Casual Moths // Angel Reyes

3: princesses and heroes

The sky is a vibrant shade of blue and not a cloud is to be seen as Callie drives down the streets of downtown Santo Padre, Daisy on the back and the freshly made flower arrangement on the passenger seat.

It's early in the morning, not even ten but as soon as the flowers had been delivered, Callie had set her mission in creating the perfect flower arrangement for Angel and EZ.

Now, as she glanced to her work next to her, she can't help but smile in pride of what she's created. The fact that she gets to do this for a living, dream up beautiful bouquets and make them become a reality, is a dream she's had since she was a little girl but never something she truly believed would come true.

When all her friends went off to College, Calli started working at the local flower shop in the little suburb of Chicago where she'd spent most of her teenage years. At first it was just sweeping the floor and helping out whenever a new order of flowers came in but it soon evolved into a full blown apprenticeship. And now she finally has her own shop. Her baby. Located at the same place her grandfather had opened a hardware store all those years ago. Where her father had met her mother. Where he family's stories started.

" Mommy, can we watch frozen again when we get home ? " Daisy asks from the backseat, pulling Callie from her daydream.

On the inside, Callie lets out a groan. It's not that she dislikes the movie, it's just that she's seen it a hundred times. A thousand. A million probably. But this is her baby girl and if she wants to watch frozen, if it makes her happy, Callie would suffer through yet another rendition of let it go.

" Sure baby ".

That's the plan for today. Deliver the arrangement then go home and spend the day watching movies and eating sweets and maybe hang out with aunt Jess.

Only plans never work out, do they ?

Just as the round the corner by the diner and drive past the church, the car starts to make weird rattling sounds. Callie can feel it stuttering. This doesn't sound good. Not even a little. Not even at all.

They get just a little further before the car stops moving entirely sending threat through Callie's body. Sure she is doing alright financially but that doesn't mean she has the money to splurge on a new car.

" Daisy ? Earmuffs ! " Callie demands waiting for the little girl to cover her ears. It's a thing they made up a while ago, when Callie really needs to let out a swear but can't do it in front of Daisy. She knows Daisy can hear most of the time but it's a sign for the little girl to not repeat it, at least not at this age.

Callie lets out a "Fuck" then punches the steering wheel. When it rains it really pours, huh ?

" What's wrong mommy ? " Daisy asks, having lowered her hands and clearly noticing the distress on her mother's face, mirroring it as Callie looks at her through the rearview.

" I think our car is broken, baby "

" Oh no " Daisy replies with worry lacing her voice but obviously not realizing the gravity of the situation.

" We'll be okay, though. Promise. " And Callie never breaks her promises, at least not the ones to her daughter.

Callie fumbles the phone out of her purse, wondering just who to call in this situation. She hasn't made a lot of friends yet and her mother is a lovely woman but rather useless when it comes to fixing cars. She wishes her dad was still here. He always knew what to do. Always had a solution for every single problem. And dad was great with cars. He could get even the biggest piece of trash to work again. God, she misses her dad like crazy. Her dad and Jack.