Unbreakable Duty

Notes and Notice

Days had passed in a blur for Earn, who was neck-deep in the final preparations for her bridal collection launch. Between coordinating with suppliers, selecting models, arranging the program flow, and finalizing the guest list, her schedule left little room for anything else. Susie was a constant presence by her side, observing every minute detail of everything that may hint to her of Earn's recall of any memory she lost,  and Engfa would drop by occasionally to lend a hand.

Despite her hectic schedule, Earn made an effort to visit Fahlada whenever she could, though it wasn't every day. On the days she couldn't make it, she made sure Fahlada received a new bouquet of hydrangeas, each a different color. She would scribble a quick note with the bouquet, simply signing it with the color of the flowers she'd sent that day.

One afternoon, as Tan and Bow lingered in Fahlada's hospital room, they couldn't help but notice the array of colorful hydrangeas. Bow picked up one of the cards, squinting at it.

"Yellow hydrangeas today, huh?" Bow remarked, a smirk playing on her lips. "And yesterday was blue. What do you think the colors mean, Tan?"

Tan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it? She's color-coding Fahlada's mood. Yesterday, blue - calm and collected. Today, yellow - cheerful, maybe even a bit flirtatious."

Bow snorted. "You think she's flirting through flower colors now? That's some next-level courtship."

Fahlada, who had been quietly observing the banter, rolled her eyes. "It's not that deep, guys. They're just flowers."

"You know, Lada," Bow teased, holding up the lavender note, "these notes remind me of the old days. Remember when Earn used to boss you around, telling you what color suit to wear for her parties?"

"Oh, sure," Tan teased, "just like those notes you used to get from Earn back in the day. 'Wear the black suit,' 'Go with the navy.' She was just being practical, right?"

Bow jumped in, grinning. "Exactly! She was just making sure you didn't clash her outfit. Nothing more to it."

Fahlada smiled, her fingers brushing over the card. "How could I forget? It was like she had a sixth sense about fashion."

"Yeah," Tan chimed in, leaning against the wall. "She'd leave those little notes, and you'd just... do it. I swear, you were whipped even before you realized it."

Bow laughed, nudging Lada with her elbow. "Admit it, you liked it. She knew how to get under your skin."

Fahlada chuckled, shaking her head. "You two are impossible."

"But seriously," Bow continued, her tone softening, "it's good to see these little habits of hers coming back. Maybe it means something more. Maybe she can also remember that we were her friends too."

Tan nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, I mean, we know you two ended up together before... you know, everything happened. Maybe these notes are a sign that she's starting to remember."

Fahlada's smile faded slightly as she looked down at the more in her hand. "I hope you're right," she murmured. "I hope you're right." 

Tan sensed the shift in Fahlada's mood and decided to change the subject, steering the conversation toward something more practical. "So, how's the physical therapy going? Are they working you hard?"

Fahlada, grateful for the distraction, leaned back against her pillows. "It's tough, but I'm making progress," she said. "Every day I go through a series of breathing exercises designed to strengthen my lungs. It starts with deep breathing techniques to expand my lung capacity, followed by exercises using an incentive spirometer to monitor my improvement."