Prompt for: Stories from the Jukebox
Prompt by: Gray,
Prompt #38: Blue Flower by Mazzy Star
He punctured Suzie’s heart with his knife and walked away like it meant nothing and he had better things to do. The door closed and the bell rang.
Of course that would have been homicide and that was not something the little weasel would ever be able to do. His strength was only in his convictions and even that was faulty.
Suzie sat in her chair and looked up at her best friend stunned. “What just happened?”
Jenny wanted to yell at her but their friendship meant too much. Instead she looked around the flower shop searching for inspiration. She walked over to the cooler, opened it and picked up the Blue Iris that was sitting in the cooler.
She walked back and handed it to Suzie. “Has he ever given you a blue flower?”
Suzie blinked. “He rarely gives me flowers. They come from somewhere but not from my flower shop.”
“What does a blue flower mean?”
“Love and deep trust.” She looked a bit confused.
Jenny stood before her best friend. “I have given you this flower because I love you and I trust you implicitly. I don’t hurt you nor do you hurt me. We work together well and have been friends for a long time.” She looked at Suzie who was starting to tear up and was confused. “He did what he always does, hurt you and walked away.”
Suzie looked at Jenny with a blank stare. “Is he coming back?”
One, Two. Three, Four. Jenny looked at her. “That I can’t answer. I hope not.” She softened her voice and continued. “I know you think you love him.”
“I do. I do.” Suzie’s face brightened up into a smile.
“But loving him doesn’t give him permission to hurt you. It doesn’t mean he loves you in the same way as you do, if at all.”
“He loves me. He gave me this ring,” she replied as she held out her hand.
“Buying a ring, if he indeed bought it, doesn’t mean he loves you. It means he gave you a ring.”
“Oh. We’ve been together forever. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Suzie, you have to start looking at this whole situation differently.”
“Whole situation? Differently?”
Jenny paused and gathered herself. “Remember when we were watching the movie the other night.”
“Yes.”
And when the guy was saying and doing things that were not good for the female character?”
“I didn’t like that. He was mean to her.”
Jenny stared at Suzie with her eyes larger.
“What?” asked Suzie. Jenny’s eyes grew larger. Suzie withdrew and gave it some thought. “Oh,” she said. “Oh. You think that Damien is like the character in the movie.” Jenny nodded briefly.
Just then the phone rang. Suzie started to get up but Jenny was a bit
quicker and made it there first.
“Hello. Oh it’s you. Listen buster you can’t keep…”
Suzie pushed the disconnect button on the store phone. “Thank you for your concern. You are my friend. My best friend. We have been through so much together but this is my life. I will make my own decisions,” she said as she removed the phone from Jenny’s hand. With her other hand she handed Jenny the Blue Irises. “Love and deep trust.”
Jenny took the Blue Irises and nodded. “Love and deep trust.” She walked back to the cooler and returned them to their place.
When she returned Suzie was hanging up the phone. “I asked him to meet me at The Blue Clematis Cafe. He said yes.” Jenny looked alarmed. A customer came through the door and the two women pulled themselves together for what ended up being a busy afternoon.
At six pm Suzie walked up to the door at the Blue Clematis. She stopped and looked at her reflection in the glass, putting a smile on her face as she opened the door and entered. She looked around. Damien was not in the restaurant. Her heart crumpled a bit before she pulled herself together and requested a table for 2. The hostess took her to a table. As she was seated she asked for some water. Suzie looked around at the cafe, one of her favourite places and reflected on the last time she was there. She and Jenny had had lunch here. Where had she gone with Damien the last time they ate out? She wasn’t sure but it usually was not somewhere as nice as this.
The waitress returned with a pitcher of water. “Anything else?”
Suzie smiled. “In a little bit.” The waitress turned and went back to the bar.
Just then a movement caught her eye.
Jenny waved from a stool by the bar as the door opened. Jenny ducked her head behind a menu. Damien stepped inside looking uncomfortably around before walking over to the table and sitting down.
“Why’d you choose this place?” he inquired.
“It’s one of my favourite places to go out to eat.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“The name is important. “
“Really,” he growled, “I don’t like flowers.”
Suzie looked at him. “That’s too bad. Because Blue Clematis means trust, loyalty, courage, and faithfulness.”
“So.”
“During our times together I have trusted you, been loyal and faithful. You have not.” She stood up and adjusted her coat. “Now it is time to be courageous.” She quickly picked up the pitcher of water and dumped it over his head. She tossed the ring down and said. “We are over. Don’t call me,” as she walked off towards the door where Jenny joined her.
Damien struggled to get up. He immediately fell back to the floor as he slipped on an icecube.
Suzie linked arms with Jenny. When they reached outside they walked quickly away from the Cafe. Turning a corner Suzie said. “Friends forever.”
Jenny smiled. “Friends forever.”
Love it. I have a new found reverence for blue flowers. 💠💠
Thank heavens! Saved by hard reality from a true friend.