The Misblown Wind

CHAPTER 17 - So beyond perfect

The fragrance of flowers rejuvenated my mood as I stood amidst them. It wiped off my sleepy mood and tuned it into a pleasant one. Of course, a better way to start the weekend.

This was the first time I visited this florist. A woman was on her phone, picking up the orders, while I turned up. "Hey! I'm El." I didn't mind introducing myself to her even though she was occupied, just in the hope that she would hand me a present at the very moment she heard my name. But my crap, she didn't.

"Hey kid! Choose the flowers you want to buy, I'll be back in a sec." She excused herself courteously. I couldn't hold myself back from seeing what was waiting there for me. I waited impassively until she showed up again.

"Sorry for the delay." She smiled genuinely and asked whether I had chosen the bouquet.

"Yeah, I did!" I blithed on an impulse.

"Actually No. I just... umm, is there anything?" I didn't know how or what to ask her. I took a deep breath and continued, "Jeez! I was told that there's something in here for me. Did someone give you anything to present me, I mean to the person El?"

She thought for a minute, and finally her eyes widened, implying that she remembered something.

"Oh yeah! I totally forgot it. What took you this long to come here, dear?" She asked as she went in to fetch something that probably had my name on it.

"Is this long? I got the hint yesterday, and I was here the next morning. Maybe I was a day or two late finding the book." I was murmuring by the time she came back.

"There it goes!" She handed me a glass vase full of white Asiatic lilies and white roses, beautified with dark blue iris. It was all glamorized with greenery here and there.

"Aw! Thank you so much." I gripped it with much care and firmly held it.

Amidst the flowers were letters rolled up and exquisitely laced with blue ribbons. There were two of them. I peered through the hollow hole created by rolling the letters to see if anything written inside was visible.

"Ah no! Save it for later." She chortled.

"Do you have any idea who the person is who gave you these letters?"

"Um. No honey. He didn't give his name. Excuse me for a moment." She was in a rush as people started showing up. I, with a little disappointment, went outside and came back home. All the way, I was embracing the beauty of blurry iris standing unique among white lilies.

"Where did you go, El? We were waiting for you." My mom asked me even before I set foot in.

"Umm... nothing but to grab this vase, mom."

"Happy birthday, my sweetheart!" Granny gave me a warm hug as soon as she spotted me.

"Thank you, Granny!"

I was quite nervous, hoping that they wouldn't see the letters.

"Self-gifting, huh?" Dad mocked me, thinking I bought flowers for my own birthday.

"It's called self-love, dad." I smirked. He laughed as he came closer and gave me a warm forehead kiss. I was relieved a bit, as they didn't spot the letters rolled up in the vase.

"And I just baked brownies and cupcakes for my warrior girl's birthday!" My mom held a plate full of delicious brownies topped with chocolate sauce and sprinkles.

"The best, I bet." I clutched the flower vase in one hand and fetched the brownie in another.

"You have so many gifts up in your room. You should be running by now." Granny winked at me. I promptly stuffed the whole brownie in my mouth and ran up with expectations rooting up.