Wysteria

Forget - Me - Not

I awoke in my bed, unsure of how I got there or how much time had passed.. what happened? I can't seem to recall.

"You broke down." Faye says " Kalen discovered our injuries and had his wife look at us.."

I felt panic surge through me.. How could I let this happen? Why did I let this happen? What do they think of me now? What happens next?

"How much do they know?"

"everything.. or, the gist of everything at least" she responds, " but you don't have to worry. they handled the news rather well.. They were concerned about you, in fact."

"i'm sorry, Faye"

"Don't be," she responds. "To my surprise, they're actually being gentle with you."

Hearing this shocked me, gentle? How come?

"I must retract my earlier opinion of these people," she says, "they're good people.. looking after a girl they barely know. For once, we got lucky."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Tera, are you awake?"

Her voice was quiet, not much louder than a whisper, yet I somehow knew it was Scarlett speaking to me through the door. Why is she being so quiet? It's as though she's afraid to talk normally in fear I might run, like some wounded animal.. But there's a more important matter, currently, to discover.. Should I respond? Or should I remain in this empty silence, hiding from the fear that they may change their minds.. hiding from a seemingly inevitable outcome? I am unsure.

"Faye?"

" Respond to her, tera"

Her words were definite, reassuring and open. Warmth washes over me, allowing me to find the security I needed to address the woman at the door.

" I am."

"May I come in?"

I hesitated a moment only to feel Faye pushing me forward.. I cannot run from this. There's nowhere to go, nowhere to hide, though I wish to disappear. All I can do.. is open the door and face this head on, no matter the outcome awaiting me.

"yes."

I brace myself for the worst as the door opens slowly.. and she appears. Scarlett stood in the entrance, wearing black jeans paired with an intricate red blouse, made from organza with an underlayer of satin. It was simple yet beautiful. Her hair was tied back in a high rise ponytail and she wore wedged sandals on her feet, their red straps and bright tan soles adding to her overall look.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you."

She walks over, playing with her hands, only furthering my anxiety. What could she be thinking about that would make her act like this?

"Can I do something for you, Scarlett?" I asked.

She looks at me with a smile, oh no..

"Is something wrong? Was there an incident downstairs? I'll go fix it now."

I quickly stood, making my way to the door. I want to avoid this conversation.. Please, let me avoid this conversation.. but just as I reached the door, her hand took hold of my arm.

"wait, Tera.." she says " I wanted to ask you.."

No..

" .. if you would go shopping with me today?"

wait.. what?

"Oh.." I replied, " a supply run, of course.. I mean, that is part of my job, so.."

"No. Not a supply run, dear," she says, " just a shopping trip."

" I- I don't... understand"

"You've been through a lot" she says. "I can only imagine what's going on in your mind right now.. and, I know I'm not your mother, but.. I am here if you need to talk about it."

I couldn't believe my ears. How can she be so open to someone she barely knows?

"Do you want to go?"

I nodded my head slowly, unsure of how to approach this situation. I'd never been shopping before. My dad handled all of that for me. He hated the idea of me being in a place full of people. The only reason he allowed me to attend school was for the sake of our disguise.. But since I was forbidden from having friends, I never had a reason to go beyond the boundary he set. If we needed anything, it was either handled by him or done online.

"Great. I'll leave you to change, then," she says. " see you downstairs in fifteen, OK?"

I nodded once more. This is new to me.. I know I should be cautious, yet I can't help but be excited.. my very first shopping trip. I wonder where we're going? What are we going to buy? Why is she inviting me?... I could maul over what she was planning but then I'd miss the deadline and she just might leave without me, so I hurried to the closet and rummaged through the few outfits I had, settling on a pair of faded blue jeans and a simple white long sleeved shirt with frills which hugged my body nicely, firm yet comfortable.

"Tera? are you ready?"

"yea."

I ran a brush through my hair, leaving the long fiery curls to rest against my back before slipping on my old sneakers and out the door I went. When I stopped in front of Scarlett, she gave me a once over before gesturing me to follow her.

"Take your shoes off"

I looked down at my sneakers before giving her a curious glance.. In her hands are a pair of wedges similar to hers except they're white.

"Try these on" she says.

At first, I wasn't sure.. but her stance told me we weren't leaving until I satisfied her request.. so I gave in and put them on.. and to my disbelief, they were a perfect fit. I stood there as she slowly circled me with a smile.

"Give it a whirl"

I looked down, unsure what she was telling me to do.

" spin, Tera." she says " spin."

The realization dawns on me so I spin in a circle. They feel amazing; soft, gentle, and lite.

"There we go. Much better" she says, " I had a feeling they'd suit you. I was right. OK, lets go."

Still euphoric from spinning like some little kid in her first pair of heels, I follow Scarlett to the car, Kalen wishing us well as we leave.

The ride was perfect, the wind blowing through our hair. Scarlett and I joked and conversed the entire drive. It was like I'd known her my entire life.. I can't explain it.. but it was nice. She parked the car in a rather busy lot, so filled with vehicles. I'm shocked we found a spot at all. Before I knew it, we were strolling down the street. She walked with such grace, such confidence, it was like watching royalty. And yet, there I was gaping at the size of the buildings surrounding me, like a kid from the slums in a mansion for the first time.. how embarrassing.

