The First Gardener

by Denise Hildreth Jones

  Gray and Mackenzie simultaneously let out deep exhales. Then he began to tell their story. He covered everything from Maddie’s death to the miscarriage to the counseling to their decision to run for reelection without a traditional campaign.

  “And are you concerned about the lawsuit from the Victims’ Rights Association that goes to trial in a few weeks?” Dan asked.

  “We are confident the court will see that we were making decisions based on what we believed was best for all Tennesseans. And we had been left with few options.”

  “What about the new budget that the General Assembly has passed? Do you plan on vetoing any of it?”

  “I am committed to my original statement. If the Assembly has kept in earmarks that I believe are detrimental to this state and its budget, I won’t let them remain, and I believe we have enough votes for my vetoes to stand. And then these grown men and women will be left to face the voters as well for the decisions that they have made.”

  “And your opponents?”

  “My opponents are formidable and, I believe, capable. I can tell you, moreover, that this will not be a campaign of mudslinging from my camp. I will engage in open and honest debate, and my team will not respond to anything other than that.”

  The anchor turned his attention to Mackenzie. “Mrs. London, as we wrap this up, are you sure you’re ready for this campaign?”

  She looked at Gray, then back toward Dan. She shook her head. “No. Honestly, Dan, I’m not sure what I’m going to feel like ten minutes after you leave, much less what I’m going to feel like tomorrow. I’m just at the point where I’m making myself get out of bed every morning and not wishing my life away. I have no guarantees for anyone.”

  She reached down and clasped her husband’s hand. “All I know is I’m alive. For some reason, I wasn’t killed in that car accident that day, which in and of itself is a miracle. My grief didn’t kill me, though sometimes I wished it would. But it appears I’m going to live. And right now, in this moment, that is what I’m doing. I’m living.”

  As the interview ended, the cameras shut down, and the room emptied. And thus began a new kind of campaign.

  One that Gray and Mackenzie London would deal with one day at a time.

  Chapter 58

  Election Day

  Gray looked at his friends, who were crammed into the family quarters living room. All eyes were glued to three televisions—one tuned to Fox, one to CNN, and the third to the local NBC affiliate. The news that Gray had won reelection had been announced on the NBC affiliate first, but within seconds Fox started carrying it, and right after that, CNN announced it as well. An explosion of cheers burst forth with each announcement.

  The shirttail of Gray’s blue oxford shirt had come out of his pressed khakis three hours ago. It was nearing midnight now. He had downed multiple glasses of Eugenia’s fruit tea and OD’d on Rosa’s chili con queso.

  Kurt grabbed him first, his bald head looking even shinier than it had four years ago. He wrapped his friend in a tight hug and patted his back hard. “I’m so proud of you,” he said.

  Gray hugged him back. “Thank you, buddy. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “You are the one who did it. You took the risk on the budget, and it paid off. And your transparency about the prisoner release was key in making the VRA case go our way.”

  “Hear, hear!” Fletcher joined them, the ends of his bow tie hanging loosely around his neck, his top two shirt buttons undone.

  “Look,” Gray announced, “we even got Fletcher loosened up.”

  Everyone laughed, and Gray gave his friend a hug. “You kept the information flowing out there, Fletch. Thank you.”

  “You and Mack made it easy, Gray.”

  After everyone had kissed and hugged and high-fived, Gray and Mack waved them off and returned to the wreckage of their victory party. Plates and cups were strewn about. Most of the staff had celebrated with them, but Gray and Mack refused to let them clean up afterward. Gray had told them that after everything was prepared and served, they were off duty and allowed to do nothing but have a good time. They really had seemed to enjoy themselves and were thrilled with the outcome. Their response had spoken to Gray more than any other constituents’.

  Mack surveyed the damage. “Well, did you think your first act as a second-term governor would be cleaning up your living room?”

  He laughed. “At least I get to do it with the first lady. Don’t tell her husband, okay?”

