Iliana walked into the flower shop amidst the tinkling of the bell above the door, steeling herself for the inevitable reprimanding that Madame Suri was sure to give her. Even though riding with Dray cut down on her walking time, she was still about ten minutes late. But instead of her employer, she was bombarded with questions from her fellow flower shop girls. Each vied for her attention as they interrogated her about the ‘handsome man’ that had given her a ride two days in a row.

 “Who is he?”

“He’s soooo cute!”

“What’s his name?”

“Does he have a girlfriend?”

“Are you his girlfriend?”

“Does he have a brother?”

“Where’s he from?”

Iliana’s face was bright red as she tried to duck around them and their questions, but they just followed her around as she began placing her bundles of flowers in their respective vases.

“Come on, tell us!”

“Yes, tell us!”

“Please?”

“Come on, Iliana, you can’t leave us hanging!”

“She doesn’t have to tell you anything!” Celsey exclaimed, coming out of the back room and placing herself between Iliana and the other girls. “Go back to work now, shoo, shoo!”

“You’re not the boss of us, Celsey,” Deline replied.

“Aren’t you curious?” Sandie asked. “Iliana finally has a suitor!”

“You must already know,” Emelia accused. “Otherwise you’d be asking questions too!”

“Of course I know, she’s my best friend! But you know what else I know?” Celsey tilted her head, a frightening smile on her face. “I know some pretty unflattering things about each one of you.” Deline blanched, Sandie’s mouth fell open, and Emelia’s eyes seemed to bug out of her head. Celsey pressed her advantage. “So unless you want to become the subject of town gossip for the next month, you’ll leave her alone.” Grumbling under their breaths, the other flower shop girls dispersed.

“Thanks Celsey,” Iliana said, letting out a breath. Celsey turned her wicked smile on Iliana.

“Don’t thank me yet. You owe me.”

“Attention, please, ladies,” Madame Suri called as she too emerged from the back room of the flower shop. All five of the young women stopped and lined up in front of their employer. The stern, grayed-haired woman looked over each of them, lingering on Iliana a little longer than the rest, her eyes saying that she knew Iliana had been late. Again.

“I have some important news to share with you all. There is a ball to be held at the Summer Palace in about a month. I was away yesterday securing a contract with the palace decorators, and I was successful. We are also one of a handful of shops that is being sponsored for the ball. Anyone coming into the shop stating that they are a guest for the ball will receive a discount on their order. This means that we will be quite busy the next few weeks preparing for the event, and I expect you all will need to stay later in the days leading up to the ball for final arrangements. I will, of course, compensate you for this extra time and effort.” Madame Suri allowed herself a rare smile. “This is good news, ladies. We’re a small shop, I know, but I am confident we can fill these orders, and perhaps become more well-known throughout the city. Now, back to work!” The girls scattered to their various tasks, but Madame Suri stopped Iliana with a look. “Iliana, I remember warning you about tardiness.”

“Yes, Madame Suri, you did.” Iliana thought about when Dray had dropped her off less than ten minutes before. If it does become an everyday thing, and I manage to get out of the house on time… Iliana gathered her courage and looked her employer in the eye. “But I can assure you that it won’t happen again.” Madame Suri raised her eyebrows and pursed her thin lips.

“See that it doesn’t. Off you go.” With that dismissal, Iliana went back to situating the flowers in their vases.

The morning went smoothly with only a couple of customers, and the other flower shop girls thankfully left Iliana alone. Perhaps they knew that Celsey would make good on her threat.

Just then the bell rang, and in walked Dray, looking as dapper as ever with that top hat perched atop his head. He brushed right past Emelia to stand in front of Iliana at the cash register, taking off his hat and tucking it under his arm.

“Good afternoon,” he said with a grin and a tilt of his head. Emelia nearly trotted over to Sandie and Deline, and they all started whispering furiously. Iliana tried her best to ignore them.

“Good afternoon. What brings you here?”

“I’d like to make my own bouquet again.”

“Yes, go right ahead.” Dray turned and began making his way around the shop, picking out flowers as he went. The whispering from the other girls slowly turned into giggling, but Iliana was determined to not let their antics phase her, instead busying herself with straightening the money in the register.

After a while Dray came back with another bouquet that looked like the meadow. He gave her the money and plucked the Blue Jewel from the center.

“Since they don’t last very long, I will have to give you a new one every day,” he said, holding the flower out to her. Iliana heard another wave of giggles. She thought for a second that she wouldn’t take it, but then she remembered what happened the day before.

Who’s to say he won’t demand a kiss if I don’t take it?

Iliana could feel herself blushing again, but she didn’t quite know what to do except stare at the flower. “Unless you want a kiss instead?” Fire burned in her cheeks amidst another wave of giggles. She snatched the flower out of his hand as he smirked back at her. “Flowers it is then.” Dray turned around and went to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Iliana.” Iliana didn’t have time to contemplate what exactly just happened.

“Iliana,” Madame Suri said, coming up beside her. Iliana startled for a second, unaware that the woman had been in the front room at all.

“Yes, Madame?”

