Chapter Text
Vi Lane would never go as far as to call herself a romantic, she scoffed at the gushy movies her exes would put on during movie night, and gagged when she walked in on her sister kissing her boyfriend, but there was something about the exchange of letters that Vi had always found endearing.
“Good morning, everybody!” Mel, the manager of her mother’s flower shop, Pushing Daisies, called out to her staff. She approached Powder, just nineteen and the sister of their most dedicated employee. “Where’s Vi?” She asked, scanning the room.
Powder pointed to the back. “She’s been working on that party arrangement for half an hour already. I think she’s cut her fingers on those thorns so much, she may be more scab than a woman.”
“I swear, nobody loves flowers so much as that girl,” Mel laughed, rolling up her sleeves, removing her wedding ring, and placing it in her jacket pocket. “Could you check on her for me? I need to start inventory” She requested the young woman.
Powder nodded and made her way to the greenhouse in the back, a flash of pink caught her eye, her sister’s bright hair stood out amongst the green surroundings. “Vi! The boss is in.”
“Almost done, Pow!” Vi answered. “Any breakthrough on what’s causing those gardenias to yellow?”
“I asked my professor about it, she said it’s likely a nutrient deficiency.” Powder answered. “You should switch out your fertilizer.”
“Awesome, thanks Powder. One day, when I have a shop of my own, I’m making you head botanist.” Vi replied, groaning as she stabbed herself with a thorn, yet again. “Fuck, where are the band-aids?”
Powder pointed at the first aid kit in the corner. Vi trudged over, clearly frustrated about this arrangement, or something else. Powder’s eye averted to a small piece of parchment paper sticking out of her sister’s back pocket.
“What’s that?” Powder asked, snatching it into her hands.
Vi hurriedly reached for it, trying to retrieve it from Powder’s hand. Despite being older, taller, and stronger, Powder had always been faster. Before Vi knew it, she was reading the letter out loud.
“Dear Friend,
I won’t lie, when I got your letter I took you out of your envelope and read you, right there, standing right next to my mom as she lectured me on my life choices (as all mothers do.) My mother and I have never quite seen eye-to-eye on things. Our relationship has always been complicated, to say the least. She’d be very particular about the way others perceived us. Don’t get me wrong, I know she cares about me in her own special way– but I can’t help but feel out of place.
Sorry if this got too heavy, writing to you makes it easier to say these things. I was nervous walking into the post office, but there your letter was, lying in box 218! Anonymity feels safe. Do you have someone like that? Or are you one of those rare few who knows exactly who they are and where they belong? Whoever you are, I hope today has been kind to you.
Yours,
Cupcake”
“Who is this!?” Powder exclaimed. “Do you have a secret girlfriend or something?”
Vi sighed and began to explain herself. “So… I was at the post office sending out an order, and I passed by the community board and saw this ad.” Vi opens her wallet and takes out a tiny piece of paper, handing it to her sister.
“Local woman wishes to correspond anonymously with another intellectual woman on cultural topics. P.O box 218.”
“So you have no idea who this girl is? Vi! She could be a murderous psychopath! Not a far step up from your last girlfriend, but come on.” Powder cried out, rereading the letter as if she could psychoanalyze this girl’s words.
“She’s not a murderer, Pow.” She said, finally grabbing the letter back from her. “We’ve already exchanged four letters. I’m really starting to like this girl.” Vi says, leading her sister back to the shop’s main floor, which had gotten busier since she’d last seen it.
Vi turns to her coworker, Viktor. “Vik, can you assist that old woman near the tulips? I am gonna grab this girl at the front.”
He nods, picking up his cane and assisting the woman across the room, as Vi strides toward the young woman, roughly her age, checking out the lilies. “Beautiful, aren’t they?”
The woman hadn’t expected Vi and jumped at her words. “Yes! Very beautiful” She replied, in a posh British accent. The woman ran her fingers to fix her dark blue hair. “I have to be truthful, I didn’t come here to buy flowers.” She continued, reaching out for a handshake.
Vi stared at her blankly, slightly confused by the woman’s response. “Window shopping, are we?” Vi stammered out.
“I was wondering if I could speak to Mrs. Medara?” She asked.
“Mrs. Medara is very busy I am afraid, is there anything I can do to help you?”
“My name is Caitlyn, and I’m looking for a job. Mel’s mother is a family friend.” The navy-haired woman resumed her explanation. “Could I please speak to her?”
