The Language of Flowers
author's note: this is from a prompt from 31_days. the prompt was, "rose, oh pure contradiction." it was difficult to write.
“Goodbye,” the shopkeeper waved as she closed the glass door and drew the gentle lilac curtains. With a click, the door locked, the bell would not ring for the rest of the evening. “Thank god,” Nori thought, as she leaned against the glass.
She stood after a moment, and walked around her shop. It was a flower shop, small, cozy, just busy enough to pay the bills. Her apartment was upstairs, and she could hear kitten paws rushing and chasing, and Nori smiled as she continued her last survey of the flowers. She passed a gentle hand over acacias, smiled fondly at tiny, white lime and coriander blossoms, and stared at purple malva and heliotropes a little too long.
Roses were popular. They always had been, and always would be. For this reason, Nori had an entire aisle dedicated to roses. Methodically, she, leaned down to check each bush. Lavender roses... love at first sight.
”Would you like to meet soon?”
Nori's heart beat faster as she stared into her phone. So far, she had only seen pictures of Maria; slightly taller than average, a little curvy, long hair that was either black or brown...she wasn't sure. She was on her way to Maria's apartment now, and she couldn't help going over the endless text messages they exchanged in the last couple weeks.
She tore her eyes away from her phone just long enough to pull the “stop requested” cord on the bus; had she waited any longer, she would have missed her stop. Nori's heart beat even faster as she stepped off the bus and began walking to Maria's.
Nori walked up the stairs slowly. What would she say when she saw her? She wasn't sure she would be able to say anything. “If I wait here any longer, I'll run...I've gotta just take the plunge.” She knocked on the door. “Just a minute!” she heard from inside. “I hope that's Maria's voice,” she thought, but before she could think further, the door opened.
Maria looked basically like she did online, but pictures and a webcam didn't hold a candle to her beauty in person. Her hair was brown, thick, flowing chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back in thick waves, her skin creamy caramel, her eyes emerald green with flecks of gold, her arms smooth, but lightly toned, her cheeks rosy, her lips soft. Nori wondered if she was gaping. Maria smiled, took her hand, and dragged her in the door.
Nori stood, satisfied with her inspection thus far, and moved on to the coral and pink roses, for desire and passion.
Nori and Maria sat on the loveseat, eating popcorn and watching some movie she wasn't able to follow. It looked to be a simple enough storyline, but Nori followed more the movements of Maria's legs and breathing closer. Every time she tried to concentrate on the movie, Maria's leg seemed to move closer to her. Nori gave up completely when Maria turned her back to the arm of the couch and folded her legs over Nori's lap. “Concentrate on the MOVIE, Nori,” she scolded herself.
By the time the movie ended, Nori felt her eyes were permanently crossed. Maria looked at her and lifted an eyebrow. “What is with you?” she chuckled, pulling her down. “Whoa!” Nori yelped, and suddenly she was face to face with the soft curves of Maria's breasts. The women laughed.
As soon as the laughter died down, Maria put her finger under Nori's chin and guiding her gaze upwards. “Our faces,” Nori dared to think, “so close.” Both leaned in closer, and their lips met. Gently, at first...hands relaxed and clenched, Maria's hand covered Nori's and squeezed. Nori wrapped her arm around Maria's back and held her even closer, feeling a leg slide slowly, softly up her thigh. The kiss broke.
“I...” Nori started, but lost her words. Maria smiled. “I like you,” she said simply. Nori smiled back. “I gathered.”
Nori couldn't work on these roses anymore. They were immaculate besides, having been pruned earlier. Yellow roses came next. Yellow roses always amused Nori, in an ironic way...the yellow rose. A rose commonly associated with friendship. She felt a small pain every time a customer requested yellow roses...very few customers knew that yellow also signified dying love, jealousy, and infidelity.
