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It was going to be difficult to find regular excuses to visit a florist.
Dani had needed to buy a flower arrangement for her mother’s upcoming birthday. She’d cycled past the quaint local store, ‘The Leafling’, regularly on her way to the school but had never found a reason to visit, considering the fact that she lived in a fourth floor apartment and had never managed to keep a houseplant alive longer than a week. However, on that first day Dani had left with her stomach fluttering, a sore throat from laughing, and a giant bouquet of colourful flowers with names she’d have to write down or else she’d forget.
It was a bunch of little things, really, that had sent Dani’s heart aflutter. As she walked through the door to the shop, she was hit immediately with a blend of scents that made her stop and breathe in deeply, relaxing the parts of her she hadn’t known had been so tense. She began to walk around the store, weaving through the aisles, but she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. As if sensing Dani was out of her depth, the woman from behind the counter approached her. “Feeling lost, are we darling?” She laughed as she explained the type of plant Dani was currently holding. Dani hadn’t heard her, or at least she hadn’t processed a word she said. Her brain was occupied elsewhere: the way the shopkeeper carried herself (as though she was in her own home,slouching cooly against the nearest shelf) her loose, tomboyish clothes (the kind Dani had never worn lest people (her mom) think she was ‘different’), her heavy English accent (that wasn’t the annoying kind, Dani noted, but the kind you’d find immeasurable comfort in),but most of all she noticed the woman's smile. Her smile was the kind that made you think you’d do anything you could to keep it there.
It was only when that smile dropped that Dani realised she had not even acknowledged the other woman. “You alright?” She asked, tilting her head, as if Dani was someone she knew and cared about rather than the latest customer in the store. Dani blushed, dipping her head towards the plants in an effort to hide her embarrassment. “ Yeah! Sorry I was...I, um, need a bunch of flowers for my Mom. It’s her birthday” Dani explained, hoping the shopkeeper hadn’t noticed. “Well then you’ve come to the right place,” She replied, smile returning to her face as she led Dani towards her counter. “D’you know if your Mum has a favourite flower or anything, or can we just go crazy?” She asked Dani, a playful smirk on her face. Dani had really not put a lot of thought into this gift, and she knew hardly anything about flowers. “I’m, uhm, not sure. I don’t really, uh, talk to her that much and I’m a total beginner when it comes to flowers. All I know are roses and lilies.”
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. “Well I guess we’ll just have to teach you about flowers then won’t we? Let's start with some lilies and see what else we want.” She said happily as she moved towards the back wall of the store, Dani following close behind her. “I don’t think I’ve seen you ‘ere before. I’m Jamie.” The shopkeeper said absently as she picked a handful of lilies from a bucket. “I only moved to town at the start of the month actually,” Dani said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “I teach at the middle school about five or ten minutes from here.” Dani supplied. “Ooh, you must have the patience of a saint for that lot, I don’t even think that singing nun could make that lot shut up.” Jamie chuckled. “Well, I haven’t got them singing in harmony, but they’re not lost causes yet.” Dani smiled bashfully.
The two of them walked along the back wall, Jamie making suggestions and Dani agreeing with practically anything she said. They chatted freely like old friends, and Dani felt like she was going to laugh herself hoarse from all the jokes and snips Jamie made. It felt both as if they were there for hours, but also just a few minutes. “So how’ve you managed to get this fair in life without knowing anything at all about plants?” Jamie asked. “Honestly,” Dani replied, “My mom was very protective of her garden while I was growing up so I couldn’t really go near anything in case I ruined it.” Jamie picked up a flower, a pink peony she told Dani, and added it to the others. “And then as I got older I got an apartment and I just never managed to maintain any houseplants for more than a week. Embarrassing, I know.” Dani muttered. “Nah that’s not embarrassing at all. Plants are very needy, you see, and they can be little arseholes that go by their own rulebook. You can feed them when they’re drier than the Sahara and suddenly you’ve drowned them beyond saving. It’s trial and error that’s all.” Jamie tells Dani earnestly. They look at each other for a moment, unmoving. Dani wondered if she was imagining things, she must be. There’s no way Jamie was looking at her like that. She was just doing her job, that’s all.
It was only as she noticed how full the bunch in Jamie’s hands was, that Dani realised that she had gotten what she’d came for, and so, she’d have to leave. The same thought must have occurred to Jamie too, as she looked over her selection and her mouth formed a closed-lipped smile. “Well, Sister Maria, it seems like your Mum’s in for a right treat when she gets these” The shopkeeper smirker, eyebrows rising. Dani’s stomach fell. She didn’t want to leave. It was silly, she knew, but as Jamie passed by her to go towards the register, and Dani felt the briefest touch between both of their hands, she was filled with a deep longing, the kind she’d tried so hard to never feel. It was too risky though, and so she said nothing as she let Jamie ring up the cost of the flowers. If Jamie noticed the carefulness with which Dani placed the cash into her hand and the one-second linger before releasing, she didn’t let on.
“Thank you so much for all your help. I would’ve been lost without you, huh?” Dani smiled, hoping she would get one back. Her stomach fluttered incessantly when she did. “It was my pleasure,” Jamie smiled, “But if you were serious about not knowing more than roses and lilies you’re gonna have to come back and visit me so i can teach you a few things.” She winked. Immediately Dani felt flustered, and hoped desperately it wasn’t showing. “Yeah totally.” Dani smiled, knowing her grin was big.
As Dani made her way to leave, Jamie called her back. “Hey, Sister Maria, you forgot your receipt.” Dani laughed at the nickname as she took the receipt from her hand. “It’s Dani, actually.” She tells her as she makes her way towards the door.
“Well then I’ll see you around, Dani.” Jamie says, leaning on the counter as Dani opens the door and leaves.
It was going to be difficult to find regular excuses to visit a florist, Dani thought as she returned home that evening. As she unpacked her assortment of schoolwork from her bag, she noticed a receipt fall on the floor. When she picked it up, she noticed some writing on it.
It read,“If you’d like to get gardening tips over dinner sometime, give me a call -J” followed by a phone number in neat script. Maybe Dani wouldn’t need an excuse after all.