"Where are we going, Ms. Rhodes?" I ask

"the mall" she responds, " and judging from your reaction, I'm assuming you've never been to a mall before. am I right?"

"mmhmm." I replied, " actually, I've never been to a*****e before."

"really?!"

The look she had on her face was one of genuine shock.. It's as if she couldn't believe the words that had just left my mouth.

"never?"

"That's right."

"not even a local grocery store?"

"nope."

"station"

"nuh uh"

I'm starting to feel like a spectacle. Is it so abnormal for someone to never step foot in a*****e of any kind.

"how'd you get everything you needed?"

"My father," I replied, " he took care of all of that for me."

"and your friends?" she asks " what did you do with them?"

"I never had any." I stated "I wasn't allowed to."

"Wow" she says, "I'm so sorry.. Well then, let's change that."

Hearing her words, I felt my excitement rise even further. I'm going to enjoy this.

"here."

She opens the door to a boutique, ushering me in. I can't help but gasp, awestruck. The shop was huge, all kinds of clothes filled the racks, accessories lined the shelves.. It was a shop-a-holic's dream come true.

"Tera!"

I turn to see Scarlett waving me over, so I rush over as she gestures toward a tailor.

" Tera, this is Louise," she announced, " an old dear friend of mine.. Louise, this is Kalen's charge, Tera."

"nice to meet you ma'am"

" likewise."

"Louise, would you mind?"

Scarlett waves towards a set of curtains. What are those for?

"Not at all," Louise says, "but might I ask.. the limits?"

"There are none." Scarlett responds, "get her whatever she likes and whatever she looks good in."

wait.. limitless? for what? and what are those even for?

"Come dear, much to try out."

I was suddenly being led to the curtains without any idea as to why.. until I was behind them being handed outfit after outfit.. and, true to her words, Scarlett bought all of them. we continued venturing from shop after shop.. with Scarlett buying everything.

"Let's stop here for lunch, Tera."

"alright."

I remained in silence, watching her. I don't understand this feeling. The sense of warmth all around me.. the warmth coming from her.. why does it feel so familiar? It's as if I've felt it somewhere before, somewhere in my distant past.. Then, as if triggered by the emotions I'm having, a picture flashes into my mind.. a picture.. of my mother. Now everything makes sense. Scarlett reminds me of her.. Somehow, Scarlett has begun to make me feel as though I belong here. Not just her, but everyone has.. but with her, it's somehow deeper.

"Faye"

"What is it, Tera?"

"She's like mom"

"i know. I feel it, too."

I find myself wanting more of this.. this mother-daughter experience. I want it to go on forever.. with Scarlett.. yet, I feel guilty for wishing for such.. That's when I notice a small patch of forget-me-nots out of the corner of my eye, they're growing through a crack in the pavement.. and suddenly, I'm somewhere else. Standing in a field of flowers I used to know.

" mama"

a child's voice rang out, causing me to turn around to find a small girl with fiery hair in the arms of an equally fiery-haired woman. Tears had started to fall from her eyes, one by one.

"what's wrong?"

"n-nothing, flower."

Her voice was soft, brilliant and so full of warmth.. a voice I knew well, once upon a time.

"I just love you so much, my darling."

" I love you, mama"

I mouthed the words alongside the little girl's voice. I've been here before.. this .. this is my memory.. my last memory..

"Mama, why am I named for a flower?"

"because a flower never stands alone."

"What do you mean, mama?"

.. of her.

"Look around you, Angel" she says. " even though they stand on their own, even if they are of their own kind, a flower can never be alone because they grow among others."

I remember the confusion I had felt, and the wonder as to what she was saying. The woman.. my mother.. knelt down.

"You were named for a truly wondrous flower, my little miracle" she says. "It's a protection against evil, a symbol of my undying love for you and the hopes I have for your life.. and it's a flower believed to reside where this life meets the next."

I listened, realizing the gravity of this moment. A gravity of which this younger me does not yet know.. that this was the last conversation I had with our mother.. before she died.

"No matter what happens, Wysteria" she says, "I'm right here."

She gently points to my heart, making the younger me smile.

"I promise, I'm not going anywhere." she says, "you may not see me, but I will be there."

her words rang out, my own smile falling as the realization settled over me..

"Whenever the forget-me-not rises, it's me, routing for you." she says, " whenever a rose blooms, it's me telling you how much I love you. And wherever Wisteria falls, I promise I'm there."

"Come on, girls! Lets go!"

Tears fell from my eyes as they returned to the car.. as they returned to my father, a smile on his face as he rushed us off..

"She knew, Faye." I said, " our mother knew."

Our mother knew.. she was going to die.

"Tera, oh my gosh"

Scarlett's voice brought me back from the crevices of my mind.. forcing me back to the present..

" Are you alright?"

I nod, kneeling down before the patch of Forget-Me-Nots, gently touching one of their petals.

"Hello... Mom"

I hope, wherever you are, you're watching me now.. because I love you.. I love you, Mom.. and I'm going to make that bastard pay.