Royal Dilemma

Chapter Twenty-One

(Caleb's Point of View)

I watch Joey as he digs out a small hole in the large patch of dirt he made me rototiller an hour ago. We're both knelt in the dirt and I almost groan when I realize I'll have to take a second shower later.

"Do you think that's too deep?" He asks, glancing at me.

"I have no idea."

Joey sighs and reaches for one of the small plants.

"I still don't understand why you're doing this," I say as I watch him place the plant in the hole, then cover the base with dirt. "I don't think they'll grow it's starting to get cool."

"Because," he says. "Julian keeps bragging about the garden he just planted so I need to make a better one."

"You don't even like to garden. Julian also has a greenhouse."

"Not true!" He argues. "I've just never done it before. That doesn't mean I don't like it." He begins digging another hole.

"You don't need to have a garden just because Julian does."

I feel like I'm talking to a bratty five-year-old.

"Mine needs to be better, he's too smug." Joey pats the dirt he just smoothed over the plant's roots. "I'm going to destroy him."

"It's a garden, not a battlefield."

"Oh, it is on," Joey says. "I'm going to grow a garden so good he's going to cry himself to sleep every night."

I shake my head in exasperation.

"You think your garden's so great?" Joey says to himself as he reaches for another plant. "Wait until you see my garden... Idiot."

"Did you tell mom you were doing this?"

"She thought it was a great idea. She said it's therapeutic."

"Did you tell her why you were doing this?"

"Yes, she agrees my garden is going to be much better than his."

"No, she didn't."

Joey finishes planting all his vegetables and leans back, looking at his work.

"She's beautiful," he says as if he's in awe of the garden.

"Your garden is a she?"

"Yes, and her name is Bertha."

He gets to his feet and brushes the dirt off of his shins so I do the same.

"When you asked me if I wanted to hang out I figured we'd play video games or something."

Joey starts walking toward his sliding back door. "You don't need to play more video games. That's all you and Colin do."

"Not true."

I follow Joey through his somewhat modern kitchen and into his matching living room. Joey collapses on the couch and I hesitate before joining him.

"We're going to get dirt all over your couch."

Joey shrugs. "I'll get it cleaned."

He reaches for the TV remote and flicks it on. As he's scrolling through TV shows Fungi jumps up onto his lap.

"Hey buddy," Joey says, rubbing the cat's head. "Uncle Caleb came to visit."

I stare at Fungi who stares right back as if he's challenging me.