  She eyed him. Her lips curled. “Mum’s the word.” As she began to stack plates, he went downstairs to get a trash bag from the kitchen.

  “I didn’t know if it would work,” she said when he reappeared.

  “Honesty?” he asked.

  “Yeah, honesty. It is politics, you know.”

  He chuckled. “I think that’s why it did work. It’s so rare. It took everyone by surprise.”

  She dropped a stack of plastic plates and empty cups into the large black bag. “Fine dining at the governor’s mansion.” She laughed. “I’m a great hostess, aren’t I?”

  He kissed her on the nose. “Perfect.”

  When the last plate was thrown away, they headed toward the bedroom. He stopped at the door. “I’m going to go make a phone call real quick, and Sophie needs to go out.”

  “Go ahead. I’m going to bed.”

  Gray walked to his office with Sophie at his heels and picked up the phone. He dialed and sat on the edge of his desk to wait for someone to answer. A man’s voice came on the line.

  “This is Governor London. I know it’s late, but is there any way I could speak to Jeremiah Williams, please?”

  “Yes . . . um, sure, Governor. Hold one moment.”

  It was quite a few moments before he heard Jeremiah pick up the phone. “Gov’nor.” Jeremiah’s voice was just as fresh as it had been when he had left. “Hear you gots sump’n worth celebratin’ tonight.”

  “Yeah. Sure wish you had stayed with us tonight. I could’ve gotten you home, you know.”

  Jeremiah chuckled. “You the gov’nor—I know you could. Just needed to come on with my ride, though. But I seen it all on the TV. Real proud a you and Miz Mackenzie, Gov’nor. Real proud.”

  “Thanks. Just wanted to tell you you’re stuck with us for four more years.”

  “Hee-hee. Well, I guess I can live with that.”

  “That means you’ll have Eugenia too.”

  “Ooh, Lord amercy. Well, some things in life worth the sacrifice they come with.”

  Gray hesitated a minute, knowing how much meaning was packed into those words. “Yes, they are, my friend,” he finally said. “Sleep well. I hope I didn’t mess your night up too much.”

  “I’ll get up for a call from the gov’nor anytimes,” he said. “Anytimes.”

  Mack was in the bathroom doing her thing when Gray and Sophie came back to the room. He leaned into the doorway. “You sure are cute.”

  She was slathering some kind of cream onto her face. Her bare legs showed underneath her short black nightgown. “Why, thank you,” she said.

  “Want to make love to the governor?”

  She looked at his face in the mirror and shook her head. “Nah.”

  His eyes widened. She hadn’t turned him down since she’d come back to life.

  She turned around with mischief on her face. “But I would love to make love to my husband.” She walked over to stand very close. “Now he, well, he is quite a man. Have you met him?”

  “I think I have,” he said. “Tall, good-looking fellow. I’d call a man like that a specimen.”

  She giggled. “Yes, he is. Definitely a specimen. And he has gorgeous blue eyes.” She brushed past him and headed to her side of the bed.

  “Yeah, I hear they really pop when he wears blue.” He started unbuttoning his blue oxford.

  “They do. He really does it for me.”

  “So you’re sure you’d rather have him than the governor?”

  She clim
bed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. He reached down and straightened his side, pulling the top sheet over the duvet as best he could.

  “Absolutely,” she said. “Who wants the governor when you can have a specimen like I have.” She bit her lip, obviously trying not to let laughter break loose.

  “Well, you had your shot.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  He laid his shirt on the end of the bed and took off his belt. “Mind if I go find your husband?”

  “Not at all.” She curled up on her side, watching him.

  He picked up his shirt and walked into the bathroom. He came out in a T-shirt and a pair of nylon running shorts. “I hear you’ve been talking about me.”

  “Good thing you’re here. The governor tried to seduce me.”

  “Oh, he did?” He punched on the fan and slid beneath the covers, trying to keep his side of the sheet as straight as he could. He had long ago given up trying to straighten her side. Besides, with what he had in mind, the sheets were bound to get a little out of place.

