on your plate right now. After this event, you and Paul can think of nothing else but the details of your wedding, Catherine assured her as she patted Tracy’s hand. Her touch was warm and comforting.

If that warmth could reach Tracy’s heart, the fairytale might become reality.

Chapter 2

As Tracy dressed for her girl’s night at Nikki’s, she could not help but notice the difference between the dinner last night with Paul’s parents and how this evening would be with Nikki. Tracy had no doubt that the Webber’s cared for Nikki. They were as paternal toward her as Nikki would allow. The difference in the social classes of the two, however, was striking. Nikki was raised by middle class people who valued hard work and an honest day’s wages. The Webber family had employed servants for generations and rarely did any household chores on their own. Tracy could not remember seeing Catherine, Robert, or Paul for that matter, ever having dirt on their hands. It simply was not done in their family.

Nikki, on the other hand, was always covered with a layer of something. It was rare to see her without paint on her hands or clothes. Since Nikki was an artist, this was not much of a stretch. When the artist turned in her brushes for clay or papier-mâché, heaven only knows what sorts of things you might find in the cuff of her sleeves. Tracy always marveled at the beauty that Nikki could create using things that other people called trash. Her talent for finding and restoring beauty to discarded items was inspiring.

Tracy was tempted to pack her own snacks for the evening. Nikki claimed she would provide everything, as she normally did, but chips and popcorn were not what Tracy considered nourishment. In the end, she decided to take her chances. How bad could cardboard food be for your body if you only ate it on girl’s nights with your best friend? It’s not like she ate that way every day.

When Tracy pulled into Nikki’s driveway, she heard the music blasting even before she got out of the car. Typical Nikki. She insisted she could think better when the music was loud. Nikki was lucky that her neighbors were not extremely close to her house or she might have a problem. Tracy enjoyed Nikki’s choice of music but preferred the quiet sounds of nature when given the choice.

And my girl is right on time. Like she always is, observed Nikki as Tracy opened the door. They could set the world’s clock by you and not be off by one second.

Tracy automatically aimed for the right cheek. Since Nikki was Nikki, she planted a big one on her nose before Tracy could turn her head. Tracy smiled and silently appreciated her friend’s spontaneous and heart-felt greeting. Things were definitely more relaxed here than at the Webber’s home.

Even as Tracy thought that, Nikki asked, Why are you dressed up, Tracy? Are you going somewhere else after you leave here tonight? I was hoping you would stay awhile so that we could catch up on everything?

Of course. I’m staying until the wee hours of the morning. I don’t have anywhere else to go. This is casual. Anything more casual and I would be in my pajamas.

What a great idea, Nikki agreed with a grin. Let me loan you some of my pajamas so that you can get comfortable like us regular people do. Seriously. Look at how you are dressed. Perfectly fitting skinny jeans cuffed to just the right length, pretty red heels that make your legs look a mile high, a silk blouse, pearls around your neck, and matching earrings in your ears. That stunning red belt coordinates with your shoes. And you call that casual? Seriously? You could be on a magazine cover, and you think it’s casual for my house? Amazing.

The only part of that I choose to hear is that I am amazing, Tracy said over her shoulder as she headed toward the fridge. What do you want to drink?

I’ll have a strawberry wine cooler, please, Nikki yelled from the other room. She returned with a pair of worn and tattered-looking sweat pants and a sweatshirt with more than a few holes in it. Here. Put these on and be truly comfortable for one night. I promise not to take any pictures and ruin your image.

Tracy held up the items that Nikki claimed were pieces of clothing with a look of dismay. On some level, she was very tempted. When she first met Nikki, they were exactly what she would have worn to a girl’s night. Without question or hesitation. Things were different now. Not different between Nikki and her. She could always count on Nikki. Even so, Tracy’s life had taken a turn at some point, and now there was an image to maintain. Nikki was right about that. The question was, however, how did Tracy truly feel about that?

What gives, Tracy? Nikki gently prodded. I haven’t seen that look in your eyes for years. Talk to me.

What look? I don’t have any particular look.

Nikki poured all the compassion she could find into her face and patiently held eye contact with Tracy. They were best friends and had been for years. Nikki could tell there was something bubbling in that heart of her dearest friend. Now she just had to wait for it to boil over and see how she could support the woman who used to be her partner in crime.

Chapter 3

As Tracy paced the room, still in her own clothes but minus the heels, Nikki patiently waited for her to settle enough to spill her guts. Nikki could tell it would eventually come out by the way Tracy’s face was moving and straining to decide how much to tell all at once. It was as if her mouth was searching for the right words by chewing the air that would breathe them.

Finally, Tracy stopped and threw Nikki a look that said, here it comes.

I don’t know what to say, but you are right. I’m unsettled. How do I get my heart to tell my head what it is feeling and then direct me what to do about it?

Well, you know you can tell me anything. Your secrets are safe with me. We’ve known each other so long that I probably already know what you are going to say. So out with it. You’ll feel better after you do.

If you already know, why don’t you tell me, begged Tracy. It feels like I really don’t know. Why isn’t this information in the owner’s manual of life?

Is that the problem? There’s no manual? You have to figure it out on your own? Nikki questioned.

I suppose that is part of it. You know how I hate making mistakes, admitted Tracy. I just cannot figure out which part is the mistake. It seems like I am right where I always wanted to be at this point in my life. Why is the thing that I wanted most the same thing that makes me unsettled once I have it?

Are you feeling like you don’t want to marry Paul? Is that why you haven’t set a wedding date yet?

How did you know this was about Paul? Tracy asked.

