I did keep my promise and did not look outside while they were singing and the girls did get inside and were washed and at the table by 5pm. I was proud.
The next day I put them into the van to go for a ride to Wal-Mart. We were going up a hill and for the first time ever I noticed a beautiful little garden beside the road. It had pretty vines and little trees. There were little blossoms and some garden gnomes sitting in the grass. I pointed it out to the girls and said, "have you ever seen that before?"
Grace piped up and said, "That is Gallaby's garden, Mom."
"Are you sure," I asked.
"Oh, yes," Grace assured me. "She told us all about it. That knot hole in the big oak tree is her front door. And that little pond is where she goes to get fresh water."
"I see," I said. I really didn't see, because that garden belonged to the Valentine's on top of the hill and I knew Mrs. Valentine. Mrs. Valentine had never metioned any Whats or What nots living in her garden to me before. But....I had never noticed the little garden before either.
It was beautiful. There was a path marked with little stepping stones that led to a small water fountain. At the edges there were smaller trees and rose bushes. It was in full bloom and you could even smell the fragrant roses as you drove by. The entire thing was bordered by a split rail fence that had been painted white. It was at the top of the hill and behind it was a huge pasture for the cows.
I kept driving and wondering to myself: What do Whats do? Where do they really come from? Are they supposed to sing pretty songs to us? How had I lived so far without ever meeting a what?
But then I realised that manybe none of these questions would be or could be answered. I would just have to wait and see.
