Flowers for Rachel

Red Tulips

"Move aside, you big oaf!" cried aunt Gillian, as she barely manages to squeeze past Morris and all the spectators who have huddled to see me bring in the purple flowers with bell shaped petals marked by inner rings of electric yellow.

Gill takes my hand, equally surprised as I am that the delivery is made at another house but with a quick glance at Beth, we both know that whoever sent them knew I was coming to the meeting or took a gamble that I'd show up.

Meaning that whoever it was, is here in the Morris house.

And maybe, just maybe. They took a chance because it would be the one place where he and I are in the same place, at the same time.

Beth draws me to a corner where she points at her phone, the screen reading, "hope, courage, and admiration."

I remain impassive as most of the eyes in the house are drawn to me, watching with hushed whispers being passed from each mouth or a shake of the head because some think I'm an attention seeking Everheart who doesn't know when to call it quits. Yeah, that's right. I can make out the accusations in which I'm the instigator of all this, sending myself flowers to make some kind of point. To bide my time in Malamute because I'm bored to death.

Little do they know that young Rachel doesn't have the funds nor the time to create a false romantic dream on such a huge scale. I have bigger worries, like the balance in my bank account and my college assignments. And most of the guys I know from school or even the few that still exist in Malamute, think a date night movie is the standard for romance. None of them would ever think about gifting so many flowers and the last time anyone ever gave me flowers, was during my high school graduation and from family no less, specifically my Mom.

"Why'd you get flowers? Special occasion?" Honey coloured eyes asked, walking up to us which sends Beth into panic mode once more as she physically latches onto my arm and squeezes it.

"Umm..." I began dumbly, not sure what to say since I'd never imagine he'd want to be anywhere near a clumsy and wide-eyed girl like me...my education is wasted on me as I stand there trying to remember basic language skills.

"Are you the other grandson Deloris was talking about?" Beth said, intervening and saving me from further humiliation.

"Yeah, I'm Constantine," he said, tilting his head and furrowing his brow in hidden amusement.

"It is soo nice to meet you," Beth returned, a playful smile tugging at her mouth and it's now my turn to bring her down to earth instead of whatever heavenly delusional cloud she's riding on.

"To answer your question, no there's no special occasion," I said, clearing my throat and giving Beth a hardened look.

"She has a secret admirer," Beth added lightly, but immediately smacks a hand over her mouth from having said too much.

Despite the strangeness of it all (because secret admirers are essentially of aunt Gill's generation) he doesn't seem as surprised which raises my inner suspicions but they immediately die by the contemplative nod and dismissive shrug. "That's nice then, right?"

"Sure," I replied cooly, not sure what to make of his over familiarity and warm smile.

"We should probably attend the meeting now," hurried Beth, taking my arm and wheeling me around to avoid him catching a glimpse of my obviously perplexed expression.

He follows us closely into a room packed with people, and takes a seat alongside his brother and the meeting commences with the neighbours going over plans for a spring party and charity event. Yet no matter how much I try to focus, I only catch snippets of the conversation as I look down at the flowers in my lap that seem out of place amidst talks of lemonade stands, bouncy castles, and backyard games.