Maria Saldivar knelt behind a patch of sand on her front lawn as if in prayer. She held a spade in her right hand and began to slowly pour in mulch with her left. Ceremoniously, she mixed the barren, sandy dirt with the life-giving mulch but the earth was stubborn. It refused her gift and hardened. The more fertilizer she added the more solid the ground became until it was stone - flat, pale and lifeless. Maria tightened her grip on the metal spade, her knuckles became ghostly white. She thrust it into the earth but it could not penetrate. Again and again she tried. Sparks began to fly from the tool and burned her delicate skin. Maria paid no mind. Again and again she forced the point into the solid earth.

            A bead of frustration and hate collected at the corners of her once soft, hazel eyes; it began to cascade down her cheeks. Maria was breathing very heavily  now, her face was scarlet. Harder and harder, it must penetrate. The tiny tears fell onto the stony ground and mixed with it. Soon, the earth gave way and became soft, dark and moist. It was beautiful. Maria ran it through her fingers and laughed - victorious. But as it left her hands and back on to the ground it became, once again, grainy, pale and barren. Maria threw herself onto the once more rocky earth and cried but this time the tears held no power. She lay there in a fetal position, her auburn hair covering her face.

            After an hour passed Victor, her husband, pulled into the driveway and noticed Maria sprawled out across their lawn. He lay down beside her and then gently whispered into her ear - It'll be all right, we'll be fine, while wrapping his arms around her.                  "I can't make anything grow!" She resisted his comfort and shook him off of her. Maria began yelling meaningless words at Victor. He patiently let his wife's episode pass. She calmed down and rested her head on his shoulders.

            "What are we going to do?" she whispered.

            "Were going to try again and again and again."

            "But the doctor..."

            "What do doctors know? Honey, things will all work out." Victor began playing with Maria's hair, "it'll all be fine."

            Years passed and still nothing would grow in Maria's garden. It seemed like every effort was in vain . Eventually Maria wouldnt even look at a spade. Victor stopped playing with her hair. He would come home from work everyday at 5:15, carelessly drop his jacket on the floor and shut himself up in the study, which he converted into his new bedroom. Maria, who began to spend her days in the den watching reruns of old sitcoms, barely noticed.

            The only contact the two had was at breakfast. He'd enter the room, dressed and ready for work and she'd be making the toast and eggs in an old tattered robe. He started burying himself in his newspaper, engrossed by the metro section. They used to talk over their breakfast, but they just didn't feel up to it anymore. She didn't even like getting her mail in the morning. She hated walking outside and seeing the warm spring sun shining on the neighbors beautiful, blooming blossoms.

            She stared at the usual stack of bills that morning but in the pile was a brightly colored envelope from an old college friend. "Garden Party" it said with a large yellow sunflower drawn around it. A look of disgust came to her face, making it as yellow as the flower drawn on the envelope. "I'm not going!" she informed Victor. He encouraged her to go. He was concerned about her not going out, but of course he didnt push too hard. He simply suggested behind his paper that she attend. Elizabeth Lawrence had been her best friend after all, and it would be nice to get back in touch.

            The party was the following day, and her stomach felt sick at the thought of having to face her old friend and her fertile garden. No doubt her roses were thornless and in full bloom, while she had nothing but a dry, barren patch of sand.

            Maria picked out a homey little green dress and a sun hat, perfect for a garden party. She made sure to put on plenty of rouge to match the blood red roses that would soon engulf her. She brushed the red powder onto her cheeks slowly, taking much care. Her green eyes were like knives that pierced her reflection in the vanity mirror. She tried to cover all that up with mascara. She walked out the door, handbag in hand, and closed the white picket fence behind her. She drove the distance to Elizabeth's in silence, her green hat ribbon blowing in the April wind.

            She approached her old friend's lawn, which was surprisingly near to her own home, yet in the last few years she failed to visit. As Maria walked on to the yard her red flaming hair glowed in the midday sun, attracting Elizabeths attention.

            "Why Maria, you look so lovely this afternoon," the hostess said with a kind sincerity. Elizabeth was such a gentle person, which is why they became friends. But her sincerity seemed foreign to Maria now, as if she should be on the offence protecting herself from attack.

            "Didnt I look lovely the last time you saw me? Or have I aged that much..."

            "No, it's not that at all, it's just that you do look radiant today. I didn't mean anything by it." A puzzled look swept across Elizabeth's face.

