It started off small, but gradually, more and more of my flowers suddenly started disappearing.
It wasn't as though somebody was digging them up, they were just clipping the ends off and leaving me nothing but the stems.
Needless to say I was tired of going outside to look at my beautiful flowers, only to discover five were missing.
So every day I'd wait to see who walked by or acted suspicious.
At first, I saw nothing.
But one morning I was sitting on my porch drinking coffee when a fairly young man walked over, delicately breaking the flowers off of their stems into a neat boquet before walking away.
The man looked around his late twenties with untamed, curly brown hair and piercing blue eyes.
He was dressed very nicely, as if for a date.
By the looks of him, I decided he was picking my flowers for a girl.
So the next day at the exact same time I waited for him to come and low and behold there he was.
I walked out, fully prepared to confront him.
" So you're the one who has been killing my flowers." I scolded as I came to stop next to him with an accusing glare.
" Yes.... I'm sorry ma'am. It's for a good cause, I just don't have time to buy flowers. The flower shops are always closed this early in the morning and I don't get home until very late in the evening... I didn't mean to cause any harm.... I'll pay you for your troubles..." The man quickly pulled out his wallet.
" Young man, if you bring me with you to meet the girl, and I warrant her pretty and kind enough for these flowers then you can take as many flowers as your heart desires." I put my hand on my hip, my expression showing that this wasn't up for debation.
The young man dawned a very conflicted look as he opened his mouth to argue. But at the sight of my expression and a quick glance at his watch, he finally sighed and gave in.
" Very well... It's not a very long walk.... Follow me." The young man turned and began taking long strides towards his destination, my lillies grasped gently in his hold.
I followed quickly, not wanting to be left behind.
The two of us walked in complete and utter silence until finally he entered the gloomy yet foggy park.
" She's over here." He said as he approached a bench, the morning fog shielding my vision slightly as I approached with him.
" This is the love of my life, Celia. And in my opinion she was and is the most beautiful and kind hearted woman I've ever met." The man said as he sat down at the bench.
A pang of regret shot through my heart as realization dawned on me.
Only now, when my gaze landed on the earthen mound of a freshly dug grave did I realize that this was not in fact a park..... But a cemetery.
My eyes traveled over the words of the tombstone in front of me as my heart skipped a beat.
Celia Rose. Loving wife, sister and soon to be mother.
1991-2018.
" She died giving birth to our son.... She loved flowers." Was all the man said as he set the flowers onto the grave.
