When the Hydrangea Flowers Bloom

Chapter Fourteen: The Visit

"When can I see you again? The question I ask Richard in almost every letter we exchanged. His reply is always the same: I don't know. We both knew that a long-distance relationship would be hard, but I feel like he isn't even trying to arrange a way for us to see each other." I complained to Winnifred.

"Ugh, men." She sighed. We sat in the parlor room, talking. It was late evening, so no one else was there.

"I just wish he would make an effort. Maybe he's done with me. His letters haven't been as romantic as they used to be."

"Don't say that! He's probably tied up with schoolwork, barely getting any time to write down the ways he feels about you."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sure he's doing the best he can."

...

I ran into Winnifred's room three weeks later, giddy. "Guess what? His father is letting him come home for a couple of days!"

"That's great! I bet you'll have the most romantic few days ever!" Winnifred said, excitedly.

"I know. I hope nothing has changed between us."

"Don't be silly, of course, nothing changed," she reassured me. "When is he coming?"

"Next weekend. Assuming he does well on his quarterly test."

"I'm sure he will. Now listen to this," I leaned in. "I think Flora is seeing somebody."

"What? Psshht." I blew my lips. "That's crazy."

"I don't know... she's been acting all holier-than-thou and not being as flirty as she usually is."

"Well, that could be anything," I remembered my promise to Eugene. "She's probably just bored with the selection of guys here."

"If you say so... but I'm still suspicious."

Eugene and Flora were still dating in secret, and every time I brought up telling the others to Eugene, he dismissed it quickly.

"Come on, Eugene, what's the big deal?"

"We're not ready. Okay?" he said when I brought it up again later that day.

"Well Winnifred's already suspecting something with Flora and it's only a matter of time before she figures it out."

"Let me talk to Flora, but it's really new and vulnerable."

"I mean, not really. You guys have been dating for a month." I mentioned.

"Really? I guess time flies when you have what we do," he said with a dreamy look on his face.

"Yeah, magic..."

Richard came home the next weekend. I was in my room, sitting at my desk when I felt his hands on my shoulder, his mouth gingerly kissing my neck. I reached back and touched his face.

"You're home!" I turned around to see his smiling face. He took my hand and led me to the end of my bed. "How are you?"

"I'm wonderful." We sat down. "It feels like years since I last saw you."

"I know! But you're here now and I'm so happy," I said. I leaned in for a soft kiss. "Have you seen the others?"

"No, I came straight to you. I suppose I should say hello."

"Yes, you should. Come on." I pulled him up and we walked to the parlor room. Most of the group was hanging around in there.

"Hello, all!" Richard waved at them.

"Richard!" Winnifred looked up from her book. "Good to see you."

Simon walked up and shook Richard's hand. "Rich! How's college?"

"Brilliant. Life at the manor treating you well?"

"But of course!" Simon said dramatically.

Flora and Gertrude said a small "hello", Flora without her usual flirting. Winnifred gave me a sly look which I dismissed with a small hand wave.

As Richard and I took a seat on a couch, Martin and Eugene walked in.

"Richie!" Eugene said when he saw Richard. "You're back!"

"Not for long," Richard chuckled.

"So, tell us everything," I said as everyone sat around him, ready for his crazy stories.

"You really want to hear everything?" he asked. We all nodded vigorously. "Alright..."

Richard talked about his classmates, his dorm, the city. He told stories about cramming late at night for tests early in the morning, stories about going to pubs and meeting businessmen from Scotland who taught him how to mimic their accent. "Aye, lassie!" he said with a crooked smile. We all laughed; the Scotsmen didn't quite teach him well enough.

Slowly, as the sky grew darker and the night went later, people started to filter out until it was just me and Richard.

"So... what now?" he asked coyly.

"Bed." I gave him a kiss and stood up. "See you tomorrow, Rich."

...

I walked into the dining hall the next morning to see Flora dining alone. I took a seat a couple of spots away from her, planning to eat in silence. During the meal, I couldn't help but look at her every now and then until she sighed.

"What is it?" She looked at me impatiently.

"Nothing..." I went back to my food. "Well, maybe just one thing."

"Just tell me already."

"I know..." I looked suggestively at Flora, who obviously didn't get it. "About you and Eugene..."

"Oh." She sucked her lips in and looked down at her plate. "How did you find out? Did he tell you?" Suddenly she turned aggressive.

"No, I saw you two the other night by the pond."

"So what's the problem?" She raised her eyebrows and looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, no problem." I paused. "Well, maybe just one thing."

"Get on with it." She rolled her eyes.

Annoyed, I continued. "I just think you guys are keeping this really private, which I get, but isn't it time to take it public? It's been a month."

"I'm sorry, but did I ask you to get involved? Last time I checked, Eugene and my personal relationship didn't include you and your thoughts."

"I'm sorry," I said, getting angry. "I was just trying to-"

"Oh yeah, 'I was just trying to help! I'm Hydrangea and I do no wrong!'"

"Excuse me?" I stood up. "At least I'm not a condescending bully who's too afraid of personal connection to admit that I like someone."

Flora stood up too, breathing hard and staring me down. She looked like she wanted to say something, but held herself back. For a moment we stood, our hands on the tables, noses twitching and mouths tight in a frown. We might have stayed that way forever if not for Simon and Winnifred walking in. We quickly broke eye contact, me sitting back down and Flora throwing her napkin on her plate and storming out of the room, pushing past Simon and Winnifred in the process.

"What was all that about?" Winnifred asked.

"Nothing. Nothing at all..."