That afternoon the new guests had come: Cees and Sita. They had stayed here before and didn't need to ask Annerieke to call them by their first names, even though they could be her parents as far as their ages were concerned.

Annerieke welcomed them happily and took them to their room. There they noticed that nothing had changed. Or had it? Sita went to the window: "How nice, those flowers in the window-sill! That does look very cozy! Always beautiful those Hydrangeas, they lose their color so slowly and in that in-between period they are just still beautiful."

Annerieke looked at the flowers and smiled, "Yes indeed, they are really beautiful. That was an idea from Margreet, our new employee and my daughter-in-law-to-be!" she added happily. "I knew she was planning this, but not that she had already been working on it."

"Your daughter-in-law-to-be? When are you having a wedding?"

"We don't know yet, it's all very early, but very particularly good. I'm really happy with her, and with them together. You remember Huib, don't you? He does the administration and odd jobs now, but prefers to spend his time woodworking in the big barn down the road. Huib and our gardener Sjaak both have their own house further down the road now, did you know that already?"

"Yes, they had just moved in when we were here last time. I do remember that I thought Sjaaks house was so tiny because it only had one floor, but he liked it very much. And Huibs house was so big, and I remember well that he told us what Erik had said about it, about a wife and children. I found it quite odd at the time, couldn't really believe it. But now this guy has marriage plans! Great! Well, I think we're going to enjoy ourselves here again," Sita thought, "it's really coming home, don't you think Cees?"

Cees responded smiling, "Definitely!"

"That’s great, if you have no further questions, I'll go home before I start cooking. I'll see you at dinner tonight!"

"Fine, see you then!" Sita said, as Cees nodded to Annerieke.

"What do you think Cees," Sita asked as Annerieke went back downstairs, "shall we unpack the suitcases in advance?"

Cees looked at her and nodded.

While Sita hung and put the clothes in the wardrobe, Cees unpacked the toiletry bags. When the suitcases were empty, they put them upright in a corner, and decided to celebrate their "homecoming" with a walk around the estate.

.

Despite the fact that winter was already approaching, the sun was still shining brightly over the land. Arm in arm, Cees and Sita walked out of the guest house, onto the land.

"What a piece of land it is! Ooooh, look at this, it's still so beautiful... And it's already November! That Sjaak has chosen well, which plants he wanted here. So many late bloomers! Look at those Hydrangeas..."

Sita pulled her husband along to a large group of Hydrangeas.

"This looks like a special variety." She stroked her hand affectionately over the flowers of a few Hydrangeas that looked distinctly different from the Hydrangeas next to it, the type as she knew them.

"They feel different, firmer! The normal Hydrangeas are softer, feel a little more papery. Just feel, the difference."

Cees felt both plants. He nodded, feeling the difference too.

They were startled by a voice behind them, "That's the Hydrangea Magical, and Magical it is! All the Hydrangeas are still blooming, although their colors are fading a bit here and there, but this Magical will stay the longest."

"Hey Sjaak, how nice to see you again," Sita exclaimed. "Do you remember us?"

"Yes indeed, Cees and Sita! Annerieke had already told me that you were coming again, that’s why I know your names. And now I see your faces and that makes the picture in my memory complete again!"

Sita laughed, "Pretty convenient!"

"You clearly know about gardening," said Cees, "it all looks wonderful. It does seem like a lot of work by the way, it's such a big estate!"

"That’s right, it is big, and at some periods I’m very busy. The periods of pruning, for example. But Erik has taught me that I don't have to remove everything. In training I had learned that you really had to clean up all the faded flowers and fallen leaves, especially in the fall. Erik pointed out to me that a garden is not a museum, but a living entity. He urged me to let it do its own thing. Leaves and dead flowers, they are good for the soil, as compost. And frankly it looks much nicer than a neatly raked garden with nothing laying on the soil. Erik was right, we often make it too dead, too neat, too bare... but a garden has to live. Erik himself is unfortunately no longer alive, had you heard? He died in an accident a short time ago."

"Yes, we got a message from Huib through the mail, a kind of digital funeral card," Cees confirmed, "intense for you guys!"

"Yes, it sure was," Sjaak replied, "Annerieke and Huib pulled it together to be able to continue the work for the guesthouse. An intense time! Fortunately they hired Margreet a few weeks ago, a nice young woman who did the job very well from the start. Anyway, what am I talking! You are here for vacation, not to talk about our work! I hope you have a good time here. You know hey, you're welcome to walk all over the estate." Sjaak chuckled, "Officially it's not an estate at all, but to us it's just our estate!"

Cees and Sita laughed, and walked on, leaving Sjaak amazed, amazed because he had told these people, whom he had only met once an earlier vacation, a whole story just like that. "Sjaak," he muttered to himself, "you are changing man, you are becoming freer. And that actually doesn't feel wrong, quite the opposite..."

To chapter 59. Lisa loves playing music and reading

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