The Green Girl ✓

The diner

"So you really like me?" He licked his lips nervously before adding, "even after last night?"

"Let’s just not talk about it now!" I sighed. "The food is too good for such serious conversations."

We were silent for a while. I guess neither of us knew what to say.

"So," he started. "Alissa Clover Green. What’s with the middle name? I mean, why are you and two of your aunts named after plants?"

"Actually all the women in our family are named after flowers or some sort of a plant. It’s a tradition. But it’s a long story. You’ll probably get bored."

"Tell me about it!" He said leaning forward.

"Well, it all started centuries ago." He raised his eyebrows at that. "Yes! Centuries. Our ancestors were a rich family. My grandma even told me they were nobles. Anyway, the story begins with the birth of twin girls. They were very close but one of them – the younger one - had always been sickly. Apparently when they were teens she fell very ill. The doctors couldn’t cure her. One day an old woman came to the family’s mansion and said she was a medicine woman and she could help the girl. But it was the time of the witch-hunts and the parents who were Christians thought she might be a follower of the devil so they send her away. One of the girls – the one that wasn’t sick, didn’t agree with her mother and father’s decision so she followed the woman to the nearby village. I’ve been told that the woman gave her herbs and told her how to use them to cure her sister’s illness. The younger twin got better with time but her parents found out what the older girl was doing and thinking it was witchcraft, they banished her away. Without the herbs the younger girl died. The other sister moved in with the old woman who became her mentor. The girl became a medicine woman herself and even changed her name to Linnea Green. Green because of the plants and Linnea because that is the name of a flower also known as the twinflower. Many of the women in our family keep the name Green even after marriage that’s why that is my family name. As for the first names… Well, ever since Linnea the Green women bear the names of plants. Aunt Azalea isn’t an exception, that is the name of a flower shrub. My mother’s name is Elanor and that comes from “Eleanor”, again a flower. Even my first name comes from the alyssum flower. But not many people have heard of that one."

I finished my narration just as Bertha came carrying our waffles.

"Here you go!" She smiled at us. "Enjoy!" She took the empty plate from the pie and left.

"So is that why you have so many plants in your garden?"

"Yeah… Most of them are actually herbs. Every woman in our family is taught the basics on herbs."

"So you’re sort of a medicine woman yourself?" He asked taking a bite from his waffles.

"No! My knowledge is mostly theoretical…"

"It still counts," he laughed. "Want some?" He offered me his waffles. "You should know: I only offer food to people I really like!" He winked at me.

"Oh! And here I thought you’re just making sure your pet won’t stay hungry," I joked, taking a bite of his waffles.

"Hungry? With all the food you ordered for yourself?" He shook his head. "I don’t think so!"

I laughed at his reaction and chewed on the waffles. Mmm, tasty!

"So… Why did you move here?" He changed the topic.

"Oh, that!" I exclaimed, taking a sip of my soda.

"You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to."

"Nya… It’s okay." I chewed on my own ice-cream covered waffles before continuing. "My father died when I was very little."