  He lifted his arm and she slid underneath it, settling her head next to his. She nuzzled his ear. “Didn’t work,” she whispered.

  “He doesn’t know the specimen I am, does he, babe?”

  “Nope.” And with that, she lost it. The laughter came from her toes and sent her rolling to her side of the bed. And everything they had gone through and fought for and fought through was worth that laughter.

  Gray grabbed her and pulled her back toward him, but it was no use. She was useless. It would be ten minutes before she got control of herself, and he enjoyed every minute.

  When the laughter had subsided and the lovemaking was over, she nestled under his arm again. “I love you, Gray London.”

  “I love you too, Mack. So what are we going to do these next four years?”

  She pressed her mouth next to his ear. “Live,” she whispered.

  He couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do.

  Or anyone he’d rather do it with.

  Chapter 59

  The shipment came to the front door. Joseph brought it up to Mackenzie. And it was perfect. She had searched everywhere for just the right one. It would grow beautifully in the garden, but now wasn’t the right time of year. She had chosen the container a while back and knew it would be perfect in Jeremiah’s workroom if that was where he needed to keep it. In the winter months he spent just as much time in there repairing tools and taking care of bulbs as he did outside.

  She looked for him downstairs first. The workroom was dark and quiet. So she headed out into the coolness of the November morning and found him tending to some broken slate in one of the walking areas around the pool.

  She extended the container, the flower hanging from it in an elegant yet humble way. Which didn’t surprise her, since “humility” was one of its meanings.

  “This is for you,” she said.

  He unfolded his long legs and stood—a little more slowly than last year. “Oh, Miz Mackenzie, that be just ’bout the purtiest lily a the valley I ever see. But ain’t that time a year. How you get it?”

  She smiled. “I searched high and low, but I finally found one. It was the only flower that said what I wanted it to say.”

  He took it from her hands.

  “Jeremiah, do you know what you mean to me?”

  The look on his face showed he did. She saw the whites of his eyes expand and tears flood them quickly.

  “We wouldn’t have made it through all this without you. Not any of us. Not me. Not Gray. Not even my mother, though she’d never admit it.”

  He shook his head. Hard.

  She laughed. “I know—right? No words for that.”

  “Ain’t gon’ lie, Miz Mackenzie. If I was a drinkin’ man . . .”

  “I know. My father used to say the same thing. ‘If I was a drinking man, I’d have drunk myself to death by now.’”

  They both laughed. “I know I don’t have to tell you what a lily of the valley means,” she said.

  He cocked his head. “Can’t say I do know what that one mean.”

  She played along. “It means ‘return to happiness.’ That’s what I feel has happened with us. And you are a huge part of that.”

  He shook his head. “Ain’t done much ’cept raise flowers and pray.”

  “Act humble if you will, but it’s true. You pressed us. You pushed our buttons. You opened our hearts. Then you dug in like the gardener you are and tilled our very soil until a seed came to life.”

  “Ain’t never found hearts more worth diggin’ in.”

  She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I haven’t found a man worth loving like I love you since I met Gray London.” The tears came quickly as she hugged him.

  She leaned back, and he handed her a blue handkerchief. “They new. Well, sorta new. Your mama gone and bought ’em back in March. ’Bout near killed her, but she done it.”

  Mackenzie laughed and blew her nose. “It has another meaning, you know. The lily of the valley.”

  “Really? What that be?”

  “It also means ‘you’ve made my life complete.’”

  He bowed his head low in that humble way of his. She lifted his chin. “I mean it, Jeremiah. Our life here would not be complete without you in it. I’m sorry you’ve gone through what you’ve gone through to get here. But I am selfishly grateful that you are here.”

  “Ain’t nothin’ happened to me ain’t gone through him first.” He pointed toward the brilliant-blue Tennessee sky. “Figure if he think I can handle it, I can handle it. But I do thank you. Ain’t never heard words any kinder.”

  They stood there for a moment, smiling, the flower between them in Jeremiah’s hands.