The two women collapsed on the bed, unable to move except for what it took to breathe. The blankets had been thrown off long ago, and both wished they could open the windows to let cool air in, but neither had the strength. ”Did you come?” Maria asked, turning to look into Nori's eyes. “No,” she replied, “but I definitely enjoyed myself.” Maria smiled and squeezed Nori's hand. “We're going to have to find something to help you with that...we're going to the toy store ASAP.”
Time passed. Nothing happened. Maria started working more. Gradually, she stopped holding Nori's hand as they walked down the street, and distanced herself, physically and emotionally.
“I can't stay faithful to you,” Maria stated one day.
“Why not?” Nori asked, trying not to scream.
“I just...” Maria tried, “You know how I am. I prefer men. And in the end, I think I'll ultimately end up with a man, I just haven't found the right one. And you know how I feel about you, but...and I think we could have something GREAT. But I just can't stay faithful to you. You'll find someone out there WAY better than me...you deserve that.”
Even after all this time, Nori thought her heart might explode. She looked at the last of the roses...the red ones.
Nori and Maria were still friends. Best friends, even. Nori was still in love with Maria, and Maria at least still liked Nori...of that she was convinced. Maria confided in her about everything, from work troubles to boyfriend troubles. Nori didn't like the current guy...he wasn't good enough for her. Didn't take care of her when she asked. Extremely arrogant. Too young and flighty, not where Maria was, wanting to settle and have a family. And when Maria showed off her latest hickeys, Nori swore a small part of her died. Maria had made Nori feel things in new ways, wonderful ways, and now, painful ways. And she knew of Nori's continuing feelings. Even after Nori had the still beautiful, older red roses delivered to Maria's apartment, she didn't react, only pushed greater the three of them hanging out: Nori, Maria, and Maria's new boyfriend. Nori hated seeing him, if only because he made her wonder what he had that made Maria stay faithful to him. How could she stay faithful to this self-absorbed jackass, and not to her?
“I can't look at flowers anymore,” Nori thought, shaking her head. She walked to the door, passing the fridge, full of carnations and black and blue roses. Horrible flowers, ones Nori usually left to her assistant. She briefly checked the aloes, anemones, and quiletes, before turning off the light and closing the door to her flower shop.
“Goodbye,” the shopkeeper waved as she closed the glass door and drew the gentle lilac curtains. With a click, the door locked, the bell would not ring for the rest of the evening. “Thank god,” Nori thought, as she leaned against the glass.
She stood after a moment, and walked around her shop. It was a flower shop, small, cozy, just busy enough to pay the bills. Her apartment was upstairs, and she could hear kitten paws rushing and chasing, and Nori smiled as she continued her last survey of the flowers. She passed a gentle hand over acacias, smiled fondly at tiny, white lime and coriander blossoms, and stared at purple malva and heliotropes a little too long.
Roses were popular. They always had been, and always would be. For this reason, Nori had an entire aisle dedicated to roses. Methodically, she, leaned down to check each bush. Lavender roses... love at first sight.
”Would you like to meet soon?”
Nori's heart beat faster as she stared into her phone. So far, she had only seen pictures of Maria; slightly taller than average, a little curvy, long hair that was either black or brown...she wasn't sure. She was on her way to Maria's apartment now, and she couldn't help going over the endless text messages they exchanged in the last couple weeks.
She tore her eyes away from her phone just long enough to pull the “stop requested” cord on the bus; had she waited any longer, she would have missed her stop. Nori's heart beat even faster as she stepped off the bus and began walking to Maria's.
Nori walked up the stairs slowly. What would she say when she saw her? She wasn't sure she would be able to say anything. “If I wait here any longer, I'll run...I've gotta just take the plunge.” She knocked on the door. “Just a minute!” she heard from inside. “I hope that's Maria's voice,” she thought, but before she could think further, the door opened.
Maria looked basically like she did online, but pictures and a webcam didn't hold a candle to her beauty in person. Her hair was brown, thick, flowing chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back in thick waves, her skin creamy caramel, her eyes emerald green with flecks of gold, her arms smooth, but lightly toned, her cheeks rosy, her lips soft. Nori wondered if she was gaping. Maria smiled, took her hand, and dragged her in the door.