Vi let out an agitated sigh. She was aware that Mel’s mother was a quite wealthy woman and owned multiple businesses, meaning that whoever this girl’s parents were, were likely also wealthy.
‘Another nepotism hire.’ Vi thinks. And yet, Caitlyn’s polite smile convinced Vi enough to go and get Mel. “One moment.”
“Thank you,” Caitlyn says, relieved.
Vi turned the corner to the unloading dock, where Mel stood counting the bundles of baby's-breath their supplier had sent in.
“Mel, you have a visitor asking for you,” Vi said, leaning against the frame of the door. “She’s British, like, seven feet tall, blue hair, said her name is Caitlyn.”
Mel paused mid-count, her hand hovered over the bin of baby’s breath. “Caitlyn Kiramman?”
“Didn’t catch a last name. She’s up at the front, want me to scare her off?” Vi smirked.
“No,” Mel said sharply, she set down her clipboard. “I’ll handle this one, stay here and finish inventory.”
Vi raised an eyebrow at her boss’s sudden intensity but didn’t argue as she watched Mel brush past her curiously but not curious enough to ignore instructions, picking up where Mel left off.
When Mel returned about fifteen minutes later, her demeanor was softer. “Caitlyn is starting tomorrow,” She said, flatly.
Vi blinked, her annoyance flaring. “Just like that? No trial? No interview?”
“She’s a hard worker, and she needs this right now,” Mel replied.
“Oh, so needing a job makes someone qualified for it?” Vi shot back, her voice tinged with sarcasm. “Does this decision have anything to do with her connections to your mom”
Mel’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t take the bait. “Let me remind you I’m the manager here. If I say she gets a job, she gets a job.”
Vi’s jaw tightened, frustration boiling under her skin, but she didn’t push any further. “Fine,” she muttered, grabbing a fresh bundle of flowers.
“Don’t be unpleasant, Vi. You’d like her,” Mel said, pinching the bridge of her nose
Vi said nothing as she walked away, muttering under her breath.
A FEW MONTHS LATER
Dear Cupcake,
I’ve enjoyed our letters dearly, and I have to admit, upon re-reading, I was wrong about The Picture of Dorian Gray. I didn’t think it was my kind of thing at first, but it hooked me. I’ve been thinking a lot about that one line: “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield it.”
Feels like it says more about human nature than most books do. Anyway, I liked it more than I thought I would, so thanks for shoving me out of my usual lane. I suppose I owe you a recommendation now, don’t I?
Have you read Anna Karenina? I know, I know… Tolstoy can drag on (and on…) but the way he unpacks these deep, tangled emotions. Feels way too real sometimes. Plus, I feel like you might appreciate the focus on choices and consequences. Maybe I'm way off, but give it a try and let me know.
And about the thing you mentioned in your last letter, about meeting? You’re right, it’s been months. So pick a date and a place, and I promise not to bail like a coward.
Yours,
Six
Vi sealed the letter shut and tried too hard to not regret her decision at the meeting as she unlocked the P.O. Box and slipped the letter inside. She took a glance at her phone and realized with a jolt that her lunch break had gone on a little longer than it should’ve. Swearing under her breath, she quickly made her way back to her place of work as quickly as she could.
The jingling of the bell above the door barely faded before Caitlyn’s sharp voice cut through the air. “Lane. How generous of you to grace us with your presence.”
Vi stopped in her tracks, letting the door shut behind her with a click.
Despite what Mel had told her, she did not in fact like Caitlyn. Their constant headbutting had become a problem for both of them and to the dismay of their coworkers, who had to mediate more than sell bouquets.
Caitlyn was behind the counter, carefully tying a silk ribbon around an arrangement, but her irritation was plain as day.
“Relax, Kiramman. It’s not like anyone died.” Vi replied, leaning against the wall as she crossed her arms.
“No, just the concept of punctuality,” Caitlyn shot back, still focused on the bow.
Vi glanced at the arrangement Caitlyn was working on, a simple bouquet of white roses interlaced with baby’s breath, simple, classic, nothing like the eccentric arrangements Vi would put together. “Looks like the concept of originality died with it.”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow but didn’t break her placid expression. “Not everything has to look like it was thrown together at the last second, Violet! Some people like tradition. It has charm.”
Vi scoffed, “You’re arrangements have about as much charm as a DMV.”
“Clever. I have no idea how you’re related to Powder, she’s so sweet.” Caitlyn stepped closer, The two of them locked eyes for a moment before her voice dropped. “Let me know when you finally put together something that doesn’t look like a moodboard of chaos.”