BFF super powers, of course. Nikki popped a grape in her mouth.

The fact that we don’t have a date selected has more to do with Robert and Catherine’s busy schedules than my heart, whined Tracy.

Is that all it is?

I suppose not. I can admit to you, and you alone, that I am confused about why Paul has not forced the issue with his parents. Why hasn’t he been promoting the idea that our wedding … our future and our happiness … should come before yet another one of their numerous charity events? I guess I understand why Robert and Catherine are not worried about it. They consider us married already, regardless of when the actual wedding date is. But Paul? Why hasn’t Paul been more aggressive about getting our future started? Does he even want to marry me? Is he hoping that delaying the wedding will drive me away so that he does not have to be the one to end it? What if he doesn’t truly love me enough to challenge the rules of his parents’ lifestyle?

Tracy heaved a heavy sigh and then held her breath long enough for Nikki to snap to the fact that Tracy was not done with her list of doubts yet.

And … Nikki prompted.

Tears gathered in Tracy’s eyes while courage collected in her heart to express her final concern. What if he doesn’t find me attractive?

These words released Tracy’s tears…. and Nikki’s anger.

Tracy Renee Poplar, don’t you even go there. I will not allow any man…not even Perfect Paul…to make you feel that you are not beautiful or worthy of his love.

Nikki’s voice left no room for doubt that she was dead serious about that. Now it was Nikki’s turn to pace.

Come on, Nikki. Don’t tell me that you haven’t wondered that, too, Tracy implored. You’ve made comments about how come he never kisses me on the lips or why he hugs me like we were business contacts. If you noticed, why is it such a stretch that I noticed, too?

I know. Since you two are basically ‘courting’ and not dating, maybe he thinks that is how you want to be treated. Have you ever asked him? What does he say when you ask him about setting a wedding date? What would he do if you tried to lay a suggestive kiss with a promise attached on his lips? Seriously, what would he do? Have you ever tried?

I think you know the answer to that question.

Why don’t you try it sometime and see what happens? Nikki decided to switch from grapes to chocolate and sat down with a bag of cookies.

Nikki, I don’t think one juicy kiss is going to make the difference in the long run. I need some serious answers here. Help me! Tracy begged.

Tracy, you are the only one who can know if marrying Paul is right for you. And I’m very sorry to tell you that there is no way to know what the future holds. Sometimes you have to dive in and take a chance. What if marrying Paul would be blissfully perfect for the next hundred years, but you didn’t find out because you were too afraid of making a mistake? Allowing fear to paralyze your life is the biggest mistake of all. You know that.

Tracy sighed and wiped a tear from her cheek. I know you are right, but I still don’t like it that you are right. What movie did you pick for tonight? I’m ready to be entertained.

Nikki debated about whether or not to let Tracy off the hook so easily but decided to let it rest for now. If the storyline in the movie did not get her talking, Nikki would try again later.

Maybe your meeting with that dude on Monday will be fun, Nikki attempted to change the subject. Perhaps starting a new project is what you need to settle your heart and mind about other things.

A new project might be just the thing I need. At least everything at work is going smoothly. I have one place where I feel like things are clicking along as they should, Tracy shared with a half-hearted smile.

Chapter 4

You need a new project, Brenda suggested. Something that includes actual people.

Brenda tried to meet her sister for lunch at least once a week. It had become increasingly difficult, however, to convince Amy to leave the hospital during the day. Consequently, the girls frequently met in the hospital cafeteria during Amy’s lunch break. It was not Brenda’s first choice, but it would have to do. Until, that is, Brenda could convince Amy to get a life and socialize outside of the hospital more often.

I have a career that I love, Amy stated as she poured dressing on her salad, that does involve actual people. If there were no people, I would be out of a job.

People confined to hospital beds do not count. Brenda was on a mission.

Amy truly did love her sister, but this was not a subject that she wished to discuss … yet again. Brenda had plans for Amy’s life that did not exactly line up with Amy’s own framework for her future. As far as Amy was concerned, her career was humming along according to plan. At this rate, she could be appointed as Chief Nurse within the next five years. That was her current goal at any rate. Amy was also considering a shift to pediatric nursing. If her personal life did not change soon, there would be little or no chance of having babies of her own. Becoming a pediatric nurse might be the only way to spend time with kids. Amy had already dreamed about what she would name her children. Her heart longed to be a mother. That might not ever happen if she never spent time outside of the hospital.

Amy? Are you still with me? Brenda couldn’t decide if she was worried or annoyed that Amy was not paying attention to the conversation.

Yes, my darling sister. I am still listening to you. Sort of anyway.

Amy decided that it was time to change the subject. So tell me, are your students excited about the gardening project or did the school board change their mind about that?

Brenda was disappointed that Amy wanted to talk about her work but she was confident that she could wiggle the conversation back to Amy’s personal life quickly enough.

The kids are very excited about getting out of the classroom. That’s for sure. Anything that does not include textbooks followed by a standardized test definitely gets their attention. The last I heard, the school is teaming up with the Chamber of Commerce on this project. That would mean that it was a community project as well as a school project. Brenda’s grin implied there was more to that comment than she was telling.

Amy waited for Brenda to explain.

Brenda expected Amy to catch on without further clarification.

That means, Brenda began with an exasperated tone, "that anyone in the community can participate. That means that even you can come out of the dungeon of the hospital cafeteria and plant vegetables. Who knows? You might meet someone interesting and exciting there. Someone who is not in a coma or facing death-defying surgical options."

I suppose a hobby that included sunshine and smiles would not be such a bad idea, Amy conceded. Do you plan to be there?

"I have