Jayden's Arc

Chapter 6 of 6

Three days later, Jayden was weeding the far corner of her plot when she heard footsteps on the path. She looked up and saw the same man from the newsstand, carrying a leather folder under one arm. He stopped at the edge of her garden and waited until she stood. "I wanted to show you this," he said, opening the folder. Inside was a thick document, yellowed at the edges, covered in handwritten script. "My father's deed. It says this land — all of it, including where your garden is — belonged to him." Jayden's chest tightened. She looked at the paper, then at the rows she'd planted, the soil she'd worked for months. "I didn't know," she said quietly. The man nodded. "I believe you. But I need to put up a greenhouse here. It's in the deed — my father planned it before he died." He pointed to a spot just beyond her tomatoes. "I'll put a fence along the boundary so you can see where my claim starts." Jayden wanted to ask him to wait, to give her time, to find another spot. The words were right there. But instead, she heard herself say, "That's fine. Whatever you need." The man looked surprised, maybe even relieved. He thanked her and walked back down the path. Jayden stood there, staring at the space he'd pointed to. She could have told him she needed more time. She could have asked to see the full deed, or suggested he build somewhere else. But she'd smiled and stepped aside, just like always. The next morning, Jayden found a weathered fence already marking the line he'd described. Beyond it, workers were unloading glass panels for a greenhouse. She knelt in her garden and pulled weeds that didn't need pulling. A metal lockbox sat mounted on a post near the fence, and through its glass front she could see the deed inside, displayed for anyone to read. She stared at it for a long time. Then she stood, brushed the dirt from her hands, and walked to the greenhouse site. The man was directing the workers. When he saw her, he smiled. "I hope this won't be too much trouble," he said. Jayden opened her mouth to agree. But the words that came out were different. "I need to see the full deed. And I want to know exactly how much of my garden you're claiming." The man blinked, then nodded slowly. "Of course," he said. He unlocked the box and handed her the document. Jayden took it, her hands steady. She didn't smile. She didn't apologize. She just read.