As soon as Katherine opened the wooden door to the garden, Elizabeth couldn't believe her eyes. It was as if she had fallen into heaven. The strong smell of roses hit her face and made her dizzy. She had never smelled roses so distinctly before.

When her body moved on it's own and she stepped inside, she was surrounded by a magnificent riot of colours. She walked towards the road where the shades of pink were arranged as if on a palette. It was as if she was in a different world, smells, sounds, colours... Everything was different. A snow-white butterfly landed on one of the roses, right after passing right next to her shoulder. Fascinated, her finger reached out to the petals of the rose. The feeling of the soft petals on her finger was unbelievable.

“Hermosa.”

Elizabeth turned to Katherine, who she had forgotten was there. The fact that Elizabeth was experiencing the same feelings as her had filled her with great excitement, she couldn't help smiling. "That one is Hermosa."

"Is this... Is this place real?" Elizabeth watched the garden with shining eyes.

"I'm glad you like it."

"It's beautiful..."

Katherine felt as if she was looking at a painting. Butterflies fluttered around her, the sun shone it's golden light on her hair, the same colour as it’s own. With a smile on her pink lips that the same colour as the roses and eyes the same colour as the sky, she looked like a princess from a fairytale.

Katherine was not one for taking photos. To her, capturing the moment in a picture seemed unnecessary. Memories, once made, were enough. But for the first time in her life, she wanted to take a photo. She was surprised by the urge to record, preserve and see again and again this scene in front of her eyes.

“Yes,” Her lips parted by themselves, “it’s beautiful.” She couldn't take her eyes off her. She tried to took a deep breath because somewhere inside her chest throbbed, made her breathless. She put her hand to her chest and tried to stop the pain. Was it her heart? Why did her heart started to hurt?

“Interesting…”

“AH!” Katherine jumped and involuntarily shook a fist in the direction of the voice. Fortunately, Mrs. Hudson was considerably shorter than her, the punch remained in the air.

Mrs. Hudson continued, "Your reflexes are fast as ever, my dear." She handed the hose to Katherine, "Here you go."

When did she even come near me? She is so silent… Katherine pulled her fist back in surprise and took the hose that was handed to her.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Hudson approached Elizabeth with her small but fast steps. "Rosaline! Good morning!"

Elizabeth couldn't help laughing that Katherine was frightened. However, she quickly recovered herself. "Ehm... Mrs. Hudson! Good morning."

"Why don't we have a cup of tea while Katherine waters the roses?"

Elizabeth placed her hair, which was in front of her face because of the wind, behind her ear, "I'd love to, but what about Katheri-" Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Hudson was already on her arm, "Great! Let's go then."

Katherine called after them, "But I just watered them two da-"

Mrs. Hudson looked over her shoulder at Katherine, standing there with the hose in her hand, "Then you can give them some manure, my dear girl!"

As Elizabeth retreated into the house, she shot Katherine a look of distress, but she finally realised that she could not escape this small but strong old woman's grasp.

It's too hard to go against her words... I hope she doesn't tire out Elizabeth too much... Chuck, Mrs Hudson's old Bloodhound, came slowly and sat down beside her, and like Katherine, he began to watch the house.

“Hi Chuck.”

“Woof…”

“Yeah, I know.”

Elizabeth and Mrs. Hudson had gone into the kitchen for tea but when the subject turned to the chocolate chip cookies Mrs. Hudson was always baking for Katherine, they both set about making them. When Mrs. Hudson saw her in the kitchen, she praised her at great length about how skilful she was. Even if it was embarrassing, she liked to hear them. Because the old woman's words really felt genuine. She had never met such a sincere old woman before. After all, her grandmother was one of the scariest women she had ever met.

"You don't know how happy I am to see a friend of Katherine's." Mrs Hudson was taking the cookies out of the oven. "She should be spending more time with her peers, but she does nothing but work!"

Elizabeth was watching Katherine through the kitchen window as she tried to get a bag out of a dog's mouth. She had managed to catch the dog after a long run around the garden, but she still hadn't managed to get the bag out of it's mouth. They looked so... adorable.

Mrs. Hudson smiled when she saw Elizabeth giggling to herself as she watched Katherine. " She looks so much like my little Allen. He was just as spirited as Katherine."

Elizabeth pulled herself together and turned to Mrs. Hudson, “Oh, is he your son Mrs. Hudson?”

She stopped for a second, then answered. "Yes. My dear son. I lost him when he was seven."

Elizabeth's throat tightened when she saw the bitter smile on the old woman's face. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, my dear. It has been too long…” The old woman also approached the window and took a glance at Katherine. “Before Katherine came, there wasn't even a blade of grass in that garden. Though since her arrival, my garden is full of colour and peace. Just like an angel who makes the dead ground she walks on come to life.” She was no longer talking about the garden, perhaps.

Elizabeth reflected on her time with Katherine. "What a perfect way to describe her..."