Iliana awoke with a start, but had trouble remembering what her nightmare had entailed. All she could remember was the twisted, evil face from her first nightmare. It lingered in her mind as she laid awake for at least ten minutes, and she couldn’t quite place why it filled her more unease than fear this time.

For some reason Iliana was extremely nervous the next morning as she rode the trolley to her stop. Dray would be there to pick her up. How involved will he want to be today? Iliana was so used to being mostly by herself on Saturdays, she didn’t know if she would like having him by her side.

But as soon as she caught sight of the tall, dark-haired, blue eyed man her worries melted away. “So,” Dray said as he steered the carriage out onto the old dirt road. “Do you pick all the same flowers for your house as you do for the shop? Or are only the best allowed in?”

“Only the best,” she answered, and named off only four varieties, Blue Jewels first, of course.

“Alright. Now we shall see if I can remember which flowers are which,” he said, grinning at her. It turned out that he only needed help with one, which was not his fault since there were three yellow colored varieties in the meadow.

“So what’s the difference between this one and the others?” he asked, holding the desired flower in one hand and the two rejects in the other.

“Smell them,” Iliana said simply, which he did, and his face showed a little confusion. She laughed giddily. “No, no, one at a time,” she giggled.

“Oh, right,” he said, then did as she instructed. “The first one, the Queen’s Yellow, right?” She nodded. “It smells like… I want to say honey, or at least something sweet. The other ones smell more like grass. But what’s the point of a flower if it doesn’t smell like a flower?”

“The other ones do have fragrance in the spring and summer, but lose it as it gets colder,” she explained, bending down to snip a small bouquet of Queen’s Yellow, inhaling the sweet smell before placing them in the half-full basket. “This one keeps its smell the entire blooming season.”

“But you must be able to tell the difference another way,” Dray insisted. “You don’t go around on your hands and knees sniffing all the yellow flowers, do you?”

“No, the leaves are shaped differently on each one, see?” He looked closer and saw the difference.

“Alright, that makes sense now. Although that would be a sight!” He discarded the flowers he had picked and lifted Iliana’s basket of flowers off the ground.

“What would be a sight?”

“You, sniffing your way through the meadow, like some flower-hound!” Iliana couldn’t help laughing at the picture in her head. Dray always seemed to know how to make her laugh. “Should we be getting back now?” he asked. A little anxiety bubbled up in her chest, still nervous about showing this man she’d only known a few days where she lived, but they really had spent as much time at the meadow as they needed to.

“Yes, we should.” They walked back to the carriage and got on, headed towards the city.

“Iliana, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“Oh?”

“During my trips to the shop, I noticed that there are some varieties of flowers that are on display that are apparently not found here in the meadow.”

“That’s right. I only pick these wild flowers because it’s easier than paying a grower for them. But some popular varieties don’t grow naturally here in Abelton. Some we can buy locally, and others are shipped from other cities. With fall coming, the meadow flowers will die out, and we’ll have to either not offer them or buy those as well.”

“Makes sense. So you going out every morning actually saves the shop some money.”

“I suppose so. If only for the months that the flowers bloom.”

 When the carriage stopped outside her house, Iliana wondered what she should do. She didn’t know if she should invite him in, ask him to wait outside, ask him to come back later… what if he got offended? Dray helped her down and walked her to the door. Iliana hesitated with a hand on the doorknob. But Dray spoke up before she opened the door.

“So, I’ll come back around 3 o’clock? To take you shopping?” Dray smiled kindly, and she knew that he knew that she didn’t know what to do, and that was okay. She smiled back.

“Okay,” she said, opening the door. “See you later.” He nodded and turned and walked back to the carriage. Iliana opened the door and was about the close it behind her when Dray came back up the steps.

“Wait, I forgot!” Dray exclaimed. Ilaina opened the door again, and Dray reached out and tucked a Blue Jewel behind her ear. “I picked it myself,” he said, then he turned back around, bounded to the carriage, and drove away. Iliana stood frozen for just a moment longer, then went inside and set to work with a soft smile on her lips.

