Learning To Bloom In The Darkness (✔️)

Chapter Two: Non Desistas Non Exieris

(Lincoln's POV)

"You get it?"

"Yeah."

"Any issues?"

"No, they weren't as busy as usual so they didn't have any problems fixing it early." Vick explained.

I nodded. "Good. Let's get going then."

We drove an hour and fifteen minutes before we reached our destination.

Tony, my driver, stayed in the car as usual while Vick came with me.

I was surprised when we reached his headstone and found a flower laying on top. It was a bit wilted, which told me it'd been there a while.

"Where'd this come from?" I asked, picking the flower up.

"I have no idea." Vick said. "Aren't you the only one that visits him?"

"I am." I nodded as I laid down the bouquet I brought.

"That man seems to work here. Want to ask if he knows anything?" Vick asked, pointing out a man about fifteen yards away.

"Yeah." I nodded.

Vick ran over to get the man and bring him back over.

"What can I help you with?" He asked.

"This flower, do you know who put it here?" I asked.

"A woman comes once a week and places one there. She used to put bouquets of them, but has changed to just putting one down."

"Once a week? How come this is the first time I'm seeing it?"

"You usually come on Sunday, right?"

"In the afternoon or evening." I nodded.

"Every Sunday morning, we go around and collect the dead flowers. We leave the artificial ones in place."

"Does the girl leave a flower or flowers anywhere else?"

"No. She places this one here, stays about five minutes, and then leaves. I figured she was a relative."

"I'm the only one that knows he's buried here." I explained.

"Oh I see."

"Do you know when she'll stop by again?"

"She comes every Monday. However, when she was bringing the bouquets, I told her that they were beautiful and she gave me a business card. I believe it is from the place she gets the flowers. It might still be in my office, but I also might've thrown it out. Want me to go check?"

"Yes, please. That'd be great." Vick spoke for me.

The man quickly ran to search for the card while Vick and I waited. I twirled the flower around in my hand by its stem. It was so withered that I couldn't tell what kind it was.

"Here it is. Enchanted Floristry is the name."

He handed my the card and I quickly snapped a picture of it.

"Thank you for your time." Vick said.

"Of course. I'll leave you to it then." He smiled before walking away.

I spent the next hour standing by the headstone and talking with him. Vick had gone back to the car after several minutes like usual.

Before I left, I made sure to grab the flower.

"Where to?" Tony asked.

I rattled off the address of the florist shop and we started on our way.