Garden Statues

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The car passed the gatehouse and drove up the large curved driveway leading to the front of the mansion. The car was worn and old but recently cleaned and otherwise well maintained. If not for the obvious wear it might have qualified as an antique car.

The driver parked slightly around the curve and got out of the car. He was an older man of indeterminate age above fifty or sixty. His clothing was plain and tidy but styled in a manner not seen for several decades, much like his vehicle.

He slowly walked to the front door of the mansion. The door opened as he arrived on the porch.

“Good evening, Sir,” the gray haired man opening the door said. “I saw you walking up and thought I’d best get here before you. Would you like to sit down before I ask what you are doing here?”

“That is very kind of you, young man. This chair here in the foyer will suffice. I am looking for the owner of the house or their legal representative.”

“I see. You don’t have their name?”

“The only name I have is Ezekial Harmon and I believe he died a couple decades ago.”

“I haven’t heard anyone speak about Ezekial in a long time. Did you know him well?”

“Can’t say that I did. We met long ago. But, I’m not really at liberty to say what about. I do need to speak with his heir about rented property of mine here on the mansion grounds.”

“Really? I should probably find you a better place to sit before I summon Mr. Harmon.”

“Harmon?”

“Ezekial Trebec had no male progeny.”

“Ah.”

“Mr. Harmon will probably ask me about what property you are referring to.”

“The statue in the garden. You may also tell him I am Lucas Sepjic.”

*****

Hours later, a video conference was taking place. David Harmon, the grandson of Ezekial, was not legally the owner of the mansion. He had called his mother Elizabeth via conferencing software. She was in Majorca.

When the video connected, David was about to speak when Elizabeth interrupted him. “Is that Mr. Sepjic?”

“You know this man? Do you know my mother?”

“We’ve never met, I thought.” He said.

“Not true, Mr. Sepjic. But I’m not surprised you don’t remember. I was probably eight years old the last time I saw you.”

“You’re the little girl who loved my statue.”

“Yes.”

“Eight years old?” David said. “That would have been over…”

“Don’t give away your mother’s age, young man.”

“It’s okay. Yes, David, it was over forty years ago when I met the man in front of you. He’s a lot older than he looks.”

“You know this?”

“Mr. Sepjic…”

“Please, call me Lucas.”

“It would be my honor, Lucas,” she said. “David, a wizard sits before you.”

“A wizard?”

“He is unlikely to believe you, dear woman. I guess you know why I’m here.”

“Did David find the paperwork?”

“I think I did. Why did Grandfather Essy rent a statue for ninety years?”

“I’m not that old. But, I remember like it was yesterday, the story he would tell of the wizard who turned a woman into a statue for his garden.”

“What?” David said. “I’ll pretend that’s possible. Why not just commission a normal statue?”

“Time. He could certainly have paid less for a sculptor to make a statue. He didn’t have the months necessary to wait for a commission.”

“She is correct,” Lucas said. “A friend referred your grandfather and great-grandfather to me. He needed a statue for a very important party he was hosting a few days from when I met him. He paid my family handsomely for the statue that now sits in your garden.”

“And he didn’t buy this statue outright. He leased it.”

“For ninety years, tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Elizabeth said. “Can you wait until Sunday when I return? I would love to witness this magic. I could pay you for the extra four days.”

“This is insanity, Mother.”

“David, this doesn’t concern you.”

“I think it does.”

“I will gladly return on Sunday. Four more days will change nothing. But, I must inform you Mrs. Harmon, my answer is still, ‘No.’”

“What?”

He stood up. “I hate to be rude but if I’m to wait until Sunday, I will leave now.”

“Be reasonable, Lu–… Mr. Sepjic,” she pleaded.

“Good day, sir, madam.”

“Mother, what just happened?”

“Be happy, David. If it works out as I wish, you’ll gain your inheritance early.”

*****

The statue stood at the focal point of a long curlicue pathway not far from the main patio off the back of the mansion. The plinth it stood on was three feet high making the statue visible across over one hundred yards of the garden.

