Camilla loved early mornings at the nursery. It was the most peaceful place she could imagine, alone with her flowers under the canopy. Since it was Saturday, things would get busy by nine o’clock, so she came in early to get a head start.
She switched on the tall fans that cooled the greenhouse. It was going to be a hot one. Humid and sticky as it always was this time of year.
The weather didn’t bother Camilla. She barely noticed the heat. The plants took all of her attention. They were her friends, her confidants. She took care of them and they gave her the satisfaction of watching them grow.
She loved the silky feel of the moist potting soil in her fingers, rich like ground coffee. She loved its scent, a fragrance unmistakably its own. Earthy and primeval, there was nothing pretentio
