Chapter 8: Yellow Tulips and White Roses
-Melanie
"C-Cienna?" I whispered, on the brink of tears. She hasn't changed a bit. Her wavy brown hair was put into a messy low bun. Her light eyes were sparkling at me.
She looked at me in confusion. "Do I know you?" I didn't want to tell her that I was Melanie. What if she disappeared on me again?
I quickly cleared my throat and faked a smile at her. "No, you wouldn't know me, but I came here because I was told this was one of the best flower shops."
She tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and laughed. "Then you'd be in the right place."
I laughed with her. "I'm looking for some flowers for my mom. Do you have any recommendations?"
"Yeah! We have lots of flowers but tulips are my absolute favorite." she told me as she walked towards the back of the shop. Lifting a crystal bead curtain, Cienna led me to a small porch area that had more flowers growing in a garden.
The warm sunlight poured in from the netted ceiling and made slight patterns across the walls. In the corner of the room, there was a small portion of the ground that was covered with a furry rug. A tiny bookcase was pushed up against the wall with pillows and a small white bean bag surrounding it.
I looked around the room in awe while Cienna walked over to the glass side table. Picking up the small pile of flowers, she looked at me. "I just cut these tulips a few minutes ago so they're fresh. They should last a little longer if you put them in a vase." She winked at me and walked back inside the store. I looked back at the room one last time and followed her.
At the counter, she was wrapping the red tulips in a light pink tissue paper and tying them with a ribbon. "Since today's your first day here, I'll give this to you for free." Cienna smiled and handed me the flowers.
"No, I can't take this for free." I said while taking my wallet out of my purse.
She held both of my hands and looked at me. "Please, take it as a present." She put the flower into my hand and smiled.
I sighed. "Thank you so much, I promise to come back next time." I waved at her and made my way towards the door.
"Have a good day!" She said as the door opened with a chime and I was greeted by the fresh smell of the streets.
For weeks, I went to Cienna's flower shop every other day to buy a fresh bouquet of flowers. I occasionally helped her tend the garden in the pretty room at the back of the shop. Small clips of the memories I had with her flitted past my mind.
...
I sat on a small wooden stool and picked the leaves off of a rose. "Why are tulips your favorite kind of flower?" I questioned, cutting the soft instrumental music in the background.
She sighed with a small smile on her face. "Tulips mean perfect love and they hold a lot of good memories for me. The different kinds of tulips hold different meanings too. My favorite, yellow tulips, have two meanings to it; hopeless love and happiness." She smiled at me, in the middle of watering the garden. "What about you? What's your favorite?"
I stopped to think for a minute. "I don't think I have a favorite one. What kind of flower do you think fits me best?"
Cienna squinted her eyes at me and said, "I think you're like a white rose. It's simple but it hides a lot of deep meaning. Innocence, young love, and eternal loyalty. Plus it's beautiful."
I frowned at her. "But I don't love anyone."
She laughed. "Silly, you'll find someone special." With a smile on her lips, she turned back to the garden to continue watering them.
…
"Do you know why I favor you so much?" Cienna asked me, pulling her reading glasses off her nose.
I put her book back in its place on the small bookcase. "No, why?"
She closed the book on her lap and put it aside. "You remind me of a girl that I used to take care of."
"A girl?" I questioned her. Did she find out who I was?
"Yeah, she was the sweetest thing ever." She had a sad smile on her face. "Her name was Melanie."
"Melanie?" My hands were getting sweaty.
"But I can't see her anymore because of family reasons." She sighed.
The silence was broken by her phone ringing. Cienna picked it up, "Hello? Oh, alright. I'll come over there in ten minutes." She hung up and started to grab her purse. "Sorry, honey. I have to pick up my son from his school. He had an after school activity today."
"It's okay. I was just about to go anyway." I stood up with my bag.
"Are you sure? You can stay here longer if you need to." She looked at me worriedly.
"Yeah, I have to go and catch my bus." I smiled at her worried face.
"Okay then. See you on Saturday." She went out the door.
It was the last time I ever saw Cienna.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone