Forget-me-not

Cynthia

"If you want to start unpacking, you can. I've gotta go downstairs and get more boxes. Promise you'll stay inside?" Flora spoke behind Cynthia. 

Cynthia was on the hardwood floor of her bedroom looking through a box of clothes. She pulled out a low-cut chestnut shirt. The square opening was low enough that it would reveal a few inches of bare chest and her collar bones. She studied the shirt before she folded it and placed it up on the bed. 

"Why are you so afraid I'll leave? It's not like I have anywhere else to go." 

"Because we're in a large apartment building and it's easy to get lost. Besides, I don't know who lives in this building. What if there's a bunch of creeps?" 

"I'm not going anywhere." 

"Good. I'll be back with a few more boxes. Try not to cause too much trouble." Flora disappeared and left Cynthia alone in her room. 

Cynthia continued to look through the clothes. Flora said she packed them the other day and today the movers brought them to the apartment. Ever since she moved in with Flora yesterday, she had worn a pair of Flora's clothes. 

She didn't want to leave the hospital in a hospital gown. The doctor announced they threw away the clothes she showed up in because they were covered in blood and torn. Flora had been nice enough to let her borrow an oversized t-shirt and a pair of leggings. 

The clothes she kept pulling out were earthy tones. Sandy browns, earthy greens, light blues that were nearly gray, and burnt oranges. Apparently, she had an aesthetic before she was in her accident. She pulled the articles of clothing out one by one, looked them over, and then placed them on the bed. 

Flora had a bunch of hangers, so she could hang her stuff up in the closet. After sorting through everything, she tossed them back into the cardboard box. She pushed herself onto her knees and began to pull open another box. The cardboard flaps were secured over each via folding. 

She pulled open the box and paused. Right on top, a small plush puppy sat. She picked it up with caution. Two plush shaped loaves were sewn into the top of the head to create ears. Faint pink ovals sat beneath the wide eyes to represent blush. With a small button nose, a kind smile sat on its face. 

A mini pair of denim overalls covered the bottom half and slung over the shoulders. A black shirt sat beneath them to cover its torso. Cynthia ran a thumb over the side of its cheek gently. "Who are you, little guy? You're pretty cute." 

A smile began to form on her face. She stroked the cheek of the puppy again. A wave of comfort rushed through her. The plushie was placed right on top. Flora must have put it there because it meant a lot to her. The rest of the box was filled with clothes. 

Cynthia pulled the plushie further into her arms. In her arms, the puppy nearly suffocated as she squeezed it tight to her chest. It was the closest thing she'd have to a friend besides Flora. She let her eyes shut and continued clutching it. She had a variety of questions about it, but she doubted that Flora would know the answers. 

When she began to put it up onto the edge of her bed, a distinct smell caught her attention. She paused and brought the plush back towards her nose. She inhaled and her eyebrows furrowed together. Earthy cypress and sweet hints of amber hit her nose. Waves of tranquility began to roll through her. 

She turned the plush around in her hand. It must have been something she sprayed on the plushie at some point. She let herself fall back against the bed and wrapped her arms around the puppy again. It was difficult trying to remember yourself when you could barely remember what you had for breakfast this morning. 

The doctor said it'd be like this. She told Cynthia and Flora that Cynthia might struggle remembering things short-term and long-term. The dull ache in the back of her head wasn't helping. It came and went randomly whenever it pleased. 

Towards the front of the apartment, the front door opened. Cynthia made no motion to get up. She kept the plushie on her chest and safely secured it with her forearms. She stayed put while footsteps approached. 

Flora came in juggling three more cardboard boxes. They were big enough that they hid her face. She let out a sigh after putting them down and glanced over at Cynthia. Her eyes directly went to the creature in Cynthia's arms. "What are you holding?" 

Cynthia turned it around to show her. "Isn't he cute? It's a puppy!" A grin filled her face. 

Flora stared at the plush and sucked in a deep breath through her nostrils. Her nails dug into the skin of her palms. She forced herself to remain calm as she spoke. "Yeah, he's adorable." 

"I found him on top of the stack of clothes." 

Flora had to stop herself from storming over, ripping the stupid plush from Cynthia's arms, and shoving it into the garbage disposal. She was trying to keep Seungmin out of Cynthia's life. It was difficult when Seungmin kept inserting himself in ways he wasn't wanted. Her eyes narrowed down at the butternut squash colored creature. 

The plush puppy was something he gave Cynthia a week after dating along with a banquet of flowers. Flora could recall the image of Cynthia squealing in delight and giggling after it happened clearly. She sent her photos of it and everything. 

"Are you okay?" Cynthia asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost." 

"It's all good. Just trying to catch my breath from carrying all those boxes. We're quite a few floors up from the bottom." 

Cynthia nodded, but she was almost sure she saw Flora's eye twitch.