Chapter 3 - The Price of Envy
A few days after the sun-baked hosta incident, Rebecca was back in her garden, arranging her latest botanical treasures. She’d scored a couple of rare hostas from a niche auction site, and she couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of victory as she placed them in the shade bed.
Just as she was stepping back to admire her handiwork, the garden gate creaked open and Linda’s familiar face popped in.
“Rebecca, I hope I’m not intruding,” Linda said, a little sheepishly. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about your gorgeous hostas after I saw them the other day. I had to come back for a closer look.”
“Not at all!” Rebecca replied, waving her in with a grin. “Come on in. Always happy to share the obsession.”
Linda stepped in and looked around with a mix of awe and a little bit of envy. “I have to say, Rebecca, I’m a tiny bit jealous. I mean, I thought I had a nice garden, but these hostas are on another level.”
Rebecca chuckled. “Well, I’ve definitely gone down the rabbit hole. I picked up a few of these from some online auctions. It’s kind of my guilty pleasure.”
Linda leaned in, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, spill the beans. Where exactly do you find these beauties? And… are they, you know, expensive expensive?”
Rebecca couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, let’s just say it’s a sliding scale. Some of them are pretty affordable—like the cost of a couple of fancy lattes. Others… well, let’s just say they can cost as much as a nice dinner out, or maybe a weekend getaway if they’re really rare.”
Linda’s eyes widened. “Wow, I had no idea! But I can see why they’re special. They really do stand out.”
Rebecca nodded. “Yeah, and honestly, once you start collecting, it’s hard to stop. But here, let me show you a few tricks for finding good deals.”
She led Linda over to a small potting bench and pulled out her tablet, showing Linda a few of her favorite auction sites and sellers. They spent the next half hour chatting, laughing about plant prices, and sharing garden stories.
Finally, Linda straightened up, holding a small division Rebecca had gifted her. “You know what, Rebecca? I think you’ve just created a monster. I’m going to have to start my own little hosta collection now.”
Rebecca smiled. “That’s the spirit! Just be warned—it’s a slippery slope. But hey, at least we’ll have the fanciest shade gardens on the block.”
And with that, the two neighbors shared a laugh, a new gardening bond, and the start of a friendly hosta rivalry that would make the shade garden all the more interesting.