“How do you know that young man?” Madame Suri was craning to see out the front windows, but Dray was nowhere in sight.

“Oh, I only met him yesterday.” What could her interest in him be?

“Really? That’s such a coincidence. He was at the Summer Palace yesterday, speaking with the event coordinators.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It seems he was hired on for entertainment at the ball. You say you only just met him?”

“Yes. I don’t know anything about him being an entertainer.” In fact, I know very little about him at all.

“Hmm. Odd.” With that Madame Suri went away into the back room. Only a second passed before Iliana was bombarded again with questions from the other flower shop girls.

“You really only met him yesterday?”

“And he’s already giving you flowers?”

“How romantic!”

“Where’s he from?”

“He’s soooo cute!”

“Whoa, whoa!” Celsey came to her rescue again. “Did you forget what I said this morning? Huh? Go away!”

“You didn’t care when Madame Suri was asking her,” Emelia complained.

“None of you pay me, do you? Now go!” Celsey turned to Iliana after the other girls slunk back to their corner to whisper. “Now you owe me two.”

Iliana fingered the flower, then put it behind her ear. At least then I won’t lose it, she reasoned with herself. It was nice to have this reminder of Dray close by, but it also made her think about everything more intently. Who exactly was this man? And what did he want with her?

The rest of the work day was slow, but Iliana didn’t have to drag it out like the day before since Celsey had threatened the other girls so harshly. Iliana and Celsey got to walk home when it was still light out.

“I told you he likes you,” Celsey said smugly. Iliana just stayed silent. “You know, I wish a man would take notice of me. It’s just my luck that you get a boyfriend and I don’t.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Iliana mumbled.

“Oh, sure.”

“Can we talk about something else, please?” Celsey frowned.

“Why?” Iliana didn’t answer. “Fine,” Celsey huffed. “You know, this is so typical. Something interesting finally happens to you, and you don’t even want to talk about it with me.”

“I don’t think it’s interesting, I think it’s embarrassing.” Celsey rolled her eyes.

“Of course you think it’s embarrassing. I think it’s cute.” Iliana scowled.

“Of course you think it’s cute. You’re just as bad as the other girls.”

“No I’m not! And you still owe me. Twice, in fact.”

“What do you want?”

“Find out if Dray has a brother.” Iliana laughed at the ridiculous request, but agreed to ask. When they came to Celsey’s house they said their goodbyes, then Iliana continued on to her own house. 

The wafting smells of freshly cooked food greeted Iliana as soon as she opened the door. Her mother was cooking supper in the kitchen, and she looked up as Iliana stepped into the room to put her basket on the counter.

“Hello,” Rose said cheerfully.

“Hi, Mother. Smells good.”

“Thank you. How was your day?”

“Oh, fine,” Iliana sighed. She got out plates and forks from the cupboard and laid them on the table, her thoughts preoccupied with what happened that day. Her mother raised an eyebrow.

“Doesn’t sound like it was fine.”

“I just need to think about some stuff.”

“Does it have anything to do with Dray?” Iliana looked up in surprise.

“How did you know?”

“Because before yesterday you would have said ‘it was alright’ without a sigh.” Rose came over with a heaping plate of fried chicken, another of fresh cornbread, and a bowl of mashed potatoes. “So?” her mother said as she spooned their helpings onto their plates.

“I don’t know… He’s so nice… and he’s a real gentleman, but… sometimes I wonder if this is just a big joke for him. But then he seems so sincere, too…” Iliana thought for a little while.

“Is that the flower he gave you?” Rose asked. With surprise Iliana realized that she was stroking the delicate blue petals with her thumb and forefinger. She took the flower out from behind her ear and held it out for her mother to see.

“No exactly. He gave me another one today. I told him they didn’t last very long out of water, so he said he’d have to get me a new one every day.” Iliana intentionally left out the part about having the option of giving a kiss instead. No need for Mother to know about that. Rose took the flower and examined it curiously.

“Your favorite,” she commented, giving it back.

“Yes. I don’t know how he knew that, but he did. He’s so… forward. But also courteous. He offered to give me rides to and from the meadow every day, which was nice, but also a bit presumptuous at the same time.” Iliana looked down at the flower, then tucked it back behind her ear again.

“I don’t think Dray means you any harm,” her mother said. “I think it would be good for you to have a little bit of attention now and then.”

“What if I don’t want his kind of attention,” Iliana murmured.

“Oh, stop it. You’re flattered by him, admit it.”

“Okay, maybe I am…”

Rose laughed. “Don’t be so worried. Enjoy it while you can. Now, let’s eat, before our supper gets cold.”

After supper Iliana washed the dishes and Rose stoked up the fire one last time before bed. Iliana gathered up her coat and boots and went upstairs. She changed into her nightgown, placed the blue flower next to the other one on the nightstand, and climbed into bed.

Again she had the same horrible nightmare, filled with loss and terror and helplessness. But at the end, instead of the horrible, twisted, evil face, it was Dray’s face, which was somehow even more terrifying. Was the evil face supposed to be just as bad as Dray’s?