First she put the new flowers in vases and threw the old ones out. Then she dusted and swept and mopped and did the laundry and cleaned the bathroom and opened up all the windows to air the place out. Iliana’s mother had gone to Celsey’s house to chat with Celsey’s aunt, Margaret. Rose was getting too old to do much housework, and if she were there while Iliana cleaned she would insist on helping. So Iliana sent her off to Celsey’s aunt on Saturdays. Just as Iliana was coming downstairs from changing out of her cleaning clothes, there was a knock at the door. Dray stood waiting on the doorstep.

“Come in while I get my coat,” Iliana said. Now that the house was clean, she didn’t feel at all uncomfortable with him coming inside. For a minute. Dray stepped inside and Iliana closed the door. He looked around and whistled.

“You clean up nice,” he said.

“Thank you,” Iliana said. “I’ll just be a moment.” She flew up the stairs as fast as she could to grab her coat. When she came back down Dray was still just standing there.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes.” Dray opened the front door for her, the perfect gentleman, and waited on the steps while Iliana locked the door again.

“Hello.” Iliana turned around to find her mother standing on the sidewalk in front of Dray.

“Mother,” Iliana said, coming down the steps. “I thought you'd still be at Margaret’s.” Rose smiled.

“Oh, I thought I’d come home a bit early today,” Rose said, looking at Dray, a slightly curious look on her face.

Of course, Iliana thought. She had told her mother last night that Dray would be taking her shopping. Of course she would want to meet him.

“Um… Mother, this is Dray, Dray, meet my mother.” Rose extended her hand and Dray shook it warmly.

“You can call me Rose,” she said, giving a sly wink.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Rose,” Dray said. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m driving your daughter around.”

“Oh, I don’t mind at all. I’ll see you when you get back.” With that she disappeared into the house. Dray helped Iliana onto the carriage. He steered Kestral toward the market closest to her house.

“I like your mother,” he said.

“Good. I think she likes you, too.”

“I like you.” She felt a quiver in her chest, then recovered.

“Good. You better.” He laughed and she laughed, too. Iliana liked his laugh more than anything.

At the market Dray held her basket while she piled it high with food. As always, she spent almost all the money she had made that week on the groceries, leaving only a few shoals, the smallest coin amount, left over. They’d be put in the tin can her mother kept for their savings. Iliana still hadn’t made a plan to get some new boots, so she didn’t bother looking at prices that day.

Though Iliana didn’t like the crowds in the marketplace, with Dray standing next to her she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she usually did. When he drove her back home, he carried the basket of food into the kitchen for her. Rose was sitting at the table, knitting away as she was bound to do.

“Oh, back already?” the old woman said, putting aside her knitting needles. “Oh, thank you, Dray. You know, since you’ve helped Iliana so much, you should stay for dinner.” Iliana held her breath.

What will he say?

“Thank you, Rose, but Kestral can’t stay out on the street that long.” Rose’s face fell, and Iliana didn’t know if she was a little disappointed as well, or relieved.

“Oh, well, if it’s too much trouble…” Rose said glumly.

“No, it’s no trouble,” Dray backpedaled, apparently unprepared for the supposed sadness emanating from the little old lady. “Maybe I could take Kestral to the stable and hurry back.”

“No, no, don’t bother yourself,” Rose said. Iliana was sure that her mother was performing now.

“It’s no bother,” Dray said firmly. He walked to the door and pulled it open. “I’ll be back soon.” And he was gone. Iliana began putting the groceries away.

“Why did you do that, Mother?” she asked.

“Do what?” her mother asked innocently.

“Ask him to stay for dinner.”

“I was being polite. And besides, I thought you liked him.”

“I’ve only known him for four days!”

“So?” Iliana sighed. How could she make her mother understand? Yes, she liked him. A lot. She liked his compliments, and his smile, and his laugh. But he was still a stranger. He had still come out of nowhere and offered her a ride, then had the gall to ask her for a kiss. But she liked him, all the same, which was the strangest thing of all.