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        Ｉｔ was almost seven PM and they normally closed at six because Megan still needs to tend her little sister, but their last customer ordered half a dozen flowers consisting of red tulips, red roses, and red poppy as per the customer's requests to be delivered tomorrow afternoon.

That's why the two florists decided that it was best to start half of it 'cause they hated cramming which would impale their talents for providing the best service and losing a customer if they didn't like the item because of the lack of creativity.

"Bae I'll just put these in the storage room. Could you please get the display outside?" Megan asked after counting the money in the cash till while Daisy was sweeping the tiled floor.

She nodded her head and set aside the cleaning object to follow the request. The street was now lit up by the streetlamp to chase away the darkness of the night.

The chilly crisp air was biting into her skin causing her to shuddered and a passing gust of wind blew her hair in full force making it swayed and tangled in knots. She gathered it in one hand and tied it in a messy bun.

Most people find solace in the coldness, tranquillity, and a million lights that were dancing in the sky once the sunset, but for Daisy it only makes her reminisced a lot of bad memories that should be long forgotten.

She immediately bends down to pick the display one by one, she doesn't want to delay their supposed to be the end of the work time.

The bell's jingled in repetition every minute as she went in and out. Only one basket with red roses was left and she was about to pick it up when someone suddenly touched her shoulder.

A shrieked that sounds like a dying pig came out in her mouth as she jumped causing her to fall on her butt from her previous squats position.

Very graceless.

"I'm sorry darling for scaring you. Are you okay?" Daisy placed her hand over her chest where her heart was beating against the walls of the ribcage as she had just finished a marathon. She looked up at the old man in his late 70's with balding gray hair.

She took a deep breath and gathered herself up like nothing happened before dusting her jeans behind. Daisy the ever so incapable of speaking, just nodded at the old man who was smiling at her like a grandpa to his granddaughter.

"Oh, dear. It looks likes you're already close now. I hope my wife won't be upset when I came home empty-handed. I'm just gonna come back here tomorrow. Have a lovely evening darling," she felt bad all of the sudden due to the saddened and disappointed face of the old man. And merely because, she reacted like a frightened child who had seen a walking skeleton.

Daisy tore the stem of a red rose and stretched her hand in front to hand it over to the sad-looking old man. His face perked up when he saw her little gift before he shakily pried it off in her hand with his wrinkled one.

"Oh! What a lovely girl. Thank you so much, darling. My wife will surely be pleased by this beautiful flower," a genuine smile appeared on his saggy face which she returned with a tight-lipped one.

The old man leaves later on after thanking her numerous time wherein she just nodded her head in understanding. Daisy's eyes followed the withdrawing back of the old man, he recalled her to the old memories she had with his grandpa.

He always bought her the books she had requested, walking with her in their garden whenever he visits and always surprising her some gift to compensate for the lost time whenever he got busy with his duties and responsibilities.

How was he now? Was he taking care of himself?

With a saddened heart, she just decided to finish her task by picking the last basket up.

Daisy straightened her back after squatting down when her eyes caught a rectangular-shaped piece of white card that fell on the pavement. She secured the basket on her hips and hold it with her right hand then get the card with the free one, there was a note printed on it.

'You look lovely today. I hope you like my gift'

Daisy's brows furrowed in utter confusion as to why a piece of card was on the display. The letters were bold, cursive, and the colour was bloody red.

Maybe someone dropped it? Or is it from the old man before? Could be.

She just inserted the card in her jeans pocket and decided to give it back to the old man if she sees him again. It was most likely a message card from the old that he was supposed to give to his awaiting wife.

•・•✿•・•

"Thank you again Megan for driving me home and I'm sorry for troubling you," Daisy sincerely signed to her friend when the car stopped at the curb.

"Nonsense. You know I wouldn't breathe another life if Bryson found out that I let you walk home. See ya tomorrow 'kay?" Unbuckling her seatbelt, she hugged her friend before opening the passenger's door and waved goodbye when the driver's window rolled down.

Daisy heard the screeching sound of Megan's car while she padded toward her front door. The memory from the morning was still fresh in her head and no matter how much she tried to push it at the back of her mind, it still tried to come out.

To make sure that nothing was left or someone put another strange thing on her doorstep. Daisy decided to check it again and the moment she saw another one, she felt sick in her stomach.

Her hands turned clammy and sweat slowly formed on her forehead, even though the night air was freezing and seeping through her sweater.

Why is there another one here? Was it just a coincidence or maybe a prank someone pulled just to scare her off?

The flower she found right now was a withered lily, different from the previous one.

No matter how much she tried not to think about it. It wouldn't leave her mind alone because there were so many things that could go wrong if she let it passed.

A very unfortunate event that happened to her almost 3 years ago promptly triggered the memory she locked up a very long time ago. It was something that shouldn't be spoken of and heard again.

Daisy hastily went inside the safety of her house and locked the door then climbed upstairs. Digging the device out in her pocket, she tensely opened her messaging app to text someone that could accompany her for the time being.

What if I am just being paranoid again?

Perhaps, someone mistook her house for someone else's.

Daisy keeps on convincing herself of the possibility, never mislaid her mind for something non-existent. Maybe, It was just her brain being panicky again.

Deep breathe. Deep breathe.

Daisy finally calmed down and concluded that there was no reason for disturbing someone else's lax time so she just decided to do her night routine and called her mother 'cause there is a more important matter that needs to be press on than dwelling on something that wasn't relevant.

•・•✿•・•

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay mom. What about you?" Daisy's pondered whether she will ask about his dad's condition or not. She sighed and just bit her tongue to control herself. After all, her mom will most likely just dodge the question to avoid answering it.