  “Okay, then.” Mackenzie clapped her hands together. “Jessica has a plan for my day.”

  “’Course she do.” He grinned. “And I bet for tomorrow too.”

  Inauguration Day

  “Big day, huh, Jeremiah?”

  I laid my suit coat on the metal table. “Yep, Harvey. Big day.”

  “Back to the real world now, huh?”

  The concrete wall stare back at me like it always do. “Sure ’nough.”

  “Hate to do this to you.”

  “Don’t ’pologize for what you do. Man gots to work.” He always do it fast, though, and I always grateful ’bout that. But it don’t never get less humiliatin’.

  I pick my clothes up off the table and walk through them metal doors. They lock behind me as loud and sure as they have ever’ day these last thirty years. And there ain’t been one day since then that my body ain’t jolt when they do.

  I take me a cold shower—ain’t no such thing as a hot one ’round here—and walk to my cell. They fed us so good today, I ain’t even a li’l bit hungry. I full up and bone weary.

  I gone and sat down on my bunk, mattress as thin as the skin on the back a my legs. I lay my ol’ tired body down and look up at that ceilin’, and it like the whole day play out in front a me. Gov’nor on that platform bein’ sworn in. Miz Mackenzie standin’ by him in that gold dress a hers. Ain’t never seen her purtier. And that happy smile on her face—I ain’t never thought I gon’ see that smile again.

  Miz Eugenia, she be all decked out too. Even smiled at me once. I ’bout near thinkin’ she got her a crush on me. Make me shiver just thinkin’ ’bout it.

  They even invite me to that big ol’ luncheon in the capitol rotunda. Most a them men ain’t even knowed who I be. Ain’t knowed I wake up this mornin’ in a cell. Just ’cause I be at that lunch, they prob’ly think I somebody ’portant.

  And know what? It be true. I ’portant to the gov’nor and Miz Mackenzie—so ’portant they sat me and Rosa right at the same table with Eugenia herself. And she ain’t been able to say one word to me ’bout that pitiful centerpiece ’cause florist from downtown do it.

  I ain’t never had people been so good to me as the gov’nor and his family—’cept maybe tha
t warden show up here ’bout the same time I did. He like me—ain’t never knowed why. He always say, “J. W., I know you ain’t done what they say.”

  And I ain’t. I ain’t killed the owner a that flower shop where I be workin’. But thirty years ago, black mens all look the same to old white women. We ain’t had real faces or real names. We just be black. All it take was her sayin’ she seen me come outta there late one night, and the next mornin’ they found him dead. Twelve white people done believe I did it. Judge give me seventy-five years, no chance a parole. Sentence like that, I be dead ’fore I ever saw light a day.

  But that warden knowed I didn’t do it. Shirley knowed. And my babies knowed. And I knowed. That be what really matter. And when that warden get me the job at the mansion, I ain’t never felt freer. Not ’cause I really free. But ’cause somebody seen who I really be.

  That be the day I set myself free too—’cause that the day I knowed God knowed I innocent too. And once that happen, I seen myself different. Ain’t walked ’round shameful. I walked ’round with some respect.

  My Shirley, she always say that when God make you innocent, can’t nobody make you guilty. I knowed that even if I did pull that trigger they swore I pulled, God could still make me innocent. And he really did, I guess. ’Cause in all the years I been workin’ at the mansion, ain’t nobody ever gone and talked ’bout my past.

  Ever’ gov’nor and his wife I work for been aware a my story. And ain’t a one treated me like a guilty man. I just figure they thinkin’, if the warden here trust me with the first family, then maybe I worth trustin’. I also be wonderin’ if maybe God help ’em a little—help ’em know what be true.

  Gov’nor and Miz Mackenzie the only ones that trust me with they baby, though. Guess that be why I love ’em so much. But I liked that gov’nor before Gov’nor London too. He the one bought me them there green overalls. Said I ain’t looked good in orange. But I knowed what he really sayin’. He want me to see myself like he saw me.