Scents

The smells rose up over the hedges, momentarily suspended in huge clouds before shattering into fireworks. Little bits rained down like scented confetti, covering the ground with unexploded odor-bombs. Patchouli, vanilla, Old Spice, freshly cooked spaghetti. Fragrances stuck to Jenny’s bare feet and tangled in her hair. The cat flicked her paws in a gesture of disdain. The baby laughed and chewed on his hands. The dog rolled in ecstasy over the uncut lawn. At school the teenagers sniffed their fingers surreptitiously, worried they might have picked up the wrong one.