(Hiatus) Truce//RedCrackle

Interlude- In Love Pt.1

She sniffed and smiled. "Don't be sorry. It's okay to cry."

I nodded. "You're right. It's completely okay."

Carmen nodded right back. "Now come on. I've got a piano song to teach you."

"Date tonight? Just you and me?"

I looked up from my phone to see Carmen smiling at me, her eyes glimmering with excitement. I set the device down and returned her grin, propping my chin up on my knuckles.

"Why sure, lovely lady. What did you have in mind?"

She mimicked my posture, her head tilting to the side. "You're sure you don't have work?"

I nodded. "I'm all yours."

Carmen winked and stuck her tongue out at me. "Well then, I figured a picnic down at the river gazebo wasn't too far fetched."

My face softened. We both loved that place. "I'm all for it, darling."

She winked again and stood from the table, walking around it to kiss me. "Great. Meet me down there at seven, just bring yourself and your charm, and we're all set. Dress a little nicer if you want to."

I waited for her to leave the room, then hurriedly checked my watch. It was about four right now... I had more than enough time. "Except traffic is pretty sucky right now..." I muttered to myself, pushing back in my chair to stand and grab my car keys. "And If I want to buy flowers, I gotta go now."

I stared at the flower stand, totally and utterly lost. I knew Carmen loved red. That much was obvious. But I also knew she had a favorite, and she had told me what it was before. But now... I couldn't remember what she had said at all.

The stand owner exited from a door nearby and came back to stand behind his flowers, dusting his hands off on his apron. He gave a deep hearty chuckle at my expression, his brown face splitting into a kind smile. His name tag read Curtis. "How can I help you, young man?"

I gave a lopsided smile, running a shy hand through my curls. "Well, I've got a date with my girlfriend tonight, and I've never really gotten her flowers before. I guess unless you count a single rose."

Curtis laughed again, folding his arms over his chest. "Little lover man here, I see. I remember when I first got flowers for my husband. He was allergic like nothin' else, it was a nightmare. But," he said, raising a thick eyebrow at my sheepishness, "that's probably not the kind of story you want to hear right now, is it, my boy?" He grabbed a damp tower from over a bouquet and threw it over his shoulder. "What colors does she like?"

"Red," I answered immediately, and Curtis's eyes lit up.

He whistled. "Lucky for you, I just got a whole import of fresh red flowers, all different kinds. Why don't you come on back, look at them with me."

I followed him behind his stand and through the door he had exited from earlier, then paused, concerned. "Don't you worry about your flowers out here when you leave for a little bit?"

He waved me off with a kind laugh. "I know these people, and I know these streets. They'll be fine."

"If you're sure..." I trailed off as I followed him into a small room, my eyes landing on a bundle of roses. "I got her a rose earlier, but these are absolutely gorgeous." My fingers traced gently over the thick petals.

"Hmmm... let's see then. She like roses?"

I frowned. "Now that I think about it, she probably loves roses. She smells like them all the time."

Curtis nodded, moving a few crates to reveal another stand that held water-filled vases. One was full of a rainbow bouquet of roses, and I couldn't help but gasp. He paused, noticed where I was looking, and then smiled. "You like those ones? The rainbow? Aren't they just beautiful? I just got a bunch of them in for Pride Month."