Guns & Tulips

Chapter 1: Introductions are Bitter-Sweet

Penni

*************************************************************************************

My dream was sweet. Just me and Dad sitting at the table, talking. It was nice. When I wake up, I stretch and roll over to look at my alarm clock. It reads ten o’clock, so I roll back over and snuggle deeper into the bed. It’s Sunday, so I get to sleep till 10:30. But I have to be up by eleven.

Romeo hear me stir, and decided to come and sit on my chest to stare at my face. I sighed after a couple of minutes, and got out of bed. I grumble and make my way to the kitchen so I can get some coffee. I pour him some milk, and then I get ready and watch the news for a little bit. But I soon head down to the shop, but I make sure to look at my word a day calendar. Today’s word is sesquipedalian, which means many syllables, or using long words. I laugh.

I head down to the shop with Romeo on my heals. I do the usual things, like flipping the sign and sweeping the floor. The noon sun is coming thought the front display window, where Romeo likes to lay. I smile, and hope that today will be a blissfully normal day.

Around 11:10 a little girl with blonde pig tails came in with her mom. “she wants to pick out a bouquet for her daddy.” I smile and bend down, so we’re eye level. “Well, what do you want to say?” I ask. She thinks, then responds, "I want to tell him that I will always love daddy!” I smile and her mom pats her head. I choose red tulips, a forget-me-not, white lilac, Lilly of the Valley, and a single morning glory. While I do I tell her what each mean. “The tulip means love, and the morning glory means affection, which is love too.” the little girl’s eyes grow wide with amazement, and I heard her say, “They all mean something!” as I fill her order, I remember the mom.

She always comes in around fall time to have me put together a silk arrangement with a heliotrope. The meaning of the heliotrope is everlasting devotion, but the story is a sad one, so once I asked her if she knew the meaning. She had nodded her head, with one of the saddest expressions I had ever seen. . .

I wrap the bouquet and ring them up. As they leave Ryan Hillis strolls in, and I can feel my face sour. “Hello sweetheart! Long time no see!” he says, and leans with one arm on my counter. I heave a very heavy sigh. “Good afternoon, how may I help you?” I say, deadpan. Ryan pretends to be hurt, then says, “Is that anyway to treat your best customer?” I roll my eyes, and see James come in with Trenton, his son. Then I lay my eyes on the eldest Hillis, who was standing quietly behind James with a stony expression.

“Hey James!” I say, and I even hear the difference in my voice. “What can I do for you?” Ryan protests because he was here first, but I cut him off saying, “Sorry, but decent customers get served to first.” James laughs, and I swear I see Marcus smirk. “You getting flowers for Judy?” James opens his mouth, but Trenton answers, “I want to say she is the best Mamma in the whole world!” I giggle and grab some orange blossoms, double red pinks, some red roses, Laurel, Iris, white lilac, some coriander, and finish with coreopsis.

I wrap the bouquet and they pay. “Now I’m ready for you Ryan.” He hands me the names and address; of five women. Then pays with more money that the actual price. “Ryan, you know how I hate it when you do that!” I say, he just shrugs, “Oh, and sweetheart, I looked up flower meanings last night.” I know he’s trying to intimidate me, because I always put something in his arrangements that mean ’unfaithfulness’. but I don’t back down. With all his power or money, he can’t influence me. “Oh, well if you want a specific flower, I’ll be happy to add it in.” Ryan laughs.

“No, no, I don’t.” I’m relieved a little but don’t let it show. I go and get a daisy, and give it to Trenton. “This is from me, to the most handsome boy I know.” I say and give him a kiss on the cheek. Trenton blushes, and goes over to where Romeo is perched. “He’s adorable.” I say and James laughs. “He’s got the biggest crush on you! Every time I come to town, he always wants to come here first!” I laugh and smile. I walk James to the door and I feel that Marcus wants something. “Is there anything I can make you?” I ask him. “No, ma’am.” is how he responds. His voice is kind of scratchy, like he doesn’t use it often.

They leave and I start on Ryan’s bouquets. They take me most of the day. When I finish I hurry to deliver them. I make sure to add a Bradford Pear Branch in each.

On the way back to my little loft above the shop, the sun had just gone behind the buildings. I sigh and rub my shoulders. Ryan’s deliveries always wear me out. But at least the last one was downtown, so I could walk.

I wave at the other shop owners as they say ‘night’ and ’have a good evening’. I sigh and stretch. I’m not going to let Ryan Hillis ruin my mood! I turn the corner and I see my little flower shop, Mainsion de Flures.

I get out my keys when I note a dark figure on my front stoop. I freeze, and try to see through the shadows. The figure is oftly big to be a dog, and two wide to be a child. I swallow hard, and buck up the courage to walk closer. I notice that it’s leaking some kind of liquid. Then it dawns on me.

“Holy crap! It’s a guy!”