Bene walked through the rose garden north of Snakewell, holding a tray of food and a single rose. It was midafternoon now, and he went to have a chat with a friend. It had been some time since his last chat, but a lot happened since then, a lot that Bene thought Cary would like to know.
When he reached the lone house among the roses he carefully set down the try and gently knocked on the door.
"Cary, I brought you some lunch. I hope you are in some mood to chat, or at least listen. A lot has happened since I spoke to you. Oh, and before I forget this time, here's your rose."
He slid the tray and rose through the window, making sure the rose was not stained by the food. He sat against the wall beneath the open window and took a deep breath.
