The Lilac Gardens

Dancing

Will always thought he was a smart kid. Even intelligent, in fact. Except that time when he tried to set the table and frisbee-ed the clay plates across the surface, shattering them. Or when he created an "invention" to wash the car on its own, resulting in an empty well and a very expensive water bill.

Ok, so maybe he wasn't the brightest bulb in the... lightbulb drawer.

But he knew, even without a brain, a very pollenated flower when he saw one.

And this particular flower was extremely pollen infected.

"Here Will, sniff!" Erica exclaimed to him Sunday afternoon, holding out a bright pink flower to him."It smells wonderful!"

Will arrived to the Lilac Garden (late) around lunchtime. He spent the morning debating whether to even go to the garden or not, thinking he would embarrass himself. He spent fifteen minutes in the parking lot arguing with himself that he was fine, that he would not embarrass himself, and that he would walk in confidently to the stand.

Well of course, that didn't work out. The second he turned the curve to the lilac stand, he face-planted.

Floomp, went Will's body

"Oof," went Will, slightly in pain, slightly because it was an automatic reaction.

Tripping over what? He didn't know. But when he heard Erica's cute giggling he was almost fine with falling flat on his face. Hearing her laugh caused Will to almost explode like a bunny on steroids.

He looked up and saw a slender hand, an offering for help. Will's nerves started up again as he took it, grasping it firmly and pulling himself. He stood up and dusted off his pants, ears as red as Santa Claus' suit.

"Are you ok?" Erica asked, stifling a laugh, questioning him for the women behind her, bombarding Will with, "is he hurt? Are you oks?"

"I'm good," Will mumbled to Erica and the groups behind her, embarrassment crashing over him, making his cheeks pinker.

Erica gave him a smile that made him almost melt on the spot. 

"I'm taking my break," Erica had told to the three women in charge, taking off her green apron and grabbing Will by the arm saying, "Let's go, I'll take you on a tour!"

She led him onto the porch of the creamy house in the center of the garden, taking him inside and greeting the people sitting in each of the musty rooms. It was the kind of place where you felt you had to whisper. The old and faded furniture belonging to the founder of the Lilac Gardens sagged after days of use. The sun shined through the thin glass of the windows, bathing the tiny rooms in a light gold. It smelled like a thrift shop.

It was so quiet in there, Will hoped Erica couldn't hear the thumping from his heart.

For the love of God, Erica please be partly deaf, he prayed staring up at the ceiling.

"What's that sound?" Erica asked suddenly, turning around to him in the hall of the home. "It's this loud thumping, do you hear it?"

"Nope," Will responded a bit too quickly, the feeling of betrayal spreading throughout his body. Erica shrugged and faced forward.