Caitlyn turned her back and walked away. Vi bit back a retort and decided to rearrange her display. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and didn’t need to look to know it was her sister.
“Are you alright Vi? You’re shaking,” Powder asked.
“I fucking hate her!” Vi clamored.
“Caitlyn?”
“Who else? She’s so– jaded!”
Powder let out a soft laugh. “That’s rich!”
Vi shot her sister a glare, and Powder shrugged. “I’m just saying, you’re both too similar for your own good. It would be funny if it wasn't so annoying for the rest of us.”
Vi buried her face into her hands and let out an infuriated groan. “She just knows exactly how to get under my skin! That accent, all smug and poshy, I swear! She talks like she’s doing me a favor by breathing the same air as her!”
“Well,” Powder replied, resting her chin on her arm. “You do make it easy for her. You poke at her every single time. What did you say to her the other day? Oh yeah,” Powder paused and straightened her posture, mimicking her older sister. “Your bouquet is about as interesting as a beige wall!”
“That’s not poking– Thats… Feedback,” Vi mumbled. “And since when do you like Caitlyn?”
“Since she offered to teach me how to shoot,” Powder replied with a casual shrug.
Vi pursed her lips and leaned against the counter. “I don’t know how she does it, she’s all about being plain and safe and the customers eat it up every time!”
“She sells tradition, Vi,” Powder said. “You sell personality. Maybe you wouldn’t hate her so much if you stopped trying to compete over everything.”
"Tell that to her," Vi grumbled, pushing herself off the counter to fiddle with a sunflower arrangement. "I bet she's the type who's never lost a thing in her life."
Powder raised an eyebrow but didn't continue to press. She turned her head toward Vi's arrangement and hummed softly. "I like it. It's sunny, without being loud.”
Vi gave a small smile despite herself. "Thanks, Pow. Maybe I could sneak it next to one of Caitlyn’s arrangements? Y’know, to keep people awake."
Powder rolled her eyes and shook her head as she headed back toward her station. Vi breathed a long sigh and diverted her attention to her work, glad the rest of the afternoon might just go without another snippy exchange. "Fuck," Vi muttered, snapping a stem with more vigor than was called for.
Later that evening, the last customer had left and the shop had been quiet. Caitlyn swept near the counter, grumbling about the mess that had been tracked in.
“I’ll be heading out soon,” Vi said, appearing from the back room and straightening her jacket.
Spotting that Vi was still here, she hesitated to respond. “I thought you’d have run off by now,” Caitlyn remarked, continuing to sweep.
“Yeah, well, it seems we are both the same amount of friendless losers,” Vi said, lighthearted and not making eye contact just yet. She then exhaled sharply as she noticed the subtle way Caitlyn rubbed her forehead, clearly exhausted. “Tell you what,” Vi muttered, stepping toward the counter. “Why don’t you head out? I’ll finish cleaning up.”
Caitlyn paused, surprised. Her lips parted as if to protest, but Vi cut her off. “Relax, Kiramman, You covered for me while I was late. Go. I’ve got this.”
Caitlyn hesitated, her grip loosening on the broom handle. “I don’t need you to do me any favors.”
Vi huffed out a quiet laugh. “I never said you did.” She finally met the other woman’s gaze. “Unless, of course, you’d rather stay and watch me sweep. I know how much you love my sweeping skills.”
Caitlyn scoffed but couldn’t quite hide the way her lips twitched upward. “It hurts to watch you sweep.”
Vi smirked, stepping close to Caitlyn and lightly taking the broom from her hands. “Then you should really leave before you have to witness it.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. “Go,” Vi said, softer now.
After a beat, she nodded, though her vigilance lingered. “Alright. Thank you” Caitlyn said, loitering for a moment longer before finally gathering her things and leaving. As the bell over the door jingled, Vi shook her head and muttered under her breath.
Caitlyn made her way to the post office, which luckily trusted her enough to enter after hours. She opened the door and made her way to her P.O. Box, as fast as she could, trying to escape the chilly February cold. She took her key off the carabiner on her pants and unlocked it. The grin that spread upon her face upon seeing a white thin envelope there for her was shameless. She clutched her purse and she reread the letter a second and third time.
Caitlyn then reached for her seemingly bottomless purse for a pen and paper and quickly scribbled a draft of her response.
Dear Six,
I hate to say I told you, so I won’t (but I am thinking it!) I suppose I’ll trust your judgment, I have some library books to return, and I’ll add Anna Karenia to my next read– Although, I reserve the right to blame you if I get bogged down by all the drama and trains.
