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limply from some. Others seemed to be growing lopsided with abandon. Several were completely dead. Empty clay pots, bags of soil, and gardening tools cluttered the corners.
    Before I started to work on the greenhouse, I went back to check on Jimmy and Sarah. They were both asleep, but I left their doors ajar so that I would be able to hear them if they woke. Then, I returned to the greenhouse, began to pick all the brown leaves off, cut the dead stems, and tie sticks to some of the plants to get them to stand straight. I watered everything, wiped down the leaves of each plant, transplanted some overgrown jade plants to bigger pots, and tidied up the room. I gathered all the cactuses on one side, placed all the African violets in front of the window, and put the big jade plants in the center. I had often watched Mother work in her greenhouse, so I felt comfortable here.
    When I looked at my watch, I realized I had been in the greenhouse for several hours. I looked at my work, and was pleased. But suddenly, I began to worry that the professor and his wife might not have wanted me to touch their greenhouse. It hadn't even occurred to me before. When I saw the neglected garden, I just instinctively wanted to take care of the plants. I would have to tell them, and apologize for just plunging ahead without even asking. I would tell them as soon as they got home. I stood by the window, watching for their car, but after a while, decided to sit down and read.
    Mrs. Bennett gently woke me at midnight and said that her husband would drive me home. I had missed curfew, but the professor would explain it to Sister Casey at Mass the next day. I grabbed my things together and rushed to the car.

    The following Monday, when I returned to my dorm from the library, the receptionist at the front desk pointed to a long white box tied with a red velvet ribbon.
    "Sookan, that's for you. It came this afternoon."
    The box was marked "Valerie Florist." I said I would ■be back to get it after I dropped off my books. As I was heading up the stairs to my room, I ran into Ellen.
    "Oh, Sookan, I was coming down to pick up your flowers. I wanted you to see the box waiting for you at reception, but they've been there all afternoon, and I was just about to give up on you. Wait here, and I'll get them and we can walk upstairs together."
    Ellen beamed as she put the box down on my bed.
    "Open them up! Let's see who they're from! Do you have an admirer that I don't know about?"
    Marci, who must have heard Ellen and me talking as we walked down the corridor, poked her head into our room, and said, "What's this?"
    When I untied the velvet bow and lifted off the top, I saw an enormous bunch of roses, white lilies, tiger lilies, tiny orchids, red and white carnations, and fluffy white chrysanthemums. They were beautiful and made the whole room smell of spring. Ellen immediately hunted for the little white envelope and said, "Hurry, read it."
    The note said: "What a grand surprise to see our neglected greenhouse transformed into a lovely little garden. It seems that a special elf was at work. Thanks for everything on Saturday. The children learned so much from you and had so much fun. You must be a natural born teacher. They adore you and chose these flowers themselves. Hope you will have time to come again. Love, Jane."
    A check was also enclosed for Saturday. Ellen looked disappointed that the flowers were from the Bennetts, but Marci was delighted and looked at me proudly. She then shook her head at Ellen, and ran out to the hall closet, shouting, "Let me see if I can find a big vase."
    She came back with three small vases. "These won't do for those tall flowers," she said, looking disappointed.
    "Oh, they'll be fine. I can use them all," I said. I made three arrangements and gave one to Marci for her room, one to Ellen for her dresser, and kept one for my desk.
    As usual, the "lights out" bell rang all too quickly. Marci headed back to her room across the