Lucas’ spell culminated with a light show centered on the statue. When the witnesses could see clearly again, where the statue had been there stood a woman in the prime of her adulthood. She took hold of a sheet that had been wrapped around the statue and looked around.

“Lucas,” she shouted. She climbed down off the plinth with David’s help and gave her brother, Lucas, a warm embrace.

“I don’t believe it,” David said, his hand still held aloft from helping her down.

“I told you he was a wizard,” his mother said.

Lucas cleared his throat and the woman let him go. “Elizabeth, David, this is my sister Mila.”

“Pleased to finally be able to say hello to you both.”

“I’m going to miss you,” Elizabeth said.

Mila made a funny smile and just nodded. “I haven’t seen you in the gardens in a while, young David.”

“I should find the time to remedy that.”

“You should.”

“You’ve been standing here for ninety years?”

“Sounds about right.”

“And, forgive my asking, but how old are you, Sir?”

“Let’s just say older than I look.”

“Don’t pester them, David,” Elizabeth said. “Lucas, you know what I want.”

“What do you want, Mother?”

“I can’t give you what you want.”

“Why not? I’ll pay you handsomely.”

“How handsomely?” David asked, still unsure what was being discussed.

“Having the spells in play is draining. If I spent energy casting the spell you want, I’d not have enough energy to release my other sister when her spell ends.”

“Other sister?”

“After Ezekial commissioned his statue, a rash of other statue spells were cast because everyone’s garden had to have a woman turned into a statue. This is my sister Mila. My older sister, Ludavika, is current decorating a garden in Virginia and will be doing so for another four years. If I cast the statue spell on you today, I won’t be able to restore Ludavika for at least nine years. I will not do that to my sister.”

“I thought she never wanted to be a statue,” Mila said.

“She had me use the money to fund one of her projects.”

“Of course. She was always helping others.”

“You want to be a statue, Mother?”

“David, have you never heard me talk endlessly about spending time in the garden with Mila?”

“I thought you meant you enjoy being near the statue because it’s view of the grounds is stunning.”

“That’s true,” Mila said. “If anything, if I’d been placed two paces to the right, that would have been ideal.”

“Could you mark that spot on the plinth for when I become a statue?”

“Certainly.”

Elizabeth and Mila stood up and found the spot Mila spoke of. They returned to the sitting area.

“Lucas, what if you didn’t have to wait four years to revive your sister Ludavika?” Elizabeth said, still standing.

“Hypothetically speaking, I could cast a statue spell about a month after restoring my sister. But, how would we arrange that with Mister Goldman’s heirs, who most likely own the property in Virginia.”

“None of that is necessary. I purchased that property ten years ago. I’ve seen the statue of your sister and I can end the contract that currently holds her in stone.”

“That’s fabulous,” Mila said.

“But, I will only do this if I get what I want.”

“Mother! That’s madness.”

“I don’t think so,” Mila said.

“Begging your pardon, but I don’t want my mother to be a statue.”

“It isn’t for you to decide,” his mother said.

“It isn’t? It’s only for you to do whatever selfish thing you want as always, Mother? Who will you know ninety years from now? You’ve said many times you didn’t think I was ready to inherit your fortune. Who would own this house ninety years from now? My grandchildren? Or people who have no idea who the or what the statue in the garden is?”

“They wouldn’t be ignorant of who I am if you were to tell them about me.”

“Oh, sure. If I told my currently non-existent children their grandmother was a statue, they wouldn’t have me committed as soon as they could. Just telling my future wife could become an issue in sustaining a long-term relationship.”

“The boy isn’t wrong,” Lucas said. “A child’s wonder, such as the one you still possess, Elizabeth, isn’t found among all people. I’m sure you told David in his youth that the statue of Mila was actually a real person. He seems to have forgotten.”

“If she told me, it didn’t stick. My apologies.”

“Not necessary,” Mila said.

“What if it weren’t for ninety years?” David said.

“That’s possible,” Lucas said. “If we picked twenty-five or thirty years, would you want to be the same visual age as your mother?”

“It would be preferable to dying before she does. Had you considered that, Mother? If you outlive me and my children are older than you, how will you feel?”

