Two

On the following Monday, I shoved my encounter with my new neighbor to the back of my mind and walked to work. I work at my local florist shop in town. I love working at my job; it's refreshing to get away from my mother once in a while. But if my mother could pay for everything, she would. My mother would do anything to keep me under her wing.

I adore spending time surrounded by flowers and plants. I don't know if that love sprouted—pun wholly intended—from my mother basically raising me outside, or if my adoration comes from the sheer joy in raising, cultivating, on your own. Either way, being a florist is my dream job—other than being a botanist. But botanists only study plants—they don't grow them.

It was half an hour before closing when he showed up—Aidon. When he spotted me, he smiled. I had to force myself to remember that he is nice solely because of his dog. I politely returned the smile and averted my eyes. He approached the flowers where I stood, watering them, and I swore internally.

"Hello, Calantha," Aidon greeted. I both equally enjoyed and detested the feeling I received from him uttering my name.

"Hello," I mumbled.

"As you know, I recently moved into town. I wonder if you have any flower suggestions for sprucing up my house?"

"Um, sure." I headed toward my favorite type of flowers. "Mississippi is called the Magnolia State, so I say get some magnolias. Did you know that beetles pollinate magnolias instead of bees? Because of that, magnolias were one of the first forms of botany on Earth. Did you also know magnolias grow in trees instead of in the ground—?"

"Calantha?"

I met his gaze. "Yeah?"

"I'll take them." Amusement glittered in his eyes, and his lips curved up into a small smile.

"Okay."

I cursed my rambling and spun around to hide my blush. I carefully plucked some stems. I wrapped up the bundle and brought them to the counter. By the sound of his soft footfalls, I knew he followed me. I told him the total, and he handed me a few bills.

"Since your mother is not here to intervene, I want to ask you again. Will you come over for dinner?"

I whipped my head up from counting his money. "W-what?"

"I want you to have dinner with me. Will you?"

"Um, um..."

His face fell in defeat. "It is okay. I get it—you do not want to. Thank you for the flowers, anyway."

He turned and took a few steps. I snapped out of my stupor. "Wait!" I yelled. He paused. "I, um, I would love to. When?"

He grinned, happiness returning to his irises. "Is tonight too abrupt?"

"No. It's fine. But you should know I am vegetarian—I do eat eggs and dairy, though."

"Noted. I shall see you at six."

Aidon winked and strolled out of the shop. I blushed and glanced around to see if anyone caught our interaction. I blew out a breath—all clear. I don't want anyone telling my mother what Aidon did. She'll probably lock me in my house if she did.

When my shift ended at four, I rushed home to get ready. I've never been on a date! What do I wear? I know from the relationships on tv that you usually dress fancier, right? I stood before my open closet. What do I pick? After staring at my wardrobe for a minute, I chose an emerald green tank top. I paired it with a pale ivory skirt decorated with dusty pink and cerulean daisies. The hem of the skirt reached a little past my knees.

Although my mother thought makeup was whorish, I learned the art in secret. Thanks to the internet, tutorials taught me. And I managed to get some makeup through presents from friends. Fearing I would put too much on, I kept my makeup job light. I stuck to the minimum: foundation and concealer, mascara, and a tiny bit of lip gloss.

Fifteen minutes before six, I knocked on the door he pointed at two days ago. I hoped this is his house. Much to my relief, Aidon answered the door, smiling. At his side, Spot stood, wagging his tail. I reached down and patted Spot's head.

"Welcome," Aidon spoke, backing away from the door to let me in.

The interior of his place took my breath away. A black and white theme dominated the room. Aidon had black leather furniture atop white rugs with ebony hardwood beneath. He had a small vase resting on a coffee table. Aidon filled the vase with white flowers that had a rust-colored stripe running down each petal. I recognized them as asphodels.

Why does Aidon have the flower of death in his living room?

My favorite item in the room was the massive fireplace. I have one in my house, and my favorite thing to do is turn up the AC, create a giant pile of blankets and pillows, then pretend it's a snowy winter day and curl up in front of the lit fire. Call me juvenile, but I adore it. I can't do it often because it drives up the electricity bill, so it's a rare delicacy.

Aidon led me to his dining room—which also had a black and white theme. The table matched the dark hardwood, and the carpet had a black and white looping pattern. The chairs had a white cushion on the back of the chair, and a black cushion as the seat. I smiled once I noticed the container of magnolias that I sold him.

I took the spot to the right of the head of the table, allowing the head to be his spot since it's his house. The fact that he set all of the places did strike me as odd, though. While I sat down, Aidon stepped into the kitchen—probably to get the food. He returned with a pizza.

The pizza had mozzarella, green bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and spinach—all laid on a red sauce. The dough looked homemade, too. Did... did he make pizza from scratch for me? Why would he do that?

