a dance?

Twenty - Four - Renee

Twenty Four - Renee

Four Years Ago

Outside my window, there's a lot of nature that breathes life. The river of blue with blobs of white allows welcomes itself to my big yet not so big room. They come in different shapes and sizes every time, it's amusing that they are limitless and I can't help but count them. Outside my window, lives my fairytale self. The one that always engulfs herself with flowers, and would probably continue doing so for eternity. She breathes flowers and I am pretty sure if there were a language for flowers she would speak it too. The flowers long for something so precious and they deserve to live if they've been given the chance to plant the seed. These natural treasures make me feel at home and fill my heart with the scent of my family; the colorful yet beautiful chaos.

"Renee, a letter!" Someone calls out from downstairs. My hands froze from dusting off my room and dropped the broom on the floor- I ran down the stairs like someone was after me. My heart was beating like crazy, and my smile grew all over my face. My heels stutter across the floor as I say: "Hi Nadia!" I exclaim with joy, "Hello sunshine, here's your letter- trust me, I didn't get a peek at it- looks like this time your parents have sealed it very well haha." My close friend teases me, as I grab the letter from her "Woah, someone's excited," She gets up and I grab her hand along with the letter and run outside the cottage with her.

We run through the flower field like children at the park, as Nadia smoothly props herself on her stomach, surrounding herself with the flowers. While I slow down and rip out the letter and open it.

I read it out loud, so Nadia can hear as well. We're like a two-in-one package, the kind you can't separate even if you try to. I read with pleasure, each line making me think about how I miss my family so much. They're so close yet so far away it's insane. It's not that I haven't lived far away from my family before but, my father's handwriting always makes me feel homesick:

"I hope you're trimming those flowers and maybe making one for me *winks* but on a serious note, you're almost there, keep yourself together. Who knows? Maybe once you come back you'll have a shop waiting for you!

Ps: tell Nadia I said hi :)

You're our hope, our young dreamer,

With love,

Papa (and mama)"

"Hello Gabriel," Nadia says right after I finish, making me chuckle. She calls my father by name because my father insists she does, like old friends- it's his way of connecting with my friends. Nadia likes it because it makes her feel at home, plus she found him even cooler with a name like Gabriel. As soon as I wrap the letter inside the envelope and try to seal it with as much glue there is left: Nadia embraces me with a warm hug. "I can't believe your hard work is going to pay off, you're getting a flower shop. That is the most beautiful gift- I am so proud of you!"

We both start to jump like we won an award. "Master Jen is definitely going to guide you through your training!" We both squealed with happiness. "So are you!" I wink, "Heck yeah!" We high five.

This is my fifth and final month of training to be a florist. My father was a florist, but he was more like a part-timer while my mother was an artist downtown France. Their story is quite the motivation for me to be a florist. I sigh thinking about the things I do for love.

My training had to be practiced in a proper environment, so there was this flower field that was surrounded by a cottage, the dreamy location in my fairytale. It didn't take that long to decide that I wanted to be a florist and immediately followed my heart to this cottagecore area. It's where my life took a turn. I made new friends who share the same interests and most importantly I met Nadia, who's actually the assistant of Master Jen, who also lives in a small cottage that's just a few meters away from the big one. Master Jen comes from Jennifer, who's my support system and the reason behind my immaculate flowers that I planted as well. They're all a part of the flower field.

Master Jen and Nadia have been doing training for florists like me for the past five years now, and it's so heartwarming. However, I won't be able to see her after I leave the cottage and my gorgeous flowers. I hope I can come soon after I get settled with my shop... yeah :)

The cottage grew so much (not in size) but in personality. So many people come and go, it's like a hotel, but dreamier. Everyone's nice, we bring out the best in each other, support like we were with each other since the beginning, squabble then laughs like it's all in the past, steal things and call it 'borrow' and run all over the cottage, braid each other's hairs (for women, and men who wouldn't mind trying it even if we can't even do it; at least a small fountain-like ponytail works) Say goodbyes and hope we will see each other again. "Let's have a reunion," one of us would say, and we would all cheer.

But people come and go, right?