            "I'm sorry...I haven't been myself lately." Maria was starting to think she was trying too hard, overdoing everything. Elizabeth moved a white lawn chair across from the one she was sitting at so she could talk with her old friend.

            "We're not expecting too many people, Tom and I, that is. Oh, we feel like were still on the honeymoon, you know. And gardening, it's become a passion of mine..." Elizabeth held a nearby rose in her hand and rubbed the velvet petals. "I even think Tom and I," she whispered, "may be expecting."

            Maria glanced around at the beautiful garden and well-kept lawn with a shadowy gaze. "So you know for sure then?" She seemed very cynical now.

            "No, not for sure, but I feel it. You know, I feel it."

            "No, I don't know." An awkward pause followed. "So how is work, you're still a CPA?"

            "Oh, I gave all that up when Tom and I got married. Sure, we had to cut down a little, trim the fat, but I'm happy."

            Maria's voice was slightly deeper and everything she said had a hint of sarcasm. "So, you're a regular housewife, Liz. Well, that's...that's great."

            Elizabeth took Maria off to the side yard and whispered to her. Whats wrong, and dont say nothing.
                        "I really don't think this is any of your business." Maria replied in a piercingly civil fashion. "Frankly, Elizabeth, I'd start examining my own life before I meddled with others. Where does Tom go at around 7 pm every Wednesday?"               "He wor-works late on Wednesdays." Elizabeth's voice began to shiver and her face turned red.

            Well, I get groceries on Wednesday evenings and typically pass by Pam Moshers apartment. Tom has a shiny silver T Bird right? Aren't too many of those in town, I imagine. Well, it tends to be parked in her driveway almost every week. Practically doesn't even try to go and screw around behind your back, does he? A bun in the oven, I didn't think ole Tom had enough time for the both of you, but then again..."

            Elizabeth slapped Maria in the face and ran into her home, covering her sobbing blue eyes with her hands. Maria fell back a foot and pricked her hand on a rose thorn. She then quickly grabbed her hat and walked away from the party, leaving it, her friend, and her friend's marriage in pieces.  Her finger was bleeding, leaving drops of red blood behind her. When Maria got home ten minutes later she didn't even care to go into her house, she just fell on to her dry, lifeless flower bed.

            Tears started to pour down her face; they made her emerald eyes soften. "How could I be such a monster?" The blood from her finger went dripping out onto the sand, mixing with her salty tears. She went on crying like this for a half an hour until she noticed what was beneath her. A lush and beautiful rose bed had taken the place of the former sand patch. It was dark and cool to the touch. Her tears must have made it so rich and fertile looking. She quickly grabbed some seeds from Victor's landscaping cabinet and poured them generously over the new bed. A ray of hope seemed to come shining down. The clouds were parting for her.

            Tiny rose bushes sprung up and soon tiny buds appeared. She had no tears left, but if she did they would no doubt be pouring out now. The buds bloomed within seconds, revealing themselves to her. But the petals were a sinister black. She had never seen black roses before. But they were still roses, she thought. She went down to smell them but they had no real fragrance, just the slight, musky smell of depression. Maria stared at them for hours blank-mindedly, mesmerized. When Victor came he too was attracted to the poisonous blossoms. He sat with his wife and stared at them until dark.

            The roses whispered to be picked so Maria did just that. She held them close to her breast but to her surprise she began to bleed. Victor, too, decided to pick one of the black roses. He felt inclined to replant it in another part of the yard. As the base of the flower touched the earth it sprung up in a giant bush, quickly spreading around the perimeter of the property.

            The black rose bushes spread so rapidly the earth below the couple began to tremble and convulse. They ran into each others arms in fear of what might happen next. They watched together as the rose bushes formed a dome over the house and yard, leaving only tiny spaces for sunlight. No one could see in or out. No one could come or go.

            As Maria and Victor embraced, all the void  between them became filled; they were whole again. Victor moved his head a little to the right so that he could see, without obstruction, his wife's beautiful green eyes. They sparked despite her uncertainty. He gave her a gentle, apologetic kiss. This tiny kiss soon escalated. Brilliant blue flames began to flow out of Victor and Maria as they made love.  The fire felt like cool water against their flesh.  The glowing flames spread quickly, catching one of the black petals. Within an instant the fire spread throughout the intricate barricade of rose bushes.   The bushes fell to the ground as black ash, forcing Victor and Maria into their home. They watched the embers from inside, and waited for it to be safe to go out again.

            The embers and ashes fell like a cleansing rain, blessing the home, making it new again.