We continued walking around the small garden with Marshall reminding me of the purpose of each plant. Some worked double duty to draw in the butterflies, others only assisted with one part of the butterfly life cycle.
"You want to see the nature path?" Marshall asked me.
"I'd love to."
"Phyllis asked if we could build a small building here where they could host nature classes. She mentioned wanting something that was rustic, built out of logs."
"Oh, I love that idea," I said as we stepped under the canopy of the trees.
Here, it was quiet, and we were out of reach of prying eyes. He led me deeper into the woods where the path meandered in a circle, then brought us back to the edge of the forest. "This path was nice and flat, perfect for every age. But I think Phyllis wants to create a larger one for those who want more of a hiking experience."
"Phyllis is building a true community here. It's not just for seniors."
"Yeah, that's why I want to be part of it. It's great for the community." The deck had filled out with more guests. There was loud talking and laughing. A band set up on one end of the deck where lights had been strung overhead to give it an intimate atmosphere.
We piled plates high with fruit, cheese, and other finger foods and sat at the Kingston table.
Elena turned toward me. "You were gone a long time."
"He took me on a tour of the gazebo, butterfly garden, and then the nature path. Then he told me about future plans for a little building by the edge of the woods for nature classes."
Elena nodded. "Phyllis has amazing plans for this place."
"She asked me if I would create a maze," Dalton said.
"What do you mean?" Marshall asked him.
Dalton pulled something up on his phone and titled it in our direction. There were several images of a maze lined with trimmed bushes with a small pool in the middle.
Marshall whistled. "That's quite a project."
"I could build the stations and the lookout, but we'd need to find an experienced landscaper to do the bushes. They have to be trimmed just so and would need to be maintained."
"What about the nursery that we worked with to do the butterfly garden? Maybe Willow could do it, or knows someone who can," I suggested.
"I can put you in touch with her," Marshall said.
"That's a start." Dalton tucked his phone away.
"Where does she want the maze?" I asked.
Dalton pointed over to the right of the deck where there was a large field. "You could see the maze from the deck and watch people go through it. She envisions kids and grandchildren enjoying the maze, but people could still watch their progress from here. Plus it's a gorgeous addition to the property. An impressive garden."
I nodded. "It's also unique."
"It could be hot in the maze though with no shade," Hudson observed.
Jonathan handed Dalton his baby, who snuggled into his neck with a thumb in her mouth. "We could install misters throughout, and then there'd be a pool in the middle. They could at least get their hands wet and maybe splash their face."
The music started to play, and Marshall stood, holding his hand out to me. "Would you like to dance?"
"I'd love to."
It was dusk, and across the lawn, the June bugs were making their presence known. The deck was lined with twinkling lights.
Marshall turned so that we were facing each other on the dance floor. He only had eyes for me as he held me close.
His breath tickled my hair. "This is nice."
