The Accidental Florist

were all sweating like pigs.
    Others were building walls with big boards around the perimeter of the hole.
    Jane was again sitting at the patio table under the umbrella. Todd and Shelley’s son were also watching every step. Now and then, Jane would look up and see how the boards that would prevent the concrete from running all over the place were coming along. The workers were fast and efficient. They drove steel spikes into the ground every few feet to, presumably, keep the weight of the concrete from pushing the boards out of alignment.
    By noon one and a half sections of wood were already in, and watching all the leveling, it looked as if it was going to be a good flat area to pour the concrete (or was the proper word cement?) nice and flat. She’d have to ask about the right word.
    She went inside to make sandwiches for Todd and John and checked the kitty litter. One or the other of the cats had availed itself of one of the bins. Cats always seemed to her to have very short memories. But apparently they had some sort of early memory of kitty litter from kittenhood. She tried out the sieve. It worked like a charm. She scattered a half teaspoon of baking soda over the area of the bin that had been used and with the fine sieve mixed it in. Then she put the plastic bag with the solid lump into the trash bin behind the garage.
    From now on, this could be a job for Todd. In fact, as old as the cats were, they might as well turn back into indoor cats, as they had been when they were kittens. On the other hand, climbing that fence kept them from clawing sofas and chairs. Maybe she’d just check the kitty litter after rainstorms when all this work was done.
    She came upstairs, washed her hands, and went back outside to fondle her stash of new books.
    By late Thursday, the wooden barrier was in place. The gravel was all in the hole with vapor barrier over it, and by Friday the concrete truck arrived. It backed halfway over her front lawn and a long sturdy hose was attached to the back and snaked around to the far corner of the wooden enclosure. With a horrific groan, the truck started to pump out thick gray stuff while a whole new crew of workers shoveled and troweled as more and more arrived. From the far corner to the corner closest, the house was complete in a mere few hours.
    Jane had pictured a fleet of wheelbarrows carrying loads and loads of it and dropping nasty glops onto the grass in her front yard. Times had certainly changed since she and Steve had watched the basement floor going in the big hole.
    She called Mel and said, “Come over after work and see the beginning of your office. It’s gorgeous. So smooth. And so quick to be poured through a big tube.“
    “I have some paperwork that I have to turn in by five-thirty. Why don’t you call in an order for pick-up at our favorite Chinese restaurant at quarter of six and I’ll get it on the way over?“
    “Sounds good. What do you want?“
    “The same thing I always get.“
    This meant spicy Mongolian beef with shrimp fried rice.

Chapter Nine

    Jane had slept late on Tuesday. When Shelley phoned her, she almost fell out of bed trying to find out who was calling. “Jane, you were asleep, weren’t you?“ Shelley accused. “As a matter of fact, I was. I had a bad dream about something I don’t remember and couldn’t get back to sleep for hours. Must have been something I ate last night.“
    “You’ve forgotten we have an appointment this morning?“
    “I guess I have.“
    “It’s our next safety meeting. It’s at ten. It’s nine-thirty now. Want me to go without you?“
    “I think you better. I’ll come along as soon as I can.“ Jane dressed hastily, tried to get her hair under control,
    slapped on makeup, and yelled at Todd that she was leaving for a meeting.
    She had trouble finding her car keys, but located them under a chair in the kitchen and set out. She wasn’t going to drive fast. She wished, in fact, that she’d just begged off, making up a stomach upset or head-banging migraine.
    As she came around the last turn looking for a parking space, the street was full of emergency equipment. An ambulance, a fire truck, several police cars. She managed an illegal U-turn and parked around the corner.
    Shelley must have seen her do it. She met Jane at the corner. “I’m sorry I made you come. I’m more sorry that I came.“
    “What’s happened here? It looks as if everybody is going in and out of the meeting place for the