Angustifolium

CH-5

It was Saturday. And Orm couldn't wait to see Lingling. Ever since View told her she came into the store on a weekday, asking for her, and then leaving for a funeral, Carina wanted to see her.

She mostly wanted to know if she was okay. Could she ask her? Could she ask her if she was close to whoever passed away in her family? Would it be too much? Why did she feel this overwhelming need to comfort her?

It was 3pm in the afternoon and Orm looked around the store, there was the usual amount of customers looking around, picking our flowers for their homes, for their loved ones, etc. Orm

faintly heard the sound of the door chime ring out, and expected it to be an ordinary customer coming in to find the perfect flowers to say I love you.

"Orm .. Hi" Orm knew that voice. But it caught her off guard. There had been no warning. No sound of the motorcycle. She quickly brought herself to the present moment and looked up from her seat at the counter, at those beautiful blue eyes.

"Hi Lingling" Orm said as she stood, and she didn't know what made her do it, but she reached out and touched Lingling's hand that was on the counter before her.

Lingling instantly looked down at her hand over hers. Orm almost brought it back. But Lingling slightly turned her hand over, and softly held Orm's hand.

"You came in on Wednesday..." Orm said quickly, trying to keep her calm, even though her whole body was suddenly aware of Lingling's touch.

"Yea.. uh.. I needed... I needed some wreaths made" Lingling said.

"I'm sorry..." Orm began to offer her condolences

Lingling smiled softly, and said "thank you, uhhh... it was my granddad"

Orm simply nodded. She wanted to say 'if there's anything I can do, to make it better.. Tell me' but she knew whatever this was, this customer- to florist relationship, it wasn't there yet. She hoped her eyes said it. She sensed it did, because Lingling squeezed her hand softly.

"We weren't too close or anything, I just have a lot of good childhood memories with him" Lingling added

"I understand," Orm said.

Lingling was nodding softly, looking into her eyes, and their fingers had started doing a little dance against one another. Almost mindlessly.

Suddenly, the door chimed again, and they were both brought out of their trance, their hands quickly pulled back, almost as if being caught doing something illegal.

At that moment, Orm wanted to thank the heavens for a friend like View. Because even as annoying as she could get sometimes, she understood in that second, Orm did not want to move her attention away from Lingling to another customer. View rushed to the other side of the counter to talk to the customer who'd just walked in.

"Uhhh... I don't actually have to buy a bouquet today..." Lingling said, suddenly looking a little anxious and awkward, taking a small step back from the counter.

Orm immediately realized something then. Lingling didn't have a date today. Maybe because she was still grieving and not in the mood for meeting someone? But that also meant Lingling came to the store just to... see her? WHAT?!

"Hey, that's okay." Orm said quickly

Lingling put her hands in the pockets of her jeans, and looked around, Orm could sense she was feeling out of place and wanted to make her feel at ease.

"So, Lingling, you know I work here, but what do you do? If I may ask..." Orm decided to just be bold

That's when Lingling looked back at Orm, and her eyes softened, she took a step closer and looked genuinely happy to have this conversation.