SNIP

FLORAL CREATIONS

Chris and Lexi arrived at the flower shop one hour after she had gotten the call. The trip here was not a laughter-filled but everyone was quiet after being at the zoo all day.

Lexi promised they would only be a minute as she left Chris with Ruth and disappeared with a clerk. While Lexi was busy paying and arranging delivery, Chris walked around the store with a sleeping baby on his shoulder. The smell of the shop had a strong scent of dirt and mulch. It felt refreshing as you inhaled it. So much of the city was glass, crystal, metal, and stone. The organic nature of the shop made one feel like they were lost in a jungle or deep in a forest as they meandered among the pots and containers teeming with various shades of green.

The shop looked like any typical flower seller in San Francisco except that this one had an outdoor area where they stored trees, bushes, and outdoor flowers. Bored standing in one spot, Chris and Sleeping Ruth began to roam. It wasn’t long though before he was approached by a woman wearing a graphic apron stating Gardeners Do It All four Seasons. “Let me guess you are with Lexi,” she asked bringing a pot of flowers into Chris’ view. “Tada, ” she said happily. “I went with a rainbow display of the pansies so the Golden Wattle contrasted sharply. I assume you are the one from Australia,” she asked arranging the national flower of Chris’ birth country with her fingertips making micro-adjustments.

“Yes… she picked this out?” Chris said in a soft tone as to not wake Ruth as he couldn’t help but smile at the bouquet.

“It took a bit of work but I got her bouquet to match her dress. Did she show you the bouquet,” the woman let out a laugh. “I am not saying she was a bridezilla but she was very specific with her criteria. She said she wanted the Himilayan poppy because it was the trip that changed her life, the Californian Poppy because California was where her life started, the Golden wattle because it reminded her of the man she loved, and the pansies because one night can change your life forever. Your wife is really into making up her own symbols,” she laughed happily. “I had my doubts about the combination. It took a while to get it all together but when I did, it was probably one of the most beautiful combinations I have ever seen much like this one,” she nodded to the jelly-like baby molded to Chris’ body. Ruth’s mouth hung open and every once in a while he would feel a small gently puff of air escape her lips and warm his neck. Every so often Ruth let out a small honking sound indicating she was dreaming and most likely laughing in the dream.

Lt. Lexi Garfield

Chris felt a stunned silence as he listened, everything she had put together seemed to all be about them. He didn’t understand why she would do this though, she was marrying Toby not him. Why pick stuff that highlighted their lives and not her future husbands. “She… she…” Chris seemed stunned as he stood there, the silence seem to grow as he looked over at Lexi.

“Don’t take it personally,” she waved a hand laughing at him. “You would not be the first groom showing up here the day before the wedding and seeing your flowers for the first time. It happens and yes after seven meetings I can assure you those long afternoons she was nowhere to be found, she was here…in my office picking out the perfect wattle. I have also been known to sneak a few other flowers in you like if you want.” Lowering her voice conspiratorily, she leaned closer to Chris. “It can be our secret.”

“No… no they are perfect. I’m sorry just a really long day. You can put them on my credit…” he said as he took out the chip and handed it to the lady. “She is something though…” he said softly as he kept looking over at Lexi. “Do me a favor though don’t tell her I paid… got have our secrets ya know?”

Christopher Robins

Taking the credit chip she paused for a second looking at the name. Maybe it was a long day for both of them. She swore it was not Garfield and Robbins listed as the wedding event but Garfield and something else. This was not something though you brought up. A simple name mistake on wedding details could create questions that never should have been asked. “Of course,” she said with a smile. Walking back to her office, she would check the details when she got there.

Walking over to Chris, she pulled a lock of hair out of Ruth’s mouth as she spoke. “Thank you for coming today. Helping out with her…and getting baby slobber on your shirt,” she started digging around her purse for a soft baby towel. Gingerly Lexi tried to pick Ruth up off Chris’ shoulder to lay the towel down so his shirt was not messed up. The result was Ruth’s face scrutching up into an angry glare and half-asleep sobs erupting from her eyes along with a pathetic wail. “Hey hey it’s okay just let mommy fix you,” Lexi said in a soothing tone. Ruth was finished for the day and began to cry hysterically burring her face in Chris’ neck. Now his neck and shirt were getting soaked instead of just his shirt. Throwing her head back Ruth’s body followed almost pitching her from Chris’ grasp.

“Are you sure,” Lexi rubbed Ruth’s back trying to quell the cascade of tears streaming from the half-unconscious little body. “Your arms have to be broken. She can sleep in the stroller I promise,” Lexi let her hand drift from Ruth’s back to Chris’ bicep where she rubbed the muscle gently with her thumb.

“So you both are all set and ready. I will have the flowers delivered the day after tomorrow by 8 am. I sent the invoice to the information on file. Good luck on your future,” she smiled.

Lexi felt a knot starting to form everywhere in her body. Her throat was closing up, her tummy felt like it was ready to vomit and her legs were weak. When Chris had arrived a few days back the future seemed endless. Now it felt like a death sentence. She was going to need to do a lot of thinking later, hard thinking that would change her life irrevocably one way or another. “I think I should get her back to the hotel before she becomes completely miserable and overtired. Thank you,” Lexi said n a tone so soft Chris would have to strain to hear it. “You will never know how much today meant to Ruth…and me.”

Lt. Lexi Garfield