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Lucienne looked up from the account books for the flower shop she ran with her partner, Gault, as the bell on the door rang. There was Gault, heading toward the new customers already, no doubt with her customary huge smile on her face. Lucienne loved the flowers as much as Gault did, but she was frankly happier in the back rooms, doing inventory, caring for plants, and managing the finances. Gault was front-of-store, because the people made her as happy as the plants did. It was a wonderful arrangement for both of them, since Gault hated all the numbers involved in doing books, and Lucienne still felt waves of gratitude daily for her gorgeous partner and the beautiful shop they owned together.
This set of customers, though, was something out of the ordinary. The little girl with pink hair and a black dress was being pulled along willingly by a large white dog. The father had his hat tilted to cover his eyes and was looking around … surreptitiously, Lucienne would say, if that wasn’t patently ridiculous. The mother also seemed to be scanning the store for threats (ridiculous, Lucienne thought, it is a flower shop), and she held a tiny calico kitten in her hands.
The little girl took charge as Gault arrived to greet them. “This kitty is a orphan!” she announced. “Anya is not a orphan, but Papa is a orphan and Mama is a orphan and Bond is a orphan!” Bond was clearly the dog, Lucienne realized.
“Mama said we can’t take care of the baby kitty because one pet is enough. But you can take care of her!” At that, Gault looked helplessly back at Lucienne, pleadingly, and Lucienne covered her face with her hands in resignation and then looked up and nodded at Gault. They had, just last night, been tossing around the idea of getting a cat to keep the mice and rats out of their greenhouse. She supposed this was that question answered. Gault smiled back at her, and turned to the family, reaching out her hands so the mother could pass the kitten over.
“Would you like to help me give it some milk?” she asked the little girl.
“Anya likes milk! And peanuts! Kitty likes milk too!” she said, following Gault, with her mother close behind. “I don’t know if Kitty likes peanuts,” she added doubtfully.
“Maybe when Kitty is bigger and has lots of teeth we’ll let her try peanuts,” Gault suggested diplomatically. Lucienne sighed as Gault led all three of them into the private back area where they had a little kitchen area for their break times. It was okay, she was sure they wouldn’t make a mess of anything, she told herself.
Then she looked up and realized the father was standing in front of her.
“I need a bouquet,” he said. Lucienne nodded. It was Gault’s job, but she knew how to pitch in when Gault was busy, like now.
“Do you have any idea what kind of bouquet you are looking for?” she asked.
“Actually, I need two bouquets,” he corrected. “The first shall be canterbury bells, white rose, and poppy. I will pay for it and leave it here. A woman will come pick it up. She will give the name Fiona. The second bouquet is for Yor, my wife. It shall be apple blossoms, and red tulips.”
Those were the strangest bouquets Lucienne had ever heard of, but she had the flowers for them. It was a good thing they’d forced some roses and poppies in the greenhouse, because those summer flowers weren’t usually blooming at the same time as the spring flowers: apple blossoms, tulips, and bluebells. She went about preparing the vases, baby’s breath, and greenery, and was about to head to the greenhouse for the more unusual flowers (tulips were up front, this time of year), when there was a great crash from the break room.
She rushed over, the father right behind her. In the kitchen, Anya stood in a puddle of milk, the saucer Gault had chosen upside down on the floor beside her.
“Anya spilt the milk!” she howled. “It’s a tradegy!” Both Yor and Gault knelt to comfort her, Yor ignoring the milk and getting her knees wet and Gault a little more carefully. Neither of them had noticed both Bond and Kitty, lapping the spilt milk from the floor.
“Anya!” Lucienne called to distract her from her tears. Anya looked up in surprise. “It’s no use crying over spilt milk,” Lucienne said gently. “And look. Kitty is enjoying it.”
Anya looked down at the tiny kitty, lapping at the huge puddle with her little itty bitty pink tongue. She started to giggle, then laugh as the grown-ups smiled. “She’s so cute! Anya loves Kitty!”
Lucienne smiled back at her. “You and Bond can come visit any time you like, as long as you bring one of your parents.”
Gault nodded. “We’ll be happy to see you, and you can check how Kitty is doing.”
“Yay!” Anya cheered.
Gault had cleaned up the kitchen while Lucienne worked on the bouquets, and then Gault did the finishing touches as Lucienne cuddled the kitten. She was going to have to find a pillow to put it down on soon, it was almost asleep. And make a vet appointment, and buy a cat tree… she couldn’t stop herself from making a list.
“There you go!” Gault said to the father, handing him the second bouquet after setting the first aside.
“Thank you,” he said solemnly, then, turning to his wife, “Yor, this is for you.”
She turned the most wonderful shade of red, nearly matching the tulips. As she accepted the bouquet, Lucienne thought she saw tears in her eyes. And then Anya and Bond dragged them from the shop again, shouting their goodbyes behind them.
Lucienne shifted the kitten to one hand and put the other around Gault’s waist. “I don’t know who Fiona is,” she said, “but I hope she knows how to read his message.”
Gault chuckled. “Letter received. I cannot. I am not free.” Lucienne nodded.
“And I hope Yor understands her bouquet as well.”
“I prefer you before all,” Gault translated, tilting her head to rest against Lucienne’s.
“I declare my love,” Lucienne finished, turning her face up for a kiss. Gault obliged.
