You won my Heart

Rose day

Its that time of the year, again. And Miranda is bothered less as she casually glances at the calendar displayed at the bottom of her computer screen. The number 7 was rounded by a faint green circle. It almost felt as if it was taunting her that its been another year of her 23 years existence and still shes going to be spending it just like her previous years. Single.

Not by chance and definitely by choice. She said to herself like always. Because of the decent number of guys who showed interest in her and others who went to the extent of making her know of their feelings boldly, going a mile ahead and confess that she has been her crush or liked her ever since. But none of them caught her attention. She just politely and sincerely rejected them all. she's not the one to give false hopes and don't want to have a boyfriend just for the sake of having one.

Its not that she feels like shes a catch and men have to beg for her affection. Its actually more of her insecurities that built a wall around her and made her heart impeccable. She knows they are not the one for her. Call her a hopeless romantic but she would wait for that one guy who's going to be that imperfect piece and make her life perfect with his joining. Rather than just being with people leading to ugly breakups that are inevitable.

She's an only child and Apple of the eye in her family. Her life is not perfect but her parents never failed to make her feel no less than a princess. After all her parents are the actual real king and queen. Never in her life she came across people so pure, even a little close enough to her parents. They are everything she can ever ask for.

But she feels something empty in her world. That, she constantly ignored all the years but it seems like the feeling has been increasing exponentially every year.

But she is determined happily push it all into her sub-conscious and lock it up and throw away the key into mysterious lands.

She finished her work, shutting down her system and signing off the biometry, she set her walk on the side lane after calling it a day. She usually took bus but today for some unknown reason she felt like walking home as its a walkable distance. Her parents gifted her car on her 20th birthday but she refused to use it. Cause that didnt set right with the independent woman inside her and decided she would use it only when she had achieved something significant and would never even want to give someone a chance of calling her spoiled or pampered too much. Moreover her office is just 10 min away.

She passed several flower shops filled with beautiful flowers. They look enchanting but one of them stood out among all others.

Roses.

Roses are her flowers. She has been mesmerized by these elegant flowers ever since she knows them.

She couldnt help but notice a few girls holding what seems like bouquet of flowers in different patterns of arrangement, colours, fragrance in one hand and the other entwined with their significant others.

She noticed one pretty girl holding a set of gorgeous red roses. She took a subtle smell of the fragrance while her lover just couldnt stop the smile forming on his face and the contentment he felt was palpable. She felt a sudden chilling breeze travelling on that cold evening. Or was that a pang of sadness?

She contemplated going to one of the shops nearby and buying a few of them for herself but she doesnt want her seem pitiful to herself. She thought why not take them for mama and papa but got reminded that she already bought them on her way from her morning run and saw her mama arrange them on the living room shelf. It'd only seemed ridiculous for her or worse they might think she got them from someone and now she wouldnt want that to happen.

Realising that she has been staring rather too much time at the flowers in the shop across the street she moved ahead and took a quick turn almost bumping into someone and decided to make a bee line to her home.

She came in front of the book store that she visits very often. She's a sucker for Rom- coms. The store is owned by an old couple in their 60s. But she then remembered that the old man has passed away few months back. She looked inside and found the lady setting a couple of books into a row and it seemed like she would be closing soon. Theres a blank and tired look on her face. They were a very cheerful and she absolutely adorable. She never got too close with them inspite of being there regularly. She just found them cute as she is quite an observer and anyone with eyes would have known that they were happy and so in love even at their age. It almost pained her watch the lady alone on her own.

She went back to the flower shop and bought the roses which caught her attention instantly. She went straight into the book store.

The chime of the door alerted the old lady and she answered I'm really sorry dear but its time to close. But you can burrow take home if you want-

No, no mam. I'm here for you actually. I just wanna give you these. She said placing the flowers towards her.

She looked taken back for a second and said Are these for me? Oh, sweetie they are gorgeous. Just like you. Thank you so much. She said cheerfully.

Miranda blushed a little No mention ma'm. I actually come here often. My name is Miranda.

I know sweetie, I remember you. You are the reason I keep the novel section refurbished and up to date.

Oh. Its nothing ma'm just a hobby. To keep me occupied during free time. Miranda said with a shy smile.

Oh call me Anna. My husband always brought me peach coloured roses. He says they always made him remember me. She said looking longingly at the peach coloured bunch of roses.

I'm sorry for your loss Anna. I know you miss Mr. Williams so badly. And i'm so sorry if I made you sad making you remember the old times.

No, dont be dear. I have learnt to live this way. Our old times are the ones to cherish and I always be glad to relive them or at least that makes me feel his presence close to me in my daily life. At least till we meet in the after-life I have to keep me occupied with the whatever pieces that I have of him. She said cheerfully and winking.

Miranda laughed a little and awed a little of their bond and her way of thinking.

Anna offered her few chocolate brownie cookies which Anna baked on her own and Miranda happily took them after taking a bite of them and instantly falling in love with them. Miranda left the store with a smile on her face after hugging Anna and promising her that she would visit her soon.

Miranda reached home rather cheerfully. She even shared all about her day with her parents over dinner. Her parents couldnt help but feel blessed to have a daughter with a beautiful heart.

Later Miranda was still in the living room watching the WandaVision on Netflix as she didnt feel like sleepy yet but her parents retired to bed early.

She felt a movement on their Porsche, through their window but she just let it be thinking she just imagined it. But a moments later she found the leaves of the plants on their foyer move like someone just passed in front of them. That alerted her and got her reaching for her dads baseball bat near the entrance and peeked out through the window. Their neighbourhood is not known for burglar. At least not since 7 years back when a really influential politicians house got robbed about 8 blocks down and from then it was pretty protected with cc TV surveillance for 24x7. But, never say never

She found no signs of someone out there. But opened the door and went out to check for herself, holding the bat rather tightly and feeling bold and curious. But she was just greeted by a chilly night breeze. She decided to go inside as there is nothing suspicious, but there is something that sat on the foyer. She went and took a close look and found a gorgeous bunch of bright red fresh roses wrapped in an elegant bouquet with white lilies. She found a card on top of them and immediately picked it up. It said

Happy rose day, gorgeous

***