FAR FROM ERIS • FreenBecky •

FIVE

It smelled just as Freen remembered. That charm that flowers shop have, smelling of all the flowers and yet of none. Scents mixed in her brain like spirals of colors merging into one another. The bell on the door tinkled when Freen stepped into the shop, and that sound was like the bell in ports when they saw the fishing boats returning from the open sea.

It was like coming home.

She scanned the crowded tables of flowers, the walls, the shelves. All the white and aquamarine furniture overflowing with color and tools. The vines reached up to the ceiling and hung everywhere, and soft music played in the background from the back room, where someone moved humming a song Freen didn't know.
She removed her headphones and tucked them into the pocket of her jeans as she approached the counter. The voice humming the song became clearer with each step; it was a girl. She kept advancing until she touched the wood with her fingertips, hesitating for a second whether to call out or not. She didn't want to startle her, as she clearly hadn't realized someone had entered.
-Thank goodness I'm not the dreaded florist's assistant killer- Freen whispered to herself, considering suggesting to the girl to put up some sort of electronic alert for the door if her intention was to be singing in the back room with the front door open.
-Um...Hello?- Freen hesitated. The girl didn't seem to hear her. She kept singing - and quite well, too, Freen thought.
-HELLO??- This time she raised her voice. Then there was a loud thud, and the humming stopped. Freen heard the girl utter a couple of curses in the back room as she emerged toward the counter.
She saw her approach with her head down, rubbing the top of it as if she had a bump forming. She wore a sleeveless gray shirt totally stained with white paint, and excessively baggy sweatpants with a couple of rips, also stained with paint. She ruffled her light brown hair pulled back into a half bun, letting some strands fall in front of her face.
-Sorry, I didn't hear the bell over the music,- the girl said as she approached the counter, gradually lifting her head. -Wow, I hit my head pretty hard, my neurons are all over the place- she seemed to be talking to herself. -Hi, how can I help you?- she finally addressed Freen.
And there it was. She looked up, and her brown eyes hit Freen in the chest like a ton of bricks, leaving her breathless. Have you ever been sleeping and suddenly you wake up feeling like you're falling into the void?
-Are you okay?- the girl asked, concerned. -You're pale, do you want to sit down?-
-No, no, I'm...I'm fine,- Freen stammered, feeling dizzy, as if her brain lacked oxygen.
-Are you sure?- the girl leaned over the counter, approaching Freen. -You look like you're about to faint.-
-I'm fine,- Freen said, taking a couple of steps back.
The gesture didn't go unnoticed by the girl, covered in paint, who looked at Freen puzzled. Freen sensed that she wouldn't get anywhere with that approach, so she changed tactics.
-Um, so...how can I help you?- the girl smiled, casually leaning her elbows on the counter. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled, and Freen counted three dimples on her face, two on her cheeks and one below her left eye. Freen's legs trembled a bit. She knew she had to say something soon, or the girl would call an ambulance. Or the police. She wasn't quite sure.
-Uh...um...- Freen, please. Try to string a sentence together. Words. One after the other. -I came looking for Patty, the former owner of the flower shop, but I don't think you know her. What am I saying? I mean, I have no idea what you're doing here, because why are you here?- Freen felt immediately that she had been totally incoherent and a bit rude. -Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that, it's just that I was surprised. Did you buy this?- She pointed to the shop around her.
The girl laughed again. Freen thought that this stranger must feel sorry for her because she clearly seemed like she was missing a screw. And she also thought about how beautiful her laugh was. -Freen, what are you saying?-
-I don't even know where to start to answer that, let's see, do I have the right to an attorney?- she laughed again, and Freen thought that this girl seemed like the happiest person on the planet. Or maybe she had smoked something. Both options were perfectly possible since she had always suspected that Patty had certain plants of dubious legality. -No, I haven't bought this, I'm just getting it started again because, answering your other question, yes, I do know Patty. My grandma...well, Patty was her best friend.-
-Oh, I see,- Freen interrupted almost abruptly, picking up on the information the girl didn't want to say. -Yes, well,- she diverted her gaze to the flowers as if trying to replace the thought that had flooded her mind. -The thing is, Patty told me she had closed this down, and I told her I wouldn't mind taking over if she didn't mind. Today is the first day I've walked through that door- she pointed to the entrance.
-Oh...- Freen thought about the coincidence and the luck? What the hell are you thinking, Freen? -Well, that's good,- What are you saying? -Not the thing about your grandmother, of course, I mean, sorry about that, really, forgive me.- Great. A ten in social interaction. -It's because I came hoping to locate Patty. I brought her this,- she said, taking the book from her tote bag along with two supermarket receipts. -Sorry again,- she added, hastily removing the crumpled papers, feeling like the clumsiest person on the planet.
-Far from Eris, by Freen Sarocha,- the girl read aloud, apparently ignoring Freen's complete inability to hold a coherent conversation. She flipped it over and saw the photo of the girl on the back cover. She looked up and arched an eyebrow, smiling. -It's you,- and Freen's back prickled. Three dimples.
-Uh...yeah, it's me.-
-Freen Sarocha.-
-Yes, Freen Sar...well, just Freen.-
-Ah, hello, Just Freen.-
-Hello.-
-I'm Rebecca.-
-Hello, Rebecca.-
-Well, Becky,- the girl narrowed her eyes again, and Freen felt her cheeks warm as they spent what seemed like hours in a three-second silence.
-So, that's it; I promised Patty I'd give her a copy of the book when it was published, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could get it to her.-
-Sure, no problem,- Becky said, smiling again. She seemed like she didn't get tired of it.
-I'll go then- Freen said, swinging her arms again.
-Okay- the girl said, leaning her waist against the counter, playing with the book in her hands and tilting her head. A strand of hair fell from behind her ear and landed on her eye. Becky blew it away. Freen felt the floor like jelly.
-Emm...until next time, Well Becky.- Was that a witty comment?
-Come back whenever you want, Just Freen.-
And Freen laughed. Out loud. And she didn't even remember how that sounded. She left, and the sound of her laughter merged with the tinkling of the flower shop closing behind her.

Becky was also laughing as she watched the door close. She sighed and straightened up to head back to the back room. She hit play on the music again as she rubbed her head where she had hit it in shock and approached her backpack to put away the book Freen had given her. She stood up again and her eyes traveled to the table, where an identical copy of the one that girl had just handed her lay. Becky approached it and opened it, caressing the pen strokes on its first page

For you,
whom I don't remember,
neither your face
nor your voice,
but whom I carry with me.
I wish you return.

-Freen- Becky whispered, closing that fifth dedicated book and picking up a red plaid shirt from the back room's coat rack while smiling with her three dimples.

*