“I don’t know. I suppose you did this, Mila, because you haven’t had children.”

Mila looked sullen.

“Did I say something wrong?” Elizabeth said.

“It’s okay,” Mila said. “I was married and had two beautiful children before they were all taken from me during war. It was I who suggested to Lucas we rent me out as a statue. I thought ninety years made of stone would steel my heart again the sorrow of loss. It only delayed it.”

“World War II?” David said.

“I don’t know about this world war two. The war I speak of ended in 1878 and freed lands from the rule of Turkey.”

“You’ve been a statue more than once?” Elizabeth said.

“Four times. Only this last one lasted ninety years.”

David looked a Lucas again. “How do you stay healthy, Sir?”

“Don’t attempt to knight me. And, of course, the answer is magic.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Mila,” Elizabeth said. “But, Lucas, this proves you could make me a statue for far less time than ninety years.”

“Yes, I could. Not until Ludavika is revived,” Lucas said.

“I will gladly fly you and Mila to Virginia as soon as you are able to revive her.”

“What will you charge to turn my mother to stone? I can’t believe I just asked that.”

“I don’t know. All the statues I’ve made before were my family members. The rates I’ve charged were based on being without them for the duration. I’m sure we can come to an agreed upon rate. But I am too tired to negotiate right now.”

“Of course. Please call me as soon as you are able. I’m sure you want to be reunited with your other sister as well.”

“Yes. I’ll be in touch.”

“Where do you live?” Mila said as they left the mansion.

“All in due time. Get in the car.”

“This is an automobile. I’ve missed so much.”

“Yes, and I’m sure you’ll use that as an excuse to become a statue again.”

“Not this time. Is Mamo still in Roma?”

“Yes. She has been there so long I am no longer drained by her spell. She is well if my senses are true. I haven’t seen her since the last time I was there in the nineties.”

“Well, whatever you charge that woman, make sure it allows us to go see Mamo. Though I’m not sure I wish to voyage across the ocean again.”

He laughed. “Mila, you have missed so much.”

“Airplanes just fly there, don’t they? I forgot I heard people talking casually about flying to Europe. I’m sure the planes look as outlandish as this ‘car’ as you called it.”

“Of course.”

*****

David sat on a padded chair in the garden. His wife, Penelope, sat next to him with her legs crossed over his. He called out to his daughter, “Briana, don’t hang on Grandma’s arm like that. She’ll shatter if she falls over.”

The little girl rushed over to her father. “That isn’t Grandma. That’s just a statue.”

“You’re thinking of Mommy’s Mommy. She isn’t a statue. That statue is my Mommy. She was turned to stone by a traveling wizard.”

“Was she wicked? Or was it an evil wizard?”

“Neither. My mother just loved the view of the garden and she wanted it to be the only thing she saw.”

“That’s funny. Why did she have to be a statue to look at the garden?”

“You’d have to ask her.”

“Statues don’t talk.”

“No, they don’t. But she won’t be a statue forever.”

“Why not?”

“The wizard will come back ten years from now. When he does, he’ll turn her back into a person.”

“Is this true, Mommy?”

“It’s what your father told me when I met him. I’ve never met his Mother other than being told she’s that statue there. Even Daddy’s cousins say that’s his Mommy. I think it’s weird like you said. But, it’s probably true.”

“I’ll meet her then?”

“You can say hello to her. She can’t answer. But I’m sure she’d appreciate you saying hello. But before you do. I have a secret for you.”

“Oo, what secret?”

He whispered in Briana’s ear.

“Okay,” she said. She ran over to the statue and stood in front of it.

“She’s going to be mad if she finds out that’s just a statue,” Penelope whispered.

“You doubt me? The only issue is whether the wizard shows up when he should.”

“If you say so. What did you tell her?”

“You know the story of the wizard’s sister being restored to life, right? Give a listen.”

The four years old child swayed on her tiptoes hoping the statue could see her. “Daddy said, I should say, ‘Hello’. He only told me your name just now. I’m Briana. Nice to meet you, Mamo.”