The Changes in the Courtyards

Flowers

  "Sunflowers pls!" 

I asked Tash what kind of flowers she was wanting because its her birthday tomorrow, and apparently the one flower that is NOT in the shop is what she wants.  Her birthday is tomorrow and i needed to get her a present but of course as a middle class teen i wouldn't be able to get her anything that isn't from my work.  

Speaking of birthdays -which i despise- Hers are loud, expensive and over the top.  I kinda want to just skip it but as my rule book for friendship talks about "You must always celebrate a birthday"  I mean its kinda annoying but its fine i guess, I'll just sit in the corner alone again.  I get out of my chair in the back of the flower shop- probably grumbling-   as i pull my cardigan over my Uniform. 

The front of the store looks pretty cluttered; my personal favorite section is our cut flowers section. All I can smell is the lavender which I take a few stalks of and place in a wicker basket I hold on my arm.  Since the storefront is closed it is darker then normal, but i am still able to see the flowers I need for her bouquet i am making Natasha. I have a few stalks of mint, three peonies and some of these dasiy- like flowers.  

By the time I finish filling up the basket with flowers it is past five, which is when i have to lock up the shop for the night.  I glance around at all the dirt on the floor before I walk out the door. The jangle of the key in my pocket scare away the neighborhood cats that like to sit and drink out of the sugar water dishes I leave out. 

The basket catches on my sweater, snagging it some as i walk along the road to my Anneanne's apartment, the red threads that are pulled out float in the breeze like my hair behind me.  Going down the side of the road I stop frequently to pet dogs or smell flowers I see. Before you say anything- yes people do stop and stare at a person wearing their grandma's sweater that pets all the things they see- but that's besides the point.  I just love to be with animals because they actually do what you expect them to, also they never lie!

"Damiana get home fast!" 

  Tash texts me again- and my nose wrinkles up- Why would she even want me to be home?  Whatever the reason is i walk a lot faster, I just know that my boots are getting dirt on them but I don't really think its a big deal right now, I'll handle it later.  

The wind picks up, threatening to blow away the flowers I picked out for Tash; I put my other arm over the flowers, Essentially holding the basket in front of me.  I turn the corner of Main and Gül.  A lot of older women are outside, hair up in a knot, and working in their gardens. They ave their children and grandchildren inside most likely and are going to make dinner soon.  One of Anneanne's friends waves at me with basil in hand, wipeing sweat from her brow with the other. 

"Good evening Emel Hanim!" I call out to her and blow her a kiss, a thing that my Anneanne tells me to always do when talking to older women. 

"Tell Bekah that I have a new book for her!"  She calls back to me, waving her basil in the air from her porch. I nod my head and dash up the stairs to the family apartment my boots leaving dirt prints Melek, my little brother, is going to have to sweep off. At the top of the stairs i make sure to take off my boots outside the door, putting them on this pink rug my mother bought recently.  The door creaks as i open it, alerting my Momma and Papi i am home earlier then i said I would be.  

"Damiana did you get fired!?" Momma walks to the door, her face lined with worry as she sees the flower basket in my hands. "I am about to have some words with that manager of yours" She pulls back her hair into a bun and grabs her bag before Papi walks out of the kitchen and places his hand on her shoulder. 

"Güzelim, let them talk for a moment" He kisses my mother cheek and then takes the bag out of her hand, placing it on a hook by the door. "Dami-" Papi hugs me, he smells like the pasta sauce he always makes. "-How was work?"  

I smile, loving to talk about my day with Papi and Momma.  "Work was beautiful, we got new flowers today from the gardens and a lot of cute couples came in getting flowers for their alters to their ancestors." I walk over to the table in the dinning room, setting down the bouquet for Tash down with care. "And Tash texted me-"  

"OH!" Mami runs to her room as she talks loudly across the house "Natasha brought you a letter!" She walks back with a white card in her hand "She said that it was quite important- i wonder if it is from her father?"  Momma hands me the card- and i take it. 

"I wonder as well!"  I open the card slowly, teasing my Mami by holding my fingers in between the sides.  "ooooooo!"  On the inside of the card there is cursive writing , its in English so it takes me a few minuets to figure out what she sent me.

"Damiana, 
Would you please accompany me to the courtyards tomorrow for my 16th birthday?  If so let me know asap! Love you and toodles!
        -Natasha Brooks"