Guardian

II.

Several dreamless days passed, uneventful days. Going to work, going home, nothing to get excited about. She was grateful for no dreams, however, confused she still found herself over a certain young man named Guardian. While the days were uneventful the confusion that invaded her daily thoughts still haunted her. She constantly caught herself searching faces she passed, came close to, looking for his face. He wasn't expected to appear again but then she wasn't sure he wouldn't either.

She had brought up the subject with her mother on the phone by jokingly telling her she had met a man named Guardian and reminding her of how grandpa had said the man that saved her was her guardian angel.

Mom laughed and they revisited old memories a bit. Krysta used the time to ask what mom remembered about the mysterious young man that had saved her. Unfortunately, mom couldn't or didn't help much. The only thing she remembered for sure was he was young, twentyish and he vanished, leaving his coat behind. Amongst the panic and fear of making sure the child was okay he just slipped away. Of course, that was nothing more than what she originally knew. Her mom didn't know she still had the dreams. She felt it was her best to leave it that way.

It was a Friday afternoon when he seemed to appear out of nowhere in the flower shop. He took her by total surprise. She was waiting on Sarah Meadows when the bell over the door jingled as it opened and he wandered in. Sarah and her husband managed the café down the street. She would come in once a week to pick up fresh flowers for the tables and to chat. Sarah was her mom's best friend in the whole world. They had been best friends since they were children. Krysta had known her whole life, calling her Aunt Sarah when she was a child.

"So how does it feel to be on the eve of your twenty-first birthday?" she asked Krysta, chuckling.

Mom's been talking. "It's cool," She answered, watching him very close by looking at the vases.

"Well, I hope you have a great birthday tomorrow girl. Say hey to your Mom when you talk to her," she said with her big smile as she took the container of mixed flowers Krysta had collected for her.

"I'll tell her Sarah. Thanks. See you soon. "

She loved Sarah, she'd known her whole life but right now she was a little grateful for her leaving. She glanced at him again as she watched Sarah go out of the door. The little bell jingled her departure.

She watched him walk about the shop touching, fingering things, smelling flowers, and appearing to be in thought. She waited several more minutes watching him curiously. Finally, she made a move and took a few steps toward him.

"Can I help you, Guardian?"

"You remembered me," he said, smiling.

"We should always remember everyone that we meet," she replied.

He laughed, turning to look at her with those eyes. Nothing had changed, he was radiant. She was afraid if she looked too deeply into those eyes she would be lost for they seemed to touch you to your soul.

"First you can call me Ian if you'd like. Second, I wish to buy flowers for someone."

"Great. Do you know what you want?" She asked.

" I want gardenias" he said, turning as he said it and reaching for a turquoise colored glass vase. "I want them in this and I want the silver ribbon with the flecks of turquoise color tied in a bow around it.

He turned back towards her, handing her the case. She carefully took it and took it to the counter gently. Then she waked over and gathered the ribbon that he had chosen and brought it back to the counter. He silently watched her go about her work. She walked past him one more time to retrieve the gardenias and again past him to return to the counter.