Aidon sat the pizza and himself down. "I hope you like my pizza. I am decent at cooking, but..."

"It looks fine," I reassured. "Did you make it from scratch?"

He grinned proudly. "Yes. It was certainly not easy to do in two hours, but I managed."

"Well, thank you." We each grabbed a slice—it was terrific! The cheese melted in my mouth, and the dough was nice and soft. I especially loved the mushrooms—they're my favorite vegetable.

"Do you like it?" Aidon asked after I finished my slice.

I nodded. "Yes, it's delicious."

After dinner, Aidon invited me to sit with him on his couch. "Can you drink?" he asked, heading toward the kitchen.

"Yes. I'm twenty-two."

He nodded and returned with a bottle of wine. He poured out two glasses and handed one to me. "I love your asphodels," I murmured.

He raised his eyebrows. "You know what they are?"

"Well, I am a florist."

"You are right. Forgive me for my stupidity."

I laughed and took a sip of the wine. Wow, that's good! Much better than the cheap stuff I buy. I hope he didn't spend all of his money on me! "Why the flower of death, though? Why not roses or something?"

He stiffened. "I... in my opinion, asphodels are misunderstood. Yes, they have the death connotation, but, in Greece, they were once the poor man's meal—able to feed thousands. And asphodel leaves are used to wrap cheese because they could last long after picking—once the leaves die, vendors knew the cheese expired. Throughout history, people shunned them, refusing to welcome them into their homes for uses other than medicinal. But they are harmless, simply wanting love."

He stared at the spiky plant, deep in thought. By the end of his speech, he sounded like he wasn't speaking of the plant any longer. I frowned slightly; is he... all right? "Aidon?" I asked gently.

He snapped out of whatever that was and met my eyes. "Oh, sorry. Forgive me. I am very passionate about my asphodels."

I nodded slowly. "I guess people do misjudge them."

The look on his face broke my heart. I'm not sure why asphodels meant so much to him, but I could tell the... prejudice against the flowers affected him. I decided what to do without hesitation. I placed my wine glass on the coffee table and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He froze in my arms. But after a second, he relaxed and returned the embrace.

Aidon pulled me closer, and I felt him lean his head against my collarbone. I sucked in a breath—I didn't expect him to do that! This is as close as I've ever gotten to a man; what do I do now? I decided to let him release me first.

I came to realize I liked the embrace. I enjoyed the warmth Aidon gave off, and I relished in his scent—mint and something earthy. I could feel his slow breaths in my hair, stirring my strands. My heart started to race, and a fluttery feeling started up in my stomach. I became hyper-aware of his hands on my lower back and how close his lips are to my neck.

After a minute of him holding me, he slowly leaned back. He moved his hands so that they rested on my waist. He ran his thumbs in circular motions, and I resisted the urge to close my eyes in happiness.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered, breaking the silence.

I widened my eyes. He wants to kiss me? I've never been kissed before! "I-I..."

He gave me an amused glance. "Have you never been kissed before?"

I blushed the color of tomatoes. Was it that obvious? "Um..."

It was his turn for his eyes to become saucers. "You have never kissed anyone."

I lowered my eyes in shame. "I could never get close to anyone with my mother the way that she is..."

He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "Will you allow me to change that?"

A kiss is something I've always wanted, but what would my mother say? She would be furious. "My mother... she would probably disown me if I didn't comply with her rules."

"I am aware of that, and you have every chance to reject me. I shall back off if that is your choice, but why not throw caution to the wind just this once? Grow out of your mother's shadow and blossom."

I don't know if the wine got to me or if he snapped me out of some spell, but, at that moment, I didn't care what my mother's reaction would be. I just wanted to experience my first kiss.

I nodded and leaned forward, hoping he would receive the message of my actions. He leaned forward, too, and connected our lips. It was as perfect as I imagined it to be. Heat erupted on my mouth and swept through every extremity. I drowned in his scent, but it fueled the passion. Aidon slowly slid his hands up my torso, goosebumps trailing in his path. He rested his hands on the sides of my head, cupping my face.

After a minute, he slowly started pushing me down against the couch cushions until he hovered over me. I reached out my arms and traced his broad shoulders. This seemed to snap him out of something, and he broke away—much to my sadness. "I-I need to stop," he whispered—his voice gravelly. "I need to stop before this gets more heated because I will not be able to control myself for much longer."

I nodded—much to my body's protesting. "Yes, um, you're right. I'm not ready for much else." I glanced outside and noticed how close the sun was to dipping below the horizon. "I-I should probably head home. It's getting late."

"Yes. Of course." He got off of me, and I immediately missed his warmth. His absence left me cold, and I wanted him back.

"Thank you for everything—dinner; the kiss..."

He smiled. "My pleasure. I do have a simple request, though."

I tilted my head. "What is it?"

