A Writer's Fairytale

Prince James: Almost Catching a Sunflower

I had just finished my phone call with my grandfather when my mind went to the scene that happened earlier that day. I had waited in the restaurant till a quarter after two and she still didn’t show up. I had to start going back to the hotel, but before I did that, I decided to head back to the flower shop and make another order of flowers for her. I had that night yet, and I wasn’t going to waste it. I walked in and saw an enormous vase of flowers sitting on the counter. I cleared my throat. “Excuse madam, may I order some flowers?”

“Just one second,” the voice called from behind the flowers.  She walked behind the flowers and her hand went to her mouth. “Can I help you?” Her voice was weak and lacked certainty.

“Yes. I would like you to delivery another bouquet of roses to the same address with this note inside.”

She took the note from me. She looked uncertainly at it and then back to me. “May I read it?” she asked her voice was quiet almost a dull whisper.

“You didn’t ask before.” Her face didn’t change expression. Apparently, she was not in the same mood she was in this morning. “Yes, you may.”

She looked down at the note. When she was finished, she looked up at me. “Is all of this true?” she asked not breaking eye contact with me.

I looked at her. “Every word madam.”

She glanced at the back room and then motioned me to come closer. When I was within inches from her, she whispered, “She’s in the back room. She will be out soon. I will make sure that she talks to you.”

I was going to whisper something back, but she put her finger to her mouth to silence me. It was a trick old people did, but it almost always still worked. She directed me to go back into the main area and wait for Mary there. I started looking at some flowers when I heard the woman start talking at first, I thought she was talking to me until I heard what she said. “You still have the flower shop cut.”

Then I heard the voice of my angel. “Old habits die hard.” She laughed slightly.

I wanted to go to her, but I didn’t want to spook her. I had to trust that the woman would bring her to me. Then I overheard the woman say “Mary, I know you came to see if I needed any help cooking, but I really need your help with this one customer.”

Mary tried to get out of it. “Grandma I really don’t think that…” 

The woman didn’t let her finish. “Mary Charlotte Evans you will do this for me. The more time that you spend arguing is less time that you have.” I quickly saved her name into the archives of my mind.

I heard footsteps coming toward me and began to try and focus on the flowers. “They are beautiful flowers, not many people know the array of different species of sunflowers that there are.”

I turned around and I saw her hand go up to her mouth, much like her grandmother’s had done moments ago. “Which is your favorite species of sunflower?”

There was no response. I had never thought that I could have this effect on her. The girl that I thought would always have a comment to make, was speechless. Then she began to stammer. “I…I…I…” Again, there was another silence. Then finally she came out with a cohesive sentence. “I like the traditional ones. There is something about a classic look that I really enjoy.”

“I could see that.” I thought to myself. She seemed like a girl that would enjoy the classics. I myself would concur that the classics are the best way to go. “I have to agree with you.”

“May I help you with something, or did you come to admire the sunflowers?” Her fire had begun to flood back to her. She was beginning to become sarcastic again and I liked that. I had spent most of my life with girls that only admired me and were speechless because of my looks. I was looking for something more. I was looking for someone who wasn’t afraid to tell me how she felt, even if she thought that I might not like it. The only problem with her telling me how it was was that she didn’t know that I was royalty. I was hoping that when she found out she wouldn’t act any differently.

“You may be able to help me,” I said, taking time to enunciate all of my words. I wanted to give her mind time to wrap itself around all of this. “See, I met this spectacular girl last night and she stood me up today. I want to get flowers that say I won’t give up that easily.” I gave her a brilliant smile.

She slowly began to inch toward the door. “You know I am not an expert on these things, so I think that you should talk to my grandmother.”

She was just about to exit the shop, I had to try something. “You seem like a smart girl; I am sure you can help.” 

She didn’t turn around. She didn’t look at me. She just kept going out the door. I thought that I had lost my chances, until I saw her slowly reemerge from the door. Right behind her I saw a short man enter the shop. He had the blackest hair I had ever seen, and his eyes reminded me of ice. His voice was shrill. “Hey, Mary haven’t seen you around in a while.” As he said this he was slowly backing her into a corner.

“I have been helping my GRANDMOTHER a lot lately.” I could tell that she was putting emphases on the word grandmother in hopes that her grandmother would come to her aid, but I had seen her grandmother go into the back rom. Her grandmother wasn’t going to be able to help her.

I was the one that had to rescue her, and I had no problem doing it. “Why don’t you give the girl a little breathing room?”

“What’s it to you?” the short man asked, squaring up to me. I couldn’t believe that this vertically challenged man thought that he could take me on.

“Leave him out of this Michael this is between you and me,” Mary said, pushing me a little. If it had been any other situation, her hand on my chest would have my blood racing, but I had to keep my mind in check. This man wanted to fight and I preferred battling with my wits then with my fists.

“He made himself involved,” he said as he pushed her out of the way. Mary stumbled a little, but she didn’t fall to the ground.

I couldn’t believe it. I was taught never to treat a girl like that. What gave him the right to do that? I quickly ran to her side. “Don’t push a lady,” I said as I felt her push away from me. I could see that she saw something. It was something in his face. There was something in his face that I couldn’t read. I saw his fist move, but by the time I tried to stop it, it was too late. Mary lay on the ground beside me. She was holding her eye. I quickly went to her.

We all looked at each other waiting for one of us to make the first move. Michael was the first one to speak, “Maybe this will make you prettier. We know that it can’t make you any uglier.”

I was appalled at the comment. It was one thing to hit her. It was a vicious thing to do, but then to make that comment, it was appalling. I left her side and stood in front of him. I was focused on taking him down. I was ready to teach him to have some respect. I was more focused on that then I realized. I didn’t hear Mary’s grandmother walk into the room. “What on God’s green Earth is going on in here?” she said, pushing past Michael and I to get to her injured granddaughter. “Are you alright sweetheart?”

“I am fine,” she said her voice tried to keep the pride that she had just lost. She tried to get up, but she had no luck. I ran back to her side. “I am just having a hard time standing up.” She then turned to Michael keeping her head high. “You best go home Michael I see no more damage that you can do, unless you want to punch the other eye,” Mary said. Her fire was amazing, even after being punched in the face she still wasn’t afraid to fight back. It was admirable.

Upon hearing this Mary’s grandmother straightened herself and came eye to eye with Michael.  “Did you do this Michael?”

Michael tried to look away, but the woman forced him to look at her. His face would have put Santa Claus’s rosy cheeks to shame. “I only did it because I was trying to protect her.”

The old lady pushed some of her hair flat on her head. “Protect her from what?”

He quickly lifted his finger and pointed to me. “There is something about him that I do not like Mrs. Parker. He is up to something.”

“I am not the only one that is up to something,” I thought, but decided not to say it out loud.

Mary was the one to speak out loud. “He did nothing you threw the first punch.” I was surprised that she hadn’t said something earlier. I was glad that when she did say something in was in support of me.

Her grandmother turned away from him and said, “Excuse me sir, would you help me take my granddaughter into the back room?”

I quickly picked her up. I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity when I was told that I could pick her up. “I can walk,” she said to her grandmother. I could tell that she wasn’t going to bother with me. She had tried that last night and she knew that it didn’t end well. I was glad that her grandmother paid no attention to her either and just guided me into the back room.

When I got back to the back room, I looked at a clock, and I realized I hadn’t called my grandfather yet. I had to do that. I promised Wellesley that I would call my grandfather. “I have to take my leave,” I stated, walking out of the room.