Amara and Ororo: Nature and Nurture

[x-molten.livejournal.com]

Earlier this morning, Amara and Ororo meet in the greenhouse and share their passion for gardening.



Ororo smiled as she stepped into the greenhouse, breathing in the good, clean, fresh smell of the plants and soil all around her. All on its own, the sun peeked through the glassed-in roof and windows, its rays touching the tender leaves and delicate blossoms and blooms that lined the benches and tables around the room. The white-haired woman turned to her right and began her usual perusal of the plants and flowers. Orchids first, their thin, slender stems supported here and there by carefully-arranged twigs and glistening with dew. Though it was still early, she was already fully awake, her mood settling into the serene, calm demeanor that she carried with her throughout the day. As long as she had this time, she could face anything.

Amara was following the instructions Scott had given her to the greenhouse, the early morning quiet yet to be broken. She suspected that come September, though, the morning would not be nearly as peaceful. The sight of sunlit green greeted her as she peeked into the greenhouse, greedily drinking in air tinged with the scents of soil and flowers, earth that had been nurtured and tended. Plants sparkled, the windows sparkled. It was like coming home. With a deep breath, she entered, feeling more calm than she had in days.

Without looking up, Ororo could sense that someone else had entered the greenhouse. This made her smile, and her expression as she turned was nearly beatific. "Amara," she said, pleasantly surprised to see the girl there so early in the morning. "Good morning. You are awake quite early, is everything all right?"

"Good morning, Ms. Monroe. This really isn't that early for me. I used to get up at sun-up back home." Amara smiled and stepped more fully into the greenhouse, wandering around the plants, leaning closer to inspect a leaf here, a bloom there. She picked up an errant blossom, fallen to the ground but still intact, and stuck it behind her ear. "This place is wonderful."

"I am glad to hear that you think so," Ororo said, still smiling widely. "It is, I think, my favorite place in the mansion. My day does not seem right unless I start it here." She watched the gentle way the girl handled the plants, appreciating her careful touch after too many overenthusiastic students who seemed to think a ficus was the same as a puppy. "I hope you find it soothing as well."

Amara nodded in a dreamy way and continued her inspection of the plants. "My garden was my favorite place, too, although I grew more vegetables than flowers." She bent down to caress the tiny violets, whispering encouragement to the unopened buds. "I used to sing to my vegetables, urging them to grow bigger. I don't ever know if it worked, but my tomatoes were always the biggest in the neighborhood."

"If you are interested in vegetables, we have a small working garden outside. It is more for fun and education than serious production, but if you like, I am sure we can make some space available for you." Ororo was firmly of the belief that everyone could be benefited by the addition of a little dirty work in the garden; whether or not everyone else believed that was beside the point.

Amara shared that belief, in fact, and spent at least a portion of each day working the soil. She even got the children to help with weeding and gathering. "That would be wonderful. I don't feel quite right in the morning. Maybe a garden to nurture would help." Amara had been feeling rather useless of late, the settling-in" process losing its appeal. "My hands could use the work."

"Yes, of course," Ororo agreed, nodding. "It should not be difficult at all to stake out an area for you. Luckily, we have quite a generous budget for our garden and greenhouse... if you like, you can put together a list of supplies you will need, or we could go over that together. Some things we may already have, and for those that we do not, a trip into town should suffice." She smiled and settled on a stool, leaning in to peer more closely at a disease-spotted leaf. That wouldn't do at all.

Amara meandered closer to see what Ororo was peering at. "It looks like your fuchsia has a touch of Cercospora fuchsiae. Cercospora leaf spot. Add some nitrogen to the soil balanced with potassium and it will recover." She ducked her head, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I used to read old botany books."

"Apparently they stuck with you quite well," Ororo said, looking pleased. "That is an excellent identification. I must admit, I lack a clinical knowledge that would probably have saved many a plant in the past. I think I will follow your suggestion exactly as you say... I would hate to lose this little one."

"I love the way Latin names sound, the way you can pull apart the words and find the meanings, and botany books were filled with Latin." Amara sat down on another stool and watched the plant, chin in one hand. "He'll do just fine. He's got an excellent gardener looking after him." After a moment, she asked, "What kind of supplies do you have for a vegetable garden? Fertilizer, seeds, supports?"

"I could tell you," Ororo said, pulling out a notecard from a nearby drawer and writing something on it in her quick, neat script, "or I could show you. Are you busy now? I would love to show you the gardening shed. We could root around in it together." She glanced at Amara and snickered, then put her hand up to her mouth. "I am sorry. Gardening humor. Scott would be rolling his eyes at me right now."

Amara covered her own mouth as a snort threatened to escape, but she couldn't hide her grin. "It was a good pun. I always appreciate a good pun." She hopped off the stool and clasped her hands. "I would love to see the gardening shed. After taking inventory, I shall have a much better idea about what I'll need. Do you have a reliable gardening store?"

"Oh, yes. I will introduce you to Clint... if they do not have it, they will order it in. Oh, this is so exciting!" Ororo said as she stood. "Perhaps if you like you can help me with the pumpkin patch... there was quite a lot of interest to begin with, but not many students have followed through with it. I am sure they will renew their interest once the end of October comes, though."

"Cucurbita Cucurbitaceae. Gourds are a specialty. I prefer the small, sweet pumpkins for making pies and soups, but I have been known to grow the larger ones for the children." Amara placed her stool safely out of the way and waited for Ororo's lead. "Fruit trees -- do you have any here?"

"Yes, we do. I will show you them on the way to the shed." Ororo headed towards the door, excited about the prospect of sharing her passion with this bright young woman. "There is a young guava tree outside now, though I have to bring it in when the frost sets in... thank the goddess for Cain, or one day it might freeze to death."

"Cain is the large, frightening man, yes?" Amara had yet to meet him, but she found it hard to believe such a gruff individual would care about a young tree. She followed Ororo outside and got acquainted with the various fruit trees. The apples were just entering their season, while the stone fruits were in full bloom. "This is wonderful. I think I see myself spending quite a lot of time out here this fall. Add a garden of my own and I will be a very content."

"I am glad," Ororo said, smiling warmly at the girl. It wasn't easy adjusting to a new way of life, and it was good that this small gesture would be enough to help Amara start feeling at home here. "I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it -- and any help I can give I will be glad to provide."