In return, I am going to recommend you something completely different: Macbeth by Shakespeare. I know, entry-level to his work, but nonetheless I enjoyed it. (And no, recommending it doesn’t mean I see myself as Lady Macbeth, thank you very much!)
About meeting… I’m equal parts curious and nervous. There’s a little coffee shop a few blocks from the post office, I think it’s called ‘Java Hut,’ I was thinking—
The loud ringing of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts, she carefully folded the unfinished letter into the bag and dug her phone out. Her caller I.D. read “Mother (Do Not Answer!!)”
Caitlyn lingered for a moment, her finger hovering over the decline button. However, she took a deep breath as she swiped to answer.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Caitlyn, darling. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.” Cassandra’s tone was poised, Caitlyn could practically hear the disapproval dripping in her mother’s words.
“I’ve just been busy,” Caitlyn replied, pressing her fingers to her temple again.
“Too busy to return your mother’s calls?” She continued. “I’m sure you could‘ve found a moment in between… whatever it is you’ve been doing at that flower shop. You know that’s not sustainable, Caitlyn.”
Caitlyn let out a slow exhale, there it was. Caitlyn kept calm as she responded. “I like working, mom. It’s not some phase.”
“You could have so much more, being self-sufficient doesn’t mean you have to settle. Think of your future.” Cassandra replied, her words hitting Caitlyn exactly where it stung.
“My future is fine.” Caitlyn continued. “I’m exactly where I need to be right now.”
“If you insist,” Cassandra paused, her words softening. “Come by the house for dinner soon, your father… and I, would like to see you.”
“I’ll think about it,” Caitlyn said, politely.
“Take care, darling.”
The call ended with a hollow disconnected tone, leaving Caitlyn to stare down at the screen. For a moment she stood frozen but carefully reached back into her bag to finish her letter.
I was thinking… it seemed like a proper place for conversation. Maybe you’d like to meet there Wednesday? at 5 o’clock? Look for the girl reading Tolstoy (or a green carnation, whichever one I’m feeling up to…)
Love,
Caitlyn used to pen and scribble that out. After all, this was only a rough draft, and such words should be spoken out loud, in person.
Love Yours truly,
Cupcake
Vi closed the door to her and Powder’s apartment, kicking off her shoes with a tired sigh. The place was dim, lit up by still-on television. Powder seemed to have on one of her old jazz records she primarily played when she couldn’t sleep.
Vi paused for a moment, taking in her surroundings. She spotted her sister, who had fallen asleep on the couch. Her light blue hair was a tangled mess on the cushions. Powder stirred at the noise, running her eyes before opening them and taking a look at the clock.
10:02 PM
“Shit,” She muttered, stretching her arms and yawning. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on the couch again.”
Vi smiled at her sister. “Yeah, well, old habits die hard,” she teased
“You’re home late,’ Powder said, not looking up.
Vi grunted in response, dragging herself toward the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the fridge. She twisted off the cap and took a long sip before flopping onto the couch. “Long day.”
Powder yawned again, still adjusting to being awake. “Did you finally snap and lock Caitlyn in the greenhouse,”
Vi smirked tiredly. “Nah, I was actually nice to her today.”
Powder snorted. “Oh god. Are you dying?”
Vi kicked her feet up, letting out a short laugh. “No,” she hesitated, rolling the neck of the bottle between her hands. "I’ve just been thinking about a few things."
Powder arched an eyebrow. "Thinking? You? Now I’m worried.”
Vi grumbled, "Do you ever shut your mouth?"
Vi leaned forward, continuing to fidget with the drink in her hands. "I think I’m gonna ask Mel for a promotion," she said.
“I mean, duh you should. I’m surprised you haven’t already”
Vi scoffed. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
Powder rolled her eyes and then sat up, crossing her legs. “You’d be really good at it.”
Vi took a deep breath, smoothing her hair with her fingers. "Yeah, but I don’t know… I don’t want to sound– greedy?”
Powder snorted in disdain. "Greedy? Please. Everyone knows you’d work yourself to death before asking for what you want.”
After a long silence, Vi took another sip. “You think I could do it?”
"Absolutely," Powder leaned back on her hands, grinning. “Besides, you could use the raise. I’ve seen your bank account.”
Vi groaned. “Oh my God, stay out of my finances.”
Vi leaned her head back on the couch, feeling the weight of her choices settle in.
She felt like she could do this.