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"Hello Madeleine..."
The only answer Florence recieved was the soft gust of wind, like she expected. Though she felt if she listened close enough she'd hear the hello she so desperately missed.
Florence knelt down in front of Madeleine's grave, the dirt now sprouting grass and small flowers from where Emily sprinkled poppy seeds. All because Florence mentioned it was Madeleine's favorite.
"Do you like the flowers? I watered them everyday..." Florence swallowed the bubble of grief threatening to escape her throat. "I took care of them better than the plants we kept trying to keep alive on our windowsill." She chuckled, yet tears started to well in her eye. "We never could make them last a week, could we?"
"Emily was the one who suggested it..." Florence took a deep breath, urging herself to continue. "She...saw me leaving you flowers, and thought you would like it if we just planted them here." She felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I think she was right, you would've definitely loved it." A soft laugh escaped her, though it sounded painful.
Madeleine would've been so proud of that kid. In the short time they bonded, Florence saw the maternal love pour out of Madeleine like a waterfall, built up since Sam left.
She reached over to the tomahawk, Tommy, she remembered fondly, and ran a finger over the now dull edge.
"Maddie..." She whispered, unable to speak any louder without breaking. "Do you remember when we first got together.." She watched as her hand started to tremble. "I was so afraid...I was so afraid of falling in love with you...all because I didn't want to feel the heartbreak of losing you..." She smiled, her lips quivering. "And...and you told me if you died...you would haunt me the rest of my life...and all I said was 'Ghosts aren't real.'" She felt another small laugh escape her, tears now streaming down her face. "You laughed then, and you said you would prove me wrong."
She couldn't help the sob that escaped her.
"Could...Could you prove me wrong? Because I..I can't feel you here, Maddie..." Her breathing got heavy and her hands were shaking now. "You always could prove me wrong...please...Can you prove me wrong one last time?"
Nothing changed. The wind still blew, the birds still chirped, and the grass was still as green as before.
Florence let out a shaky breath, and when she finally opened her eye again she saw it. A small poppy in front of her, off to the side of the grave away from the others, blooming just as her tears slipped off her face and onto the bud.
Florence let out a laugh then, maybe this was Madeleine's sign. She let her fingers graze the soft petals of the flower, another sob escaping her.
"Maddie..." She smiled fondly. "You always did think flowers were the way to a woman's heart..." She sighed and picked the flower, placing it right above where she knew Madeleine's heart was.
"Florence!" Came Scarlet's voice from the cabin. "It's time for lunch!"
Florence chuckled. "See you tomorrow, Maddie." She stood, and before she could turn around she could've sworn she saw Madeleine waving goodbye by the dock on the lake. But with a blink, she was gone.
As she turns to the cabin, a figure clad in pink watches from the dock, a poppy tucked on her ear.