Linda had a lump in her throat, gazing through the open window at the brace, on her daughter’s right leg, but the brave girl never complained.  It had been so heart-breaking, seeing the deformity at birth, which had driven the father away.  How glad Linda was that surgery could correct it, eventually, but the long series of operations had been hard on them both.

“ Come on Flo—-”, she started to call, stepping outside, when a movement caught the corner of her eye.  Mother and daughter both broke into warm smiles, though for different reasons. Bill, from next door, had appeared, and the big man grinned happily, on seeing them.  Flo loved gardening with him, and waved cheerily.

She’d rather stay in the garden.  It was as if she felt at one with the earth and nature.  Always digging, raking, talking to flowers.  They never made fun of her funny leg.  It seemed so natural, somehow.  Linda shrugged her shoulders, sadly, and went to call her, for it was nearly time to go

Part of the reason that Linda was doing the evening-classes, in first-aid, was to be there when Floss needed her, as well as being able to get out of the house.  Tapping with her foot, loudly, she felt sympathy for the girl.  Going round to Pam’s wouldn’t suit her at all.

Linda reddened a little as she caught Bill’s eye,  hoping he might notice, though he never seemed to.   “ Can I come and help, Bill?”, shouted Flo excitedly.

The perfect solution, thought Linda.  He was in his forties, and worked as a  builder. Tall and strong, with thick black hair and laughing green eyes, his garden was his pride and joy, and sometimes he would scold himself for its neglect.   Linda found him very attractive, but couldn’t say so.

“ Could she, Bill?”, pleaded Linda, “ I need to go round to Pam’s for a while, and Flo would get bored.”

 Flo had already limped through the adjoining gate, wrapping her arms around his legs before he could speak..  A widower, who to most people seemed offhand, his tough manner hid a big heart.  Few people had been allowed close since the death of his wife three years earlier.