Tierra frequented the shop several times a month, striking up menial conversation with the owner whom she called Uncle. As the months went by and Tierra turned thirteen, Uncle began to notice her visits became more frequent and much longer. Something was wrong, and he could tell. She was stalling at the shop, trying to hide from something. And one day after a much drawn out cup of tea, Uncle brought up what had been on his mind.
"Tierra, what are you hiding from? Why have you come to visit me so often? I know something is going on," he said gently. Out of nowhere, Tierra burst into sobs. Uncle waited until she had control of her voice.
"It's, it's my mother, Amarga," she started, gasping. "She, she was so docile and estranged from the world, and now…now she's yelling at me! She's seeing things and going delirious. And I don't know how to help her." She again began to sob uncontrollably. Uncle came out from behind the counter and put a comforting arm around her.
"I tell you what, Tierra. Today is a wonderful day to tend my herb garden. I am old and in need of some assistance with picking the weeds and such. Would you do me the honor of helping?" he asked.
"I would love to," Tierra said in relief. She dried her tears and the two walked out back. "My, this is a bit of a mess."
"Yes, well, I've gotten lazy and have started to buy herbs in town, but I really should be using my own," Uncle said with a chuckle. The two got started picking through the weeds. "Could you bend some of that dirt over here for me?"
"Oh, I, I…I don't earth bend," Tierra said in a fluster. "I'm sorry."
"That's perfectly alright. Neither do I," he winked. The two worked in silence for a while, uprooting the weeds and throwing them into an old pot. Finally Uncle broke the silence. "So, you're mother. Was she always in this state?" Tierra thought this was a rather personal question, but she needed to tell someone of it.
"Not always," she started. "She used to be wonderful. We'd go to market and the spa and all the other places a mother and daughter go. But things changed. Her husband died in the war at the end, when I was only five. She was fine for the next three years or so, but after that she began to float off in her own little world. Then she turned into, into well, a monster."
"It must have been devastating for her to lose her husband, your father," said Uncle solemnly.
"He wasn't my father," Tierra said as she concentrated very hard on packing some dirt.
"Oh," was all Uncle could say.
"Yes, well, that was a very hard time for her, among…other things," Tierra said, ending the conversation with the tone she used. Uncle knew not to pry.
The two worked diligently for the rest of the day, but the work was still nowhere near done. Uncle reached into his pocket and pulled out a modest sum of money.
"For your hard day's work. You've earned it, my niece," Uncle said with his grin.
"I could never," Tierra replied.
"Now, your mother cannot stay at home all by herself all day if you are to help me here. You must hire a caretaker for her and the house. I insist," Uncle said.
"You mean, I can come back to help you?" asked Tierra anxiously.
"Of course! The Jasmine Dragon is doing fine, and I could use some time off to get this garden into shape. And a young pair of hands will be of great use," he said.
"Thank you, Uncle. You are truly wonderful," Tierra said, beaming from ear to ear as she took the money and went home for the day.