"I'm doing great sweetheart. I still have to deal with some urgent affair concerning the unsettled problems here so it'll just be a quick call okay sweety? I'll make it up to you some other time. I promise."

Daisy dreads off the way her mom's voice sounded even if there was a screen barrier between them. It was like, she was talking directly in front of her and it makes her apprehensive as different assumptions and conclusions were already developing inside her head.

"Sweetheart what I'm about to tell you is very important, but I want you to open up your mind and be calm okay? Can you do that for me, sweetheart?" Her mom cooed.

Well, it wasn't helping.

"Mom just tell me. You're freaking me out," Daisy shakily signed, she can feel her whole body trembling like a newborn lamb and the impending distress was also clearly visible on her face.

It was the first time her mom sounded like a businesswoman than the one that gave birth to her and it was unsettling.

Her mom took a soft breath before speaking up again. Daisy focused all of her attention on whatever it was that will bring her to her demise.

"Y-your grandpa was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. We just only found out 2 days ago. The doctor said, they still need to run some tests and the best solution that they could come up with is for your grandpa to undergo chemotherapy. You know there's no cure or vaccine for cancer right? So it'll only slow down the spreading of the virus, but the doctors are doing the best that they can. T-they are certified so—"

The rest just fell on deaf ears and Daisy's head can't longer be processed what was her mother was talking about. All she could hear was the loud pounding beat of her heart. It was blaring in her ears that it sounds like, a broken alarm clock. It keeps on ringing and ringing until every background noise dissolved.

It can't be happening, she was just thinking about his grandpa just a while ago and then.

Was it the cruel way of fate showing her and reminding her again that her life will never end with a happy ending and she should just stop dreaming?

It's like there was a piece of looming bad news that was always following her.

"I'm sorry sweetheart for upsetting you, I-I know, i-its hard dealing with this and you should suppose to be enjoying your new life as long as you can, but—," Daisy wanted to shout and tell her mom to take everything back.

But her brain couldn't even form a coherent word.

"Y-your grandpa is looking frail and sick every day, he's in bed rest all the time and can barely do his duties and obligation. Y-you know your dad would not be able to take the role, the position. That brought us to—"

"N-no mom," Daisy cut off, "Y-you can't be possibly saying that. Why were talking like that? Grandpa will be fine, he still got his treatment and he will get better, right? And d-dad," each passing second was like a ticking time bomb. Her movements slackened, "Y-you said dad condition is getting progress and w-what about our o-other relatives? M-mom. You know I-I c-can't," she frantically signed.

Trying to convinced her mom that it was not bad as it already was. Her grandpa will be okay again, he's stronger than a bull, he still has to live to continue their legacy.

Isn't it? Her grandpa. One of the people that stayed, supported and accepts her despite the things she did and when she felt like— abnormal and different.

Daisy just also can't believe all those months she had been trying to fit into her new environment and world, will be taken away from her in just a short period.

Her mom couldn't possibly be thinking rationally because how could she take that huge responsibility on her shoulder. It was a commitment, a position fitting to someone with a drive to fulfill and establish long-lasting propaganda—someone. . . not her.

Daisy felt like crying, demanding her mom to take everything she said back.

It was not true right? She still has to learn more about her life, experience great things with people she has now have. If she takes the job, it will make her leave the place she learned to love— the flower shop, her friends. . . Bryson.

"Sweetheart. Listen to me okay? You are the only person who befitting to take the role. Your grandpa is also the one that suggested this idea and he also expecting so much from you. I know it's really difficult to process everything. I had maybe overwhelmed you, but it was better to inform you right away for us to be prepared for the worst that has yet to come," Daisy could see the forming unshed tears in her mom's eyes.

She was silently praying that her mom would take everything she had said. Saying it was just a bad joke.

"I-I'm also praying that everything will be better b-but—," Elina paused to take a deep breath.

"I-I just only want you to think about it. Please sweetheart consider it. J-just, until your dad gets any better and can finally do the work. And then after that, you will finally be free for good. I'll call you back once we get more updates about your grandpa's tests so just think about it thoroughly, kay? I know you're smarter than what you let yourself believe in, you're capable more than the people who judge you. I believe you, sweetheart. I'll call you again kay? I have to go now. I love you sweetheart and take care always," Her mom's hand touched the screen with longing in her eyes.

Daisy saw someone appeared at the other line, calling her mom from behind. Her mother answered the man shortly before going back to her and saying a swift 'goodbye' and the call ended without her saying much anything in return.

Her mom's voice was someone that carrying a lot of burdens. It had never lessened from the day she was born up until the day they took their only source of happiness away. Daisy knew to herself that her mom of all the people was the most affected by the sudden turn of events.

Her dad's condition, the uproar of the news about what was happening behind closed doors spread like a wildfire, her issues about herself, her grandpa's illness, and the countless people that never leave their side like their lives were the only source of entertainment.

How hard could it be to accept it? How hard could it be to finally take one step beyond her boundary line? Everything.

It was not just a game of ABC or 123 that anyone can just easily learn about. It will take an ounce of everything in you and that was something Daisy never had.

Courage and confidence.

She just stared at the black screen of her laptop. Trying to comprehend everything that was happening in her messed-up life. Some might say, she was so lucky because can get everything at just a beck and call, but everything she has was not the one she desires for.

That night, Daisy fell asleep with an aching heart and pouring tears to console her. A realization hit her like a waking call. The person who put that withered flower must be mocking her 'cause, she was no better than a wilted one.

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