It's been 12 years since Sarah has defeated the Labyrinth and returned to her world. Tragedy struck her 10 years after coming home from the labyrinth, causing her to now rely on her family and friends more then ever. Now part-time teaching Drama at...
Sarah went to the kitchen where she found Karen preparing for dinner. Karen paused in her task of chopping veggies to smile at Sarah. Her eyes went wide and she gasped in shock when she noticed the large bouquet that Sarah held.
Karen questioned "Where did you get those beautiful flowers?"
Sarah smiled at her as she maneuvered the wheelchair towards the cabinets near the fridge and opened the lower ones to pick out a vase for the bouquet. She replied as she tried to find one large enough to hold all the flowers "One of my friends and their children put it together for me."
Karen looked at Sarah with a confused look as she scooped the veggies into the pot on the stove. She put a lid on the pot and as she deposited the cutting board and knife into the sink, she asked "I didn't hear the doorbell or anyone knocking, when did you get them?"
Sarah had found a vase and had gone into the dining room though not before grabbing a roll from the bread basket that was on the counter next to the fridge. She had the roll held in her mouth as she placed the vase, flowers and a knife on the dining table. She took a bite and also spun her wheelchair around to grab more things but Karen was already bringing her a small cutting board and a jug full of water. Sarah smiled her thanks and finished her roll while trying to think of a answer.
She started cutting the stems of the flowers on the cutting board making sure the cut was diagonal and said " I found them in my room with a note. Perhaps toby or Dad found them and placed them in my room when we went to my Physical Therapy appointment this morning?"
Sarah made a mental note to talk to Toby about it so they could make sure their stories aligned. Though both didn't want to lie to their parents, they didn't know how to tell and get their parents to believe them if they said "Hey magical creatures are real and we are great friends with goblins, trolls, and dwarves."
That would probably just have both Sarah and Toby seeing a shrink and probably hospitalized quicker than Hoggle could spray faeries. Even though Sarah and Toby could see the magical creatures living around them both of them had never seen a time their parents had. In fact Sarah saw one of the brownies that lived in their attic tasting Karen's soup at that moment, it made a slight face and proceeded to pull a sprig of some giant herb out of its tiny pocket. It quickly crumpled the herb up and stirred it into the pot. It tried it again and smiled while giving Sarah a thumbs up before disappearing into the air conditioner vent. Sarah slightly shook her head and then started putting the cut flowers into the vase. Karen reached for one of the pink camellia's and smelled it.
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Karen got a shock look after smelling the flower and she proceeded to question Sarah "What friend brought these? Do you happen to know where they bought them from?"
Sarah replied as she adjusted a bloom "A friend from high school that I made when I was in drama club. He doesn't live in town so he probably used one of those online ordering and delivering companies. It didn't come with a label though so I have no idea where he ordered them from. Why do you ask?"
Karen placed the flower in the vase and answered "No particular reason. They just remind me of a place from my youth. I haven't seen anything from there in years so I was just curious."
As Sarah continued to arrange the flowers Karen returned to the kitchen. Sarah's entire focus was on the flowers so she didn't notice Karen taste the soup and look up towards the air vent. As she rolled her eyes towards it a soft giggle came from the vent. Karen began to tidy the kitchen as Sarah finish the flowers and filled the vase with water. She opened her mouth but before she could say anything both Robert and Toby arrived home from Toby's soccer practice.
Robert smiled and said loudly "How are the two most prettiest girls in the world."
He preceded to kiss Karen as Toby and Sarah both rolled their eyes. Toby had a disgusted look at his parents open display of affection while Sarah had a bemused yet resigned look on her face. Toby quickly announced he was going to shower and ran for the stairs.
Karen asked before he got to far "Did either of you bring in the flowers in the vase to Sarah's room?"
Robert was quick to answer no and as Toby went to answer Sarah interrupted "Then Toby must of brought them up before he went to practice. Right, Tobes?"
Sarah tried to signal to Toby without making it obvious. Luckily, Toby was quick to catch on and said "Oh yeah. I found them on the front porch with a note with Sarah's name and placed them in her room while you guys were gone."
Sarah gave a thumbs up behind their parents backs. While Karen still looked skeptical, she didn't question them further. She sent Toby to go shower while she started preparing the rest of dinner. Robert walked over to Sarah and kissed the top of her head before he joined her at the table. He looked at the flowers with a curious eye a slight smile grew on his face.
"These are quite beautiful. Whoever grew these is a master gardener." Robert praised. While Robert was a brilliant lawyer and could make many of those he faced in court shake in their boots but it was only his family and close friends that knew that he loved to bury his hands in the dirt and grow all kinds of plants. He told stories of his parents to both Toby and Sarah how they would leave each other notes and messages with different flowers and their meaning. Robert would create bouquets and explain the meanings to the recipient though it was mostly for both Sarah and Karen receiving them. The garden in their backyard was worked on by both Karen and Robert. Robert smiled at Sarah and asked "Well do you know the meaning of the flowers in the bouquet?"
Sarah got her love of nature from her Father smiled and replied "Well, white flowers usually mean purity, honesty, and perfection. Green flowers usually represent good fortune and health. I don't know about lilacs or the camellias."
Robert smiled at her answers and replied "The green ones can also mean resilience and youth. Since the lilacs are magenta they mean love and passion. White flowers can also mean elegance and fidelity. Camellias generally mean love, affection and admiration. Since these are pink they mean longing as well. I wonder what the recipient meant by these flowers. Do you have something to tell us, dear Sarah?"
Robert folded his arms with a teasing light in his eyes as he watched Sarah. Karen paused and also waited for what Sarah would answer. Sarah laughed and rolled her eyes and replied "Since he is married and is quite a bit older than me. Not to mention has two sons that are near Toby's age it is most definitely not what you two are imagining. He probably heard about my accident through the grape vine and just got the bouquet with flowers he thought were pretty."
Karen questioned as she brought the pot of soup to the table "I thought you said it was from a friend you made in drama club."
Sarah smoothly replied "Yes, I met him while I was in drama club. He was one of the assistants in the theater that the club borrowed during our production of Snow White. He and his wife were very nice and looked after the younger members kinda acting like mother hens. I really hit it off with them and they sometimes will still send me letters and postcards since they moved away."
Karen nodded and the matter was over as Toby came down after his shower and they all gathered around the dining table to eat.
