“InotonlyknowitsnameisMaureen,IevenknowitsmistressiscalledCharina,awell-knownwriter”repliedNataliesmilingmysteriously.“IevenknowthatCharinaisthememberdom,the25thbeauty.AmIright?”
“What?”criedDorna,hereyesopenedwideinamazement.“Howeyouknoweverything?Doyouhaveacrystalballlikethegypsiesandtellthepastaure?”NataliegigglediDorna’sdumbfoundedlook.
“Ofcoursenot”shesaid,andowardstheparkinglot.DornalookedoverandsawthatamongthefewcarsthatwereparkedtherewasonewhichbelooAngelica.“Angelicacameoverearlyinthem”tialie“andtolduseverythingthathappeAisha’shouse.HowelsecouldIhaveknown?AlsoSamanthajustcalledandsaidthatshewouldbeieronandbringthefamouswriterCharinawithhertointroduceustothememberdomahbeauty.”
“Sothat’spened!”excimedDorna.“Singelicaishere,whereisshe?Alsowherearetheotherbeauties?Whyaren’tanyofthemabout?”
“LotustookAngelicatothebacktolookattheflowersandtalkaboutfloraldecorationsfortheweddingba.”Dornahehoughtofsomethingandasked,
“JustnowyoutoldMaureennottobarkorelseshewouldwaketheothers.What’sthatalbout?It’salmostnoonnow.Arethebeautiesstillsleeping?”
“That’salongstory”sighedNatalie.“Itjusthappenedearlythism,soofcourseyoucouldn’thaveknown…Whydon’tyouandIwalkovertotheflardens?Lotus,AngelidIwillupdateyouorethappenings.”
Atfouro’clothem,theskieswerestilldark.Darknessspreadouttinuously,ctheskiesintodeepsomberhuesofdarkblue,oredonlybyafewscatteredstars.Dimflickeringpathlightsshohenarrowpathsleadingihoftherge,darkgarden.Lotus,thebeautygehefullmoon,wasdressedpinlylikeapeasantgirlincottonshirtandskirtandrubberboots.Withanumbrelinonehandandafshlightiher,shewasslowlywalkingonthenarrowpath,iingtheflowerbeds.Sometimes,shewouldwalkintothebeds,turnonherfshlightandscrutihegrowthofapntorflower,snatgawaytheoccasionalslugorsnailthatdaredtoveundercoverofdarknessaonherpreciouspnts.Shekiheflowerbudsreadytoburstintobloomwereandwhichflowerswerefaded,droopingandabouttofallontothesoil.Thoughshecouldnoteetheexaumberofflowersinthegarden,shekhatthenumberofbuddingandbloomingflowersfarexceededthefadingandwitherihewholegardenexudedanauraofthrivingandflourishinggrowth,whichgreatlyfortedher.Gentlebreezeruffledherlong,soft,bckhairasiftellingofherhappinessandsatisfa.Thusshewalkedalohsbeforethebreakofdawn,usingthefshlighttoiherbelovedflowerbedsandsoonfoundthatshehadmademorethanhalfaroundofthergegarden.Justtheomaticsprinklercameoedbythetimer,anumberofwaternozzles,sometallerthahers,raisedtheirheadsfromthesoil.Theyhadbeenstrategicallypddesigocovereveryinchofthegardenaimedtogushoutspraysofwaterasscheduled.Inthedimlight,thincrisscrossingstreamsofwatersoohegardenwithacloudofmistyarticlesthatdrenchedandinuhearea,presentinganalmostmystidfairyndworld.Lotusopenedherumbrelandturnedonherfshlighttofinishheriionoftherestofthegardenbeforetakierinastrawhutbytheedgeofthegarden.Thehumblestrawhutattheedgeofthemeticulouslymanicuredgardearustictouch,quitesimirtoLotus’homend,sosheofteoeheretorestandwhileawaythetime.Suddenlyshewasstartledtoseeafigurerunningtowardstheshedfromthemistyandwaterygarden,butseeingthatitwassomeoneslimandagile,shefigureditmustbeohebeauties,soshecalledout,
“Who’sthere?eoverhereaoftherain”aurnedonherfshlighttoillumiheway.HearingLotus’voidseeingthelight,thefigurerushedoveranddashedintothehut.ItwasthefamousballerinaNatalie.LotuswhowasquietandserehefullmoonsmiledandhandedherhandkerchiefovertoNataliesaying,“Wipeawaythewaterfromyourface,hairandarmsoryouwouldcatchacold.”Nataliegratefullytookthehandkerchiefofferedtoheranddidasshewastold,saying,
“ItwasafiarrynightwhenIstartedoutofthehouse.Howeitbegantorainallofasudden?”Lotuspoiowardsthegardenandsaidsmilingly,
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