Penflower

Epilogue

"Shiloh! I need that order now!" 

"Coming!" I hurry through the back of our store to the front counter. As I drop the small cardboard box into Trilli's hands, she gives me an exasperated look. Just the look that Aunt Edith would always give me when she found something unsavory of mine. 

That seems like so long ago, living with Aunt Edith. I've been living with Trilli and Oliver for four months now. About three months, ago that Oliver proposed to Trilli. Proposed. The wedding is the month after next, but Trilli is already getting anxious and jittery. I guess I can't blame her; I wouldn't know what it's like to get married. 

Four months ago, when I told Aunt Edith that I had met Trillium, she was overjoyed. She was so ecstatic that she even helped me pack my belongings into one of her suitcases. However, she did demand that I bring the suitcase back to her house when I finish unpacking. 

I'll miss her, but we'll be fine without each other. She adopted a toy poodle to keep her company and now all she does is groom him, feed him, and take him out for his daily "turn about the neighborhood". 

Anyway, the day after Oliver and I busted Trilli out of the City Hall, Trilli went back to the City Hall and made an announcement. She told them the reason why Burke arrested her and why the safe was open that morning. She talked all about the penflower seeds and their cancer-curing abilities. And she explained why Oliver wouldn't be continuing with his position in the City Hall. 

She talked about Oliver's position in the City Hall because earlier that morning, several of the workers offered Oliver his job back. He talked it over with Trilli and I, and he decided to do something else with his life. 

And that's how I ended up here. Running to the back of the store to get packages of seeds for Trilli. We opened a gardening store about three months ago and we now sell seeds, shovels, drip systems, flowerpots, garden stakes, and all other things gardening-related. The store has been so successful that Trilli, the store manager, is hoping to interview people to work here. However, she jokingly assured me that of course, I would still have the job of package-fetcher and display-organizer.

Ever since Burke and Valek fled Campbell, the general feeling of the town has improved.  People are more talkative, more helpful, and more kind to each other.  A trustworthy woman from the City Hall was elected Mayor several months ago, and she assured us all that if Burke ever returned to Campbell, he'd have her and all of us to deal with.

As for the penflower, we still have the seeds from my parents and the leaves and flowers from Trilli's plant. We also figured out how to get the seeds out of Trilli's penflower flowers. We don't sell them in our store, but everyone in Campbell knows about them anyway and they come to us whenever they need a few leaves for their friends or family.

They know where to go for help because of our store name. It's neither the most original nor very clever, but it honors the plant that brought our family together. Our store is called Penflower.