Chapter 4 — Garden Lessons

Cora

After another rigid day at the pharmacy, Cora found herself drawn to Mrs. Ortega’s garden. The air smelled of jasmine and freshly turned soil as she stepped through the small gate, the soft crunch of her flats on the stone path announcing her arrival. Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the cherry tree’s sprawling branches, casting dappled shadows over blooms of every color. Bright marigolds spilled over their borders, and Mrs. Ortega’s prized roses climbed elegantly along the garden’s wire trellis. The hum of a distant subway rumbled faintly through the air—a subtle reminder of the world outside this sanctuary.