“There are no rosy days left,” Katherine said. She gazed at the green square perfectly carved into the garden floor, rotten brown foam still smoking in the first light.

“Not so Kate.” Jon set down the last basket and closed the door.

“The child was telling the truth.”

“We are safe; they won’t believe it’s happened here, not yet.”

Katherine let the drape fall and together they packed the stones in the frame.
***********
Jenny knocked three times on the heavy door and returned to the steps.

“The child is here,” Jon said. “I will go.”

“No, they’re mine. I’ll do it.” Katherine kicked the last chunk of earth aside and stepped away from the garden.

“There is time Kate. I will go.” Jon reached the old-fashioned auto before the pinch in his temple flattened him.

“Katherine, Jon?” No answer persuaded Jenny to press her face against the vast pane. She sensed the house was empty.
******************
The door opened and the child crossed the threshold keeping her hand on the knob, blue eyes wide.

“Hello?”

Small white shoes skipped across the wood boards scattering dust and innocence.

“They want more.” Jenny said aloud. She reached into the last basket and selected an ugly black stone.

“Put it back, select another,” Katherine said. She entered the kitchen trailing wet earth, regret gripping the bands upon her womb.

“I won’t!” Jenny shoved the container and a thousand brilliant stones scattered.
***************************

“Jon, it’s time,” Katherine said. She patted a thick round tummy and smiled.

The shovel smacked the hard cold earth where Katherine buried the black stone. Unpolluted sprouts soon poked their heads out of the muck and Jon christened the exchange a jenny rose.

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