A Slow Burning Candle *Main story completed, additional scenes to be added*

Chapter 20: Pushed

(Sorry for the brief interruption.  Usually the minute I quit forcing myself to write, the writing starts up again, and it seems to have worked! Thank you!)

The girls huddled up, "So, what's the next step?"

They all looked around at each other, lost in their own thoughts before Isabela spoke up, "I know it might be a bit obvious for me," She grinned, "But maybe flowers?"

"You wanna send flowers?" Luisa seemed dubious at the idea.

"Yeah, think about it, I'll send flowers every day and she'll think it's him."

"Okay?" Dolores waved her hands in front of her, "And?"

"And what? That works just fine."

"I guess, I mean," Mirabel bit her lip, looking down at the ground, "It's a little predictable?"

"Maybe they need a little less telenovela and a little more stability." Isabela flipped her hair, "And I came up with it, so it has to be perfect – that's my gift."

The other three exchanged glances, "It is traditional?"

"It couldn't hurt I suppose."

"Just make sure it's orchids." Dolores tapped Isabela on the nose, "Even if they're perfect, if it's not orchids, it won't be like the fiesta."

"Me? Get it wrong?" The eldest of the Madrigal grandchild raised her eyebrows and clapped her hands. Several varieties of orchids spread out from her fingertips, "What color?"

"One of each?" The granddaughters looked at the variety before them.

"Can do!" She stretched out her hand in the direction of the school and seemed to concentrate.

After a few seconds, she stopped and looked at her sisters and cousin, "When siesta rolls around, she's going to go into her apartment and find a nice bunch of orchids in her kitchen."

"I didn't know you could just make them appear at a distance?" Luisa looked confused.

"Takes practice," Isabela laced her fingers and pretended to crack them, "And practice makes perfect."

"This is a good start." Mirabel nodded, "She won't know who did it, but she kind of will?"

8888888888888888888888888888888

Luz stood in her kitchen, arms folded, eyes fixed on her table.

She looked away, and then looked back.

Still there.

The window was open, but the screen was on and fastened tight. So that made no sense.

The classroom door had been closed for the entire morning, and she hadn't seen any student run up the stairs to her room and run back the entire time.

It wasn't a holiday, her birthday, or any kind of special occasion, so that ruled out Carlos or Josefa.

So how in the world were there orchids in her house?

Tilting her head to the opposite side, she considered them from another angle. What on earth was going on?

Cautiously, she walked quietly through her kitchen and peeked in the bathroom. When that proved fruitless, she gingerly opened the bedroom door and peered inside. She didn't know if she was happier that there was no one in her place or upset that she didn't have an explanation for the random flowers.

She went back over to her table and looked around the plants for any sort of calling card but came up empty handed.

They were beautiful though, that she had to admit. The petals were soft, lush and vibrant, the markings exquisite.