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‘I’msaving up to get to uni,’ she had explained on their first meeting the previous month. ‘Mumcan’t afford to help andIreally want to doEnglishLitatExeter.Ididn’t bother much at school.Gotin with the wrong crowd.’Shescrewed up her face. ‘Learnedmy lesson though.SoI’mtaking myA-levels at evening classes.It’stough doing them this way butI’mdetermined to pass this time.I’llbe older than most undergrads but, hey,I’mfar more mature and ready for university now thanIwas at eighteen.’
Daisyhad choked on her coffee andMarionhad gloated – she’d popped in on her way to the spa for her weekly facial and, strangely enough, had arrived just in time forMia’sinterview.
‘Toldyou,’ she’d mouthed.
Daisyhad bobbed out her tongue atMarionand hiredMiaon the spot.Aftera short trial period, it was agreed, they didn’t know how they’d managed without her.
ThisSaturday, however, was unusually quiet.Janhad come in but wasn’t really needed.She’dmade herself useful by making endless, comforting mugs of tea, coffee and inMia’scase,VeryBerryCrushfruit tea.Aftera hotMay,Junehad blown in with unseasonable vigour and a sleety rain and it was affecting trade.Thephone had been busy andDaisyhad to go out later to deliver orders but shop trade had been non-existent.Touristsand locals alike were staying home.BayRadioplayed in the background, butTheDrifterswere singing to an audience of only three.
‘So, while it’s quiet and we’ve got time, let’s have a dekko at what this manHamiltonhas ordered for this month then.’Janpulled her cardigan firmly round her.
Mia, perched on the high stool, gripped her hands around her mug as if trying to extract its heat. ‘Ithink it’s so romantic.’
‘Ohno, not you as well,’ moanedDaisy.
‘Comeoff it,Daisy, it is a bit unusual, you have to agree.’Jantook the letter with its bundle of sealed envelopes and examined it. ‘Youneed to twang your romance muscle now and again.’
‘Thinkit’s withered away through lack of use,’Daisymuttered.
‘Whatwas the first order?ForMay?’Miatwisted a lock of blue hair around a finger. ‘I’massuming you’ve done that one already?’
‘Iwas nearly late forMay’sorder,’Daisyadmitted. ‘Hewanted lilac.’Sheshrugged. ‘It’snot somethingIget many requests for, to be honest.Ihad to ring round like crazy to get it filled in time.Hadto get in touch with aFrenchsupplier.That’sthe only placeIcould get it.Thecold weather this spring affected theUK’sstocks apparently.’
‘Lilac?’Miaasked sharply.
‘Yes, why?’
‘Youknow what it means, don’t you?’
‘Ithas a meaning?’Daisystared blankly.Shehadn’t a clue whatMiawas on about.
‘Love’sfirst emotions,’Miasaid dreamily.Shesighed. ‘That’sso lush.’
Janjoined her daughter in staring at the girl.
Miagazed back at them, misty-eyed. ‘That’swhat it means,’ she explained. ‘Love’sFirstEmotions.’
Daisyleaned against the shop counter. ‘You’regoing to have to expand on that statement.’
‘Inthe nineteenth century theVictoriansbelieved every flower symbolised something.Youknow, the language of flowers.LinguaFlora.It’swell cool.Lilacstood for first love.NoVictorianlady would receive just a bunch of flowers, she’d read into the messages symbolised by the flowers.Justas noVictorianguy would give any old bouquet, it would be made up to reflect what he wanted to put over.Itwas a way of making his true feelings known if he couldn’t get past the crusty old chaperone.Itwasn’t just for lovey-dovey romantic couples, either.Agirl could reject some hopeless bloke, or someone could say how disappointed she was in a friend.’Miawarmed to her theme. ‘Itwas literally a language.Evenhow the ribbon was tied was symbolic; to the left meant the message was about the sender, to the right it was about the person receiving it.Anupside-down stem meant the opposite of the bouquet’s message and if you left thorns on the roses it said there was everything to fear.Itwas all amazingly complicated and subtle.AsIsaid, pretty cool, eh?AndtheVictorianswould have known all the meanings, right down to the teeny, tiniest nuance.’Therewas a stunned silence.Shegazed at the two bemused faces staring at her. ‘What?Ohmy eggs,Daisy, didn’t you know flowers had meanings?’
Janwas first to recover and giggled. ‘Yes,Daisy,’ she said, enjoying her daughter’s discomfort. ‘Didn’tyou know about the language of flowers?’
Daisygave her mother a dirty look. ‘Don’tforgetI’ma scientist,Mum.Myknowledge of flowers is restricted to their life cycle.AndIreckonIprobably knew as much about this as you did until ten minutes ago.’Sheshifted uncomfortably against the edge of the counter asMiaremained silent and slightly reproachful. ‘Well, you know, been so busy setting up the business and everything.Besides,’ she added defensively, feeling put on the spot, ‘Idon’t think customers buy flowers on account of what they symbolise.’
‘Butyou can’t sell flowers without knowