Work Text:
A knock sounded at the door, drawing Enansal’s attention away from the whiteboard she was currently writing on. Rather than another teacher, like she had expected, she instead found a young delivery woman holding a large bouquet that seemed too large for her arms to hold.
“Ms. Lavellan?” she asked, the newcomer’s voice drawing the attention of Enansal’s class.
Enansal set down the dry erase marker in her hand. “Yes, that’s me,” she replied and crossed the room as a low, excited murmur passed amongst her young students.
The delivery woman smiled a bit and presented the bouquet to her. “Great! This is for you,” she said brightly. “I just need your signature to confirm delivery, please.”
“C-certainly,” Enansal said, flustered and more than a little confused. Once she had signed and taken the bouquet, she turned back to the classroom and glanced around for someplace to set the arrangement… and face the barrage of chatter from her students.
“It’s as big as a house!”
“Who sent you flowers, Ms. L?”
“Are they from your boyfriend?”
“She don’t have one!”
“From your girlfriend, then?”
“Are they from that nice man with all the puppies?”
Enansal laughed slightly but still felt heat rush to her cheeks at the thought. She and Cullen had only gone on the one date, so she doubted that he was the one that had sent the bouquet. Then again, she couldn’t think of anyone else that would have done such a thing… She finally set the bouquet down on one corner of her desk and searched for a card in the arrangement. There was a small piece of cream-colored cardstock attached to a tall plastic pick. In printed letters, she read: I hope these flowers brighten up your classroom and I hope I get to see you again soon. C. Rutherford.
Enansal let out a small laugh, though she brought up one hand to hide her smile even as giddy energy spread through her body. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d received flowers, much less having them delivered to her workplace. Maybe Lynara had been right about the man, after all…
“And you’re sure it wasn’t too much?” Cullen asked with a worried frown, shifting a little to rest his cell phone between his ear and his shoulder as he worked on unlocking his apartment door.
On the other end of the call, Mia let out a long sigh. “Cullen, that’s the fifth time you’ve asked me that today.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But I’m just… We’ve only gone on one date. What if she gets overwhelmed by it?”
His sister sighed again. “It was a bouquet of flowers. Not an engagement ring. But if you’re really worried that she thought it was too much, then how about you wait for her to say something about it instead of jumping to conclusions?”
As Cullen got the door open, he asked, “But what if--?”
“Maker’s breath, Cullen, if you’re going to ask me for advice, at least pretend like you’re taking it to heart,” Mia said in exasperation. “I swear, you’re worse than Branson.”
In the background on Mia’s end of the call, Cullen heard a distant shout of indignation that he could only assume had been their brother.
Cullen sighed as he kicked the door closed behind him. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I just… This is my first time I’ve actually tried to date someone. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Well, from what you told me about your first date, I think you’re doing wonderfully. If nothing else, you seem happier than you have been in a while.”
“Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?” he asked wryly.
“Oh, hush. I’m just stating an observation.”
Cullen sighed a little bit again, when the line beeped to signal another incoming call. He pulled his ear from the phone to check his caller ID; Enansal’s name appeared on the screen.
“Uh, Mia, she’s actually calling me right now, so…”
“I understand. I’ll talk to you later.”
Once Mia’s line clicked, Cullen quickly swiped across his phone’s screen to accept Enansal’s call.
“Hello?”
“Cullen, hi, it’s Enansal.”
“Hi.”
“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I got your flowers today.”
“Yeah? Did… did you like them?”
“Oh, they’re gorgeous!” she replied happily, before adding in a softer tone, “I’ve never really had someone send me flowers before.”
Cullen swallowed a little, unsure if that was a good thing or not. “So… should I not have sent them, or…?”
“Oh, no, no! It was such a lovely surprise! And my kids loved it, too.”
The tension left Cullen’s shoulders as he let out a small, relieved laugh. “I’m glad it was so well-received, then.”
Enansal laughed a little bit, too. “It was. It really such a sweet gesture. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Well, I should probably get going. I’m still at the school. I just thought it would be more appropriate to give you a call instead of just sending a text.”
“I appreciate that, Enansal. Truly. And I am really glad you liked the flowers.”
“I really did. And maybe when I’m finished with work, we can meet up for a coffee or something?”
“I would love nothing more.”
“Okay, great. I’ll give you another when I’m done, then, and we can finalize the details.”
“Yes, that sounds like a plan.”
“Alright, then. Bye for now.”
As Enansal clicked out of the call, she put her hand over her mouth, biting back a nervous--but elated--squeal. She glanced up from her phone and focused on the bouquet, still displayed on the corner of her desk. There had been a point where she genuinely believed she wouldn’t date ever again. She more than welcomed the opportunity to be wrong.