The Scoundrel and The Gentleman

Chapter 7

"Miss! Miss Agatha! Oh, do wake up!"

Groggily, I awoke after deeply dreaming of my future with Sebastian, how our sixth and seventh years would be. Admittedly, half my pillow was soaked in drool.

"Miss! Miss!", Chives had been jumping on the bed trying to wake me up.

"Aaugh...mmm...what is it Chives?", I said sleepily.

"Miss, please look out on the balcony!", Chives clamored.

I slumped out of bed and dragged myself to the balcony, still in my sleepwear. My eyes widened when I saw what was below in the courtyard.

"Hello!", Ominis yelled, with a big great smile. He was absolutely surrounded by haze of color. Bushels and bushels of hydrangeas consumed Ominis. Pinks, whites, blues, purples, filled the courtyard. Ominis looked like he was standing in the middle of a pastel cloud.

I smiled back, "What is all this?"

"I thought of you!", Ominis called up to me, smiling. "You bring COLOR to my world!"

Hurriedly, I threw on my sundress from the day before, and I bolted downstairs, I couldn't help myself. I met him in the courtyard, Ominis walked over to help me through the hundreds of flowers.

"Haha! Ominis! I mean, what is all this? How did you obtain all of these?", I was utterly giddy.

"Well, I ...wanted to thank you.... for giving me the courage to swim the other day...I want you to see how much it means to me," Ominis replied, looking into my eyes.

"Ominis, that's so sweet! .... how did you know my favorite flower...?" I asked.

"Oh, well...I had to ask Sebastian...he finally wrote back to me. I had to ask him a few questions..."

"Oh! Sebastian!", I lit up, if Sebastian replied to Ominis too, surely, I'd be hearing back more often. I started to daydream about that perfect curly-headed boy. I couldn't wait to hear from him this evening.

I heard Ominis chattering in the background to whom I can only assume was himself, or was he talking to me?

"...therefore, despite its name, the French hydrangea originates from several different countries and continents. The name hydrangea is derivative of the word 'hydros', in Greek. I sourced these ones from The Unites States.... New York exactly..." Ominis trailed off as we made eye contact again. His nervous babbling was rather endearing.

I stepped closer to him and placed my hands on either of his cheeks. Ominis gently grabbed my wrists in response. "Ominis..."

"Yes, Agatha?"

"Thank you, so much. This is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me."

"Of course, Aggie. I...I just wish I could see your face, especially amongst these beautiful blooms."

"Hah! For a blind man, you sure have an eye for detail!" I jested.

"Oh, that does it! I'm sending these back you screwy girl!" Ominis teased, playfully using a bushel to sprinkle petals in my face. He playfully hit me with the flowers on the back, making his point.

I squealed, "Noo! Don't! I love them, Omi!"

Ominis blushed. "I told you, only my mother calls me that."

"Well...," I said getting close to him once again. "Only my dearest ones refer to me as Aggie, yet that hasn't stopped you.", I purred in his ear.

Ominis was now beet red. "It's a beautiful name, and....and...."