“Together, we only create a world of love,” said Lily as she glanced through the glass pane at the young man hurrying out of the shop with a red Rose.
“There she goes as usual… with her pearls of wisdom. Or, are they petals of wisdom?” Rose chuckled at her own jibe.
Lily didn’t as much flutter a petal at her comment. She was blissfully engrossed in the scene unfolding outside the florist ‘Purple Orchids’ that she was part of. The man had gone down on one knee in front of a woman and was confessing his love for her. The woman gasped with joy and accepted the rose from him.
“Lily’s right. We flowers make the world a better place,” remarked Tulip as she bloomed even wider with happiness after witnessing the proposal.
“Hmmph…now Tulip follows suit.” Rose rolled her eyes and looked away. “Anyway, do only red roses signify love? Why not me?” She said indignantly, hugging her white petals even closer to her style.
“Every flower signifies love and only love, sweetie,” replied Lily in an attempt to appease Rose.
She sighed and turned her attention to the new customer entering the store.
“What flowers d’you give a new mom? My wife and I have just had a baby.” The customer beamed as he shared the news with the owner, Sophie.
“Congratulations, Sir. It’s springtime and nothing like a bunch of daffodils would brighten up a new mom,” Sophie gushed in to help with his order.
“How’s the scent? I don’t want anything harsh on the baby.” His forehead creased with worry.
“They have a very delicate scent, Sir. Doesn’t harm the baby,” Sophie mentioned.
“Then, daffodils it is. Make it a fine bouquet, please.” He finalised and placed the order. Sophie got down to work and in a jiffy, the flowers were ready.
“Our daffodil friends look stunning, don’t they?” stated Carnation as Sophie handed over the bouquet to him. He thanked her and left.
“Golden yellow daffodils are always a beauty,” opined Lily.
“Nobody chooses me, though” sighed the White Rose.
Even as Rose brooded over her condition, a teary-eyed middle-aged woman appeared through the door.
“How can I help you, ma’am?” offered Sophie.
“My aunt…cancer… she passed away this morning,” the woman stammered.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Sophie held her hand in a sympathetic gesture.
“Death doesn’t spare anyone, does it? Would need some flowers, please, for the funeral service,” she said as she eased herself on a chair.
“Sure, ma’am. I know exactly what would make her last journey memorable,” said Sophie and took the bunch of White Roses near the glass pane. “Nothing like a bunch of White Roses and Carnations to honour the dead,” she mumbled and busied herself in making a wreath.
Rose looked up at Lily and Tulip from the table and smiled.
“Be it compassion or agony, birth or death, bouquet or wreath, flowers only spread love,” declared Lily humbly. “Together, we only create a world of love.”
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Such a thoughtful and tender story. I like how you used the flowers as characters and discussed love through them. The fact that the customers who came in came on instances of life and death, but for both the flowers signified a celebration of the love they had for someone – a beautiful way of representing that love can endure life and death.