You head home

You head home early to find a mini in the drive and the side gate open. Agatha is in the garden, busy among the bushes. You wave at her but don’t disturb her.

Having changed, you start preparing dinner. It’s while you’re doing this that Agatha knocks on the back door.

“Hi, {if Agatha = 1} John {else} Mr Smith {endif}, I was wondering whether you’ve made a decision yet?” Agatha asks as you let her in.

“A decision?”

“On whether you want me to carry on. My contract with your mother expires in a couple of weeks.”

“Oh, that. Yes, sorry, not yet. I need to see my paycheque first, work out how much money I’m getting after tax. See if I can afford you.”

“It’s just, I need to know soon.”

“I understand, Agatha. I want to help you, but…”

“Yes, I… I really need this job. This last year’s been brutal. Half my regular clients have had to cut back or cancel me altogether. I thought I was getting somewhere, until… You know the economic situation. It’s really cutting into the people who used to hire me. They can’t afford as much of me they used to. The only people consistently hiring gardeners are the elite, and they only hire permitted gardeners.”

“Permitted gardeners?”

“Yes, those gardeners who have a permit from the council to work on the council gardens.”

You hadn’t heard of that before, but then you haven’t paid that much attention to local politics.

“Look, I promise, once I’ve my first paycheque, which I do believe is next Thursday, I’ll make my decision and tell you immediately.”

Agatha nods and accepts your decision.