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10:00am, Harriet's favorite time of the day.
The short-haired woman took a final sip of her tea before throwing on her vest and sunglasses, and walking out her apartment door. She quickly traversed the three flights of stairs to the ground floor, all but vibrating with nervous excitement.
Why am I nervous?
Harriet asked herself the same question every day even though she knew the answer. Despite visiting the flower shop across the street every day for the last two years, the thought of seeing the beautiful shop owner made her heart pound. Celia... Ever since she first heard the owner's name, it seemed to constantly float through her head, interrupting her thoughts no matter where they seemed to be. She loved nothing more than to watch Celia tend to her flowers with the love and care of a doting mother.
"Dr. Davies." Jack, Celia's brunette apprentice, was waiting for her at the front door. He had just flipped the neon "OPEN" sign on. "The Boss is inside."
"Thank you, Jack." Harriet briefly put a hand on his shoulder before walking inside. The bell over the door chimed, signalling her arrival. Her eyes scanned the small shop until they found the familiar blonde hair of Celia. The florist's back was turned to her, though Harriet could vaguely see her gingerly arranging a bouquet of white lilies. As if she could feel the eyes on her, Celia turned her head and smiled at Harriet.
"Good morning, Harriet." Celia motioned her over, shuffling the lilies once more before taking a step back. "What do you think?"
Taking her sunglasses off, Harriet looked closely at the lovely white flowers. The morning light shining through the windows seemed to catch in the water droplets on the petals just right, making the bouquet almost glow. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. "It's... amazing."
Celia's shoulders visibly relaxed and gently took hold of a single petal. "These are white lilies. Do you know what they symbolize?"
"Rebirth, yes?"
"Yes, but they also have a lesser known meaning: commitment." The blonde gently pushed the vase towards Harriet. "Take them. And before you ask, no, I'm not making you pay for them."
"Oh." She wasn't sure what to say to that. Receiving something from such an amazing woman was a gift in and of itself, but this particular gift felt... special. "This is sudden. Is there a reason?"
Celia gazed at the flowers for a few moments before turning her eyes back to Harriet. "They match your hair."
She subconsciously reached up and ran a hand through her hair, cracking a smile. With this gift, Harriet figured it was high time to do what she should have done at least a year ago. "Celia, would you like to get coffee together some time?"
Celia reached out and delicately grabbed her hand, as if afraid her grasp might break the lanky woman. Her hands were strong and calloused, a stark contrast to Harriet's soft, slender ones. The older woman squeezed gently and gave her the most genuine smile she'd seen from her yet.
"I'd love to."