"Continue to have dinner with me. I do quite enjoy your presence."

I grinned. "You drive a hard bargain, but you forced my hand. I have no choice but to do as you say."

He bowed forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes in happiness; then, we both stood up off the couch. I grabbed my bag, and he escorted me to the door. Before I could even take hold of the door handle, he yanked me against him once more. He bridged the gap between our lips and kissed me again.

I could get used to that.

"Goodbye, Aidon," I said, pulling away. I opened the door, the cooler air contrasting against the retained heat in my limbs.

"Goodbye, magnolia," he responded.

I blushed as I noticed the nickname. I softly clicked the door shut; half of me wished Aidon would rip it back open and demand me to stay. I all-but ran home, hoping my mother wouldn't glance out her window and spot me. I felt a gaze on me as I hurried across the street, and I prayed it was only Aidon watching me leave.

~~~

I slept in the next morning because my shift doesn't begin until eleven. After about a half-hour of being up, my doorbell rang. I answered it, but the mail-carrier had already moved on to the next house. I glanced down and saw the package they delivered. It was a few inches long, square-shaped, and not very thick.

I didn't order anything, so what is it, and where did it come from? I hope it isn't parts of a dead body—I saw that on tv once.

I brought it back inside and unsealed it. It was a black velvet jewelry box. I frowned but lifted the lid. I gasped—inside, a beautiful, circular pink gem on a silver chain glittered back at me. Who is this from? I searched the package it came in and discovered a small note. On it, written in elegant handwriting, said:

'Dear magnolia,

I spotted this necklace and knew I must gift it to you. It is pink tourmaline—if you wish to be aware. I pray it is of your liking.

Your neighbor and dinner companion,

Aidon.'

I covered my mouth with my hand as the tears sprang to my eyes. I don't understand why Aidon would do this for me—we met only a few days ago! Not even my mother has given me something this nice. The necklace consisted of a quarter-sized gem that was the color of cherry blossoms hanging on a silver chain. I clasped it around my neck. I decided to go over and thank Aidon personally.

When I headed across the street, his door shocked me—it was ajar. Is Aidon okay? Has someone broken in? Then I heard it—arguing voices. And I recognized them. The voices were of my mother and Aidon. They spoke in Greek, but since my mother made me take the language when I was young, I understood their words. I couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"—stay away from my daughter, Hades. You leave her alone!" my mother shouted. Daughter? Are they talking about me? And who is Hades?

"I do not have to listen to you, Demeter, so save your breath and calm down. I will pursue whomever I choose!"

Who is Demeter? Although I had many questions, I hated confrontation. I had to stop this fight. I pushed open the door and called out, "Hello? Is anyone home?"

I found them in the living room. Despite how heated the dispute just was, Aidon appeared calm—whereas my mother had steam coming out of her ears. "Mother? What are you doing here?"

Aidon's eyes landed on my necklace and gave me a small smile. Luckily, my mother didn't catch it—for she turned her back to him.

"I came to tell Aidon to never speak with you again. Come along, Calantha; we are departing. When we get home, we must discuss some things."

I don't completely comprehend what happened at that moment, but; whatever it was, I thank it to the moon and back. A strong urge to defend my relationship swept over me, and I rolled my shoulders back. "No. I am not leaving. Aidon is the first guy that has persevered after you rejected him, and I'm not willing to let him go. I'm sorry—truly sorry—but no."

Aidon smiled, pride danced on his lips, and warmth blossomed in my chest. But I looked back at my mother, and she snuffed out my happiness. Wrath burned in her eyes with the power of a hundred suns. She stormed over, and I understood too late her intentions. She raised her palm and connected it with my cheek with a crack. The sound resonated around the room, and I froze, too stunned to move.

Everything seemed like it was underwater. Aidon moved in slow motion towards me, and I vaguely knew the ground shifted. It wasn't until he wrapped his arms around me, did I grasp that I was falling. I leaned against him, not putting any weight on my feet. He held me up effortlessly.

"Get out!" Aidon screamed. "Get out of my house!" I saw Spot rise from the couch, and pull his lips back in a snarl. My mother opened her mouth, but Spot silenced her with a growl that ripped through the room.

She spun around and stomped out the door. I rested my head against Aidon, relief washing over me. He slid an arm underneath my knees and picked me up. With everything sinking in, the tears came flooding out. Aidon carried me to the couch, stroking my hair. He sat down and propped me against him with my head on his shoulder.

"Shh," he murmured. "It's all right. She is gone now."

When all of my cries stopped, I tried to get off of him, but he held on tighter. "No," he protested. "Let me hold you for one more minute."

I laid back down and placed my head back on his chest. All of today's events drained my energy, and I couldn't fight the pull of sleep. I drifted off, Aidon's warmth and comfort wrapping around me.