Nori stood, satisfied with her inspection thus far, and moved on to the coral and pink roses, for desire and passion.
Nori and Maria sat on the loveseat, eating popcorn and watching some movie she wasn't able to follow. It looked to be a simple enough storyline, but Nori followed more the movements of Maria's legs and breathing closer. Every time she tried to concentrate on the movie, Maria's leg seemed to move closer to her. Nori gave up completely when Maria turned her back to the arm of the couch and folded her legs over Nori's lap. “Concentrate on the MOVIE, Nori,” she scolded herself.
By the time the movie ended, Nori felt her eyes were permanently crossed. Maria looked at her and lifted an eyebrow. “What is with you?” she chuckled, pulling her down. “Whoa!” Nori yelped, and suddenly she was face to face with the soft curves of Maria's breasts. The women laughed.
As soon as the laughter died down, Maria put her finger under Nori's chin and guiding her gaze upwards. “Our faces,” Nori dared to think, “so close.” Both leaned in closer, and their lips met. Gently, at first...hands relaxed and clenched, Maria's hand covered Nori's and squeezed. Nori wrapped her arm around Maria's back and held her even closer, feeling a leg slide slowly, softly up her thigh. The kiss broke.
“I...” Nori started, but lost her words. Maria smiled. “I like you,” she said simply. Nori smiled back. “I gathered.”
Nori couldn't work on these roses anymore. They were immaculate besides, having been pruned earlier. Yellow roses came next. Yellow roses always amused Nori, in an ironic way...the yellow rose. A rose commonly associated with friendship. She felt a small pain every time a customer requested yellow roses...very few customers knew that yellow also signified dying love, jealousy, and infidelity.
The two women collapsed on the bed, unable to move except for what it took to breathe. The blankets had been thrown off long ago, and both wished they could open the windows to let cool air in, but neither had the strength. ”Did you come?” Maria asked, turning to look into Nori's eyes. “No,” she replied, “but I definitely enjoyed myself.” Maria smiled and squeezed Nori's hand. “We're going to have to find something to help you with that...we're going to the toy store ASAP.”
Time passed. Nothing happened. Maria started working more. Gradually, she stopped holding Nori's hand as they walked down the street, and distanced herself, physically and emotionally.
“I can't stay faithful to you,” Maria stated one day.
“Why not?” Nori asked, trying not to scream.
“I just...” Maria tried, “You know how I am. I prefer men. And in the end, I think I'll ultimately end up with a man, I just haven't found the right one. And you know how I feel about you, but...and I think we could have something GREAT. But I just can't stay faithful to you. You'll find someone out there WAY better than me...you deserve that.”
Even after all this time, Nori thought her heart might explode. She looked at the last of the roses...the red ones.
Nori and Maria were still friends. Best friends, even. Nori was still in love with Maria, and Maria at least still liked Nori...of that she was convinced. Maria confided in her about everything, from work troubles to boyfriend troubles. Nori didn't like the current guy...he wasn't good enough for her. Didn't take care of her when she asked. Extremely arrogant. Too young and flighty, not where Maria was, wanting to settle and have a family. And when Maria showed off her latest hickeys, Nori swore a small part of her died. Maria had made Nori feel things in new ways, wonderful ways, and now, painful ways. And she knew of Nori's continuing feelings. Even after Nori had the still beautiful, older red roses delivered to Maria's apartment, she didn't react, only pushed greater the three of them hanging out: Nori, Maria, and Maria's new boyfriend. Nori hated seeing him, if only because he made her wonder what he had that made Maria stay faithful to him. How could she stay faithful to this self-absorbed jackass, and not to her?
“I can't look at flowers anymore,” Nori thought, shaking her head. She walked to the door, passing the fridge, full of carnations and black and blue roses. Horrible flowers, ones Nori usually left to her assistant. She briefly checked the aloes, anemones, and quiletes, before turning off the light and closing the door to her flower shop.