Emmelineâs return to the café with Abel took Sam, who happened to look over, by surprise.
Sam found it hard to believe that Emmeline would be caught dead with Abel.
Did the pair get back together?
As if Abel was really here to inspect the landscaping, he went up to the platform.
âMs. Louise, whatâs the situation here?â Sam asked Emmeline in hushed tones.
âHeâs here to check on Mateoâs work, and nothing else,â Emmeline replied.
âSeriously?â Sam was skeptical.
Emmeline glared at her. âWhatâs going on in your mind?â
Sam stuck out her tongue.
She refused to believe that Abel did not have other thoughts in mind.
âEmma, do you want to see if thereâs anything else needing sorting out?â Abelâs voice came from up the ladder.
âDid you hear that? Itâs purely for work.â Emmeline told Sam.
Blinking, Sam gave a nod.
As if she took Emmelineâs word for it!
Up on the platform, Abel wore a white shirt and rolled up his eleeves.
He took off his jacket and put it on the swing.
âI had a quick run-through, and Mateo is doing a good job. Can you look at the details and see if thereâs anything else to be sorted out? I can let him know.â
Truth be told, Emmeline could not wrap her head around the field of landscaping.
To her, all it mattered was that the flowers looked beautiful.
The tiny details were the least of her concern.
Nevertheless, she went to take a look since Abel suggested so.
Suddenly, she found something moving in the flowerpot.
Emmeline pried the flower petals and leaves aside for a closer inspection.
âJesus Christ!â It was a centipede.
Emmeline screamed at the top of her lungs before jumping into Abelâs arms.
Abel quickly secured her from falling and asked in shock, âWhat happened? What happened?â
âC-Centipede! Ah!â
The three things that crawled under Emmelineâs skin were snakes, centipedes, and leeches.
In short, it would kill her to see any of these three animals.
The one thing she had going was that she had not been scared to death yet.
âWhatâs scary about a centipede?â
Abel said while carrying her further from the flowerpot.
Emmeline looked like she had seen a ghost.
âI donât want the garden anymore.â
Emmeline choked with sobs, âThe centipede will come and eat me if I sit on the swing.â
âItâs no big deal. I can get Mateo to do some pest control.â Abel was caught between emotions.
âDoes it work?â Emmeline clung to Abel like a monkey.
âOf course, it does. The soil has been added with pesticides, so you can get insects. All it takes is a little pest control. Thatâs all,â Abel replied.
Emmeline bobbed her head as color returned to her complexion.
She looked tenderly into Abelâs eyes. âThank you for inspecting the garden. Otherwise, Iâd be dead meat.â
Abel smiled. âItâs only a centipede.â
âTo me, thatâs a heavyweight killer there.â
Abel furrowed his brows in disbelief as Emmeline drew close for a kiss on his lips.
âThis is what you get for saving me twice today.â
Dumbstruck at first, Abel was soon filled with rapture.
Today was his lucky day!
Even the centipede was on his side.
The pair got off the platform, and Emmeline slipped out of Abelâs embrace.
Abel pulled out his phone and dialed Mateoâs number.
Mateo answered, âOh, no. I bought the pesticide, but it slipped my mind to add it to the plants, Mr.
Abel.â
âYou bought it? Where is it?â Abel asked.
âOn the coffee table up on the platform. Why donât I come over to add the pesticide, Mr. Abel?â
âItâs fine. Iâll do you. It will be dark out by the time you arrive, Abel answered.
âThank you, Mr. Abel.â On the other end of the line, Mateo was grateful for the gestureâ¦
Abel thought to himself. No need to thank me.
Iâll get an opportunity to be the hero again.
Emma kissed me just now.
âThe pesticide is on the platform. Mateo bought it, but he forgot to apply it to the plants. Iâll do it now.
You can rest the earlier we get it done,â Abel told Emmeline.
âYeah, or I wouldnât go near the platform.â Emmeline pouted as the lingering fear sat in.
âI thought you had nerves of steel. Youâre not afraid about hanging midair in a harness, but you have a problem with a tiny insect.â
Emmeline kept her head down without a word.
Some girls could pass out at the sight of insects. Emmeline wondered whether Abel would believe her if she told him.
âIâll get on the platform.â
Abel ran his fingers through her hair and rolled up his sleeves to get up on the platform.