“I Came Here to Relax for the Summer, Not to Work in the Garden,” Complained the Grandson

Four years had passed since Ellie’s husband, George, had left the world. The void he left behind seemed immense, but her garden, her children, and especially her grandchildren brought her some comfort. Ellie had always been the matriarch of the family, strong and resilient, and even in her grief, she found strength in tending to her garden and preparing for the visits of her beloved grandchildren.

This summer was supposed to be special. Her grandson, Louis, was coming to stay with her. Ellie had spent weeks preparing his room, imagining the long talks they would have in the evenings, the books they would read, and the quiet joy of watching him enjoy the garden. Louis, however, had different expectations for his summer vacation.

From the moment he arrived, it was clear that Louis was not interested in the slow, peaceful pace of his grandmother’s life. He was 17, full of energy, and constantly on his phone, barely noticing the blooming flowers or the carefully trimmed hedges that Ellie took so much pride in.

One afternoon, as Ellie was pruning her roses, she asked Louis if he would like to help her plant some new vegetables in the garden. She thought it would be a good activity for them to bond over, something that might pry him away from his screens and maybe instill in him a love for gardening.

“I came here to relax, Grandma, not to work in a garden,” Louis complained, his tone sharper than Ellie had expected. “I thought this was supposed to be a vacation.”

Ellie felt a sting in her heart. She tried to mask her disappointment with a smile, but it was hard. “I just thought we could spend some time together,” she said softly.

Louis shrugged. “I just want to chill, you know? Maybe hang out with some friends in town.”

As the days passed, Louis spent more and more time away from the house. Ellie would watch him go, her heart sinking a little more each time. She continued to tend to her garden alone, the flowers somehow less vibrant, the vegetables less bountiful.

One evening, Ellie decided to confront Louis. She found him in his room, his bags half-packed. He was leaving earlier than planned.

“Is everything okay, Louis?” Ellie asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just want to go home. There’s not much to do here, and I miss my friends,” Louis replied, not meeting her eyes.

Ellie nodded, fighting back tears. “I understand. I just hoped we could have had more time together.”

Louis looked up, finally seeing the sadness in his grandmother’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Grandma. I just… I guess I expected something else.”

The next morning, Ellie stood at the doorway as Louis’s taxi pulled away. She felt a deep, hollow ache as she waved goodbye, knowing that the summer she had envisioned, full of laughter and shared moments, was just another dream that wouldn’t come true.

Returning to her garden, Ellie realized that the solace she sought in her plants and flowers seemed less comforting now. The garden felt larger and emptier, a mirror of her own heart. As the summer sun set, the shadows grew longer, and Ellie understood that some distances, once created, are hard to bridge.