Page 56 of Poetry of Flowers

Reminders - October 22, 2019

Everywhere I go, I see you,

Trapped in memories I can’t forget.

Letting you rest is so hard when you are always there,

The eyes in the mirror watch me freeze.

Frozen with the fear of forgetting you,

Your scent,

Your looks,

Your love.

ChapterSeventeen

MATILDA, OCTOBER 22TH, 2019

Homecoming was apparently boring, that must have been the reason why Grand Lee Middle School decided that we should combine it with Halloween this year. It meant we had to come in costumes.

Maybe after work I’d find something at old Leticia’s. She’s a really nice lady who set up her store on her own a few years ago.

Mom had always loved shopping there because she had everything, from snacks to clothes and stuffed animals.

My stomach growled when I thought about the little pieces of chocolate, she always handed out to me. Right after school I had to go to the movie theater to clean up, there was a stack of homework I needed to finish afterward. But that could wait until I had had some fun and found a costume. Maybe Kayden wanted to come with me.

I pulled my old phone out of the side of my sock and called my best friend’s number while I sat down on one of the comfortable red chairs. No one was here, and I was almost finished cleaning up, so a little break wouldn’t hurt anyone.

“Hello.” He picked up immediately.

“You wanna go to old Leticia’s in half an hour to find costumes?” I made sure my boss didn’t see me. Technically, I wasn’t allowed to take a break because I only worked two hours, but no one needed to know.

“Uhm, I can pick you up, or we meet there?”

“Meeting there would be better, we could find a costume that fits together.” I thought about how we had gone as Flynn and Rapunzel three years in a row and smiled to myself.

“Sure, why not, but I won’t ever go as a power puff girl with you and Autumn again.”

Giggling I see the image of eight-year-old Kayden in a green dress, he wore it just for me because that year was the first without Mom and I didn’t want to celebrate my favorite day of the year, so my cousin and best friend thought surprising me with the costumes would make me happy.

It didn’t. I spent the night under my covers watchingFull House. But the thought behind was adorable.

“No, I thought about maybe angel and devil?”

“No, too basic.”

“Alright, how about... Anakin and Padme?”

“That was two years ago.”

“Then you pick something.”

“How about... Woody and Jessie?”

It had been a long time since I’d watchedToy Story,but why not.

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