For Honor or Glory

Smell the Flowers

Chapter 26

Alex had barely made it back from lunch when she was stopped by Peter. He was rubbing the back of his head nervously as he approached her. Though his apparent nerves didn't keep him from speaking. "Hey, Alex, I wanted to apologize for the other day."

She shook her head with a tired sigh. "Don't worry about it. I know what happened, and it's cool. Besides, I forgot too, you know? At least the report was done, and you turned it in. Thanks for covering for me."

Peter's expression had turned shocked, but it just as quickly turned pale again. "What do you mean you know what happened?"

Alex frowned at his question as she answered, "That the general asked you not to say anything to me when I returned? That was why you were in such a rush, right? I also figure that was why you didn't come back."

"Oh-oh yeah, that's true." He then paused and gave her another worried look. "How did you find out?"

Alex shrugged. "He told me when I confronted him about moving my pawn."

Peter looked like he was about to fall over, which made Alex a little worried, but neither was allowed to say anything else as a new voice cut in. "Excuse me. I'm looking for an Alexandra-"

Alex immediately spun around and jumped in to cut him off. "Alex. It's just Alex. Nothing else. That's all there is to it."

Her face had turned red, but the glare she was giving the poor man made him take a step back. She immediately felt regret as he shoved a huge bouquet of flowers at her in a lovely vase. "These are for you. Card's in there somewhere."

The man didn't wait for a response before he turned and jogged back toward the stairs. Alex sighed at the man's retreating form before holding up the bouquet to see if she could find the card. Not that she wasn't nearly positive who they were from anyway.

She found it as Peter made it to her side. She gave her coworker a tired grin as she shook her head. "I swear to god, I'm going to kill him. He should know better than to pull a stunt like this."

Peter pointed to the card. "Who are they from?"

She slid her finger under the edge of the envelope as she answered. "I haven't looked yet, but I have a feeling I already know."

Peter watched as she pulled the card out, and she grinned at the message. 'Just a reminder that it is alright to occasionally stop and smell the flowers. Love, G.'

Alex wanted to be mad since he shouldn't have sent someone with her full name, but all she felt was warmth as it crawled up her cheeks. She was finally pulled from her thoughts when Peter pointed out that there was writing on the back of the card. She flipped it to see the words 'Tonight, 7:30.'

Peter was still staring with wide eyes when she looked up with a grin. "Maybe it won't hurt to take off a little early now and then. But first, I need to find a place to put these." He didn't even get a chance to say anything before she walked off, still grinning at the lovely bouquet.

---------------------------------

Alex was rushing around her brother's bathroom, trying to make sure she hadn't overlooked anything. She had already heard him call out to her a few times that she needed to hurry, but these chances were fewer than she had expected them to be, and she wanted to make the most of this one.

She knew she was running late, but she also knew her brother had to have messaged Genesis at some point if only to complain about her hogging the bathroom. Even though she didn't have much time, she stopped to say goodbye to her brother. "Hey Geal, don't wait up. I'm sure I'll be back, but I don't know when."