Today in the A to Z challenge is the letter B and the flower is Baby’s Breath.
If you missed my “A” entry, you can find it here.
Lessons
The order had come in electronically: pink and red roses with baby’s breath. Anniversary. No vase. Pick-up.
As Angie slipped stems of the ethereal baby’s breath between the fragrant roses, she wondered why anyone would ever get married in January in the mountains. Cold and snowy with a huge chance of being postponed. It didn’t seem right for a couple’s big day. What could be more important than having the perfect wedding day?
The bell above the door chimed promptly at 4:30 and an older man she didn’t recognize limped toward the counter.
“Hi, Miss. My daughter sent in an order for me. The last name’s Maxwell,” he said, his voice deep and craggy.
She nodded and retrieved the anniversary roses from the cooler. And, because she couldn’t help herself, she asked: “Why on earth would you have gotten married in January?”
He chuckled, unoffended by her sharp question, his blue eyes fixed on something remote, another time perhaps. “Susie wanted to get married as soon as possible because I was getting shipped out to ‘Nam. I wanted her to have the wedding she always wanted but figured if she was married to me and I kicked the bucket, she’d be taken care of. I only ever wanted what Susie wanted. I almost went to Canada for her, but that would have killed my folks.”
Angie swallowed, hearing in the back of her mind Josie’s comment on her always being so quick to judge people. “I’m sure she’ll love these flowers. You made a beautiful choice.”
“Life’s funny, I suppose,” he said, half to himself. “She’ll see them from wherever she is and she’ll know. She’ll know.”
As he left, Angie stared after him and recalibrated. Life is funny. Full of lessons, and maybe she’d just had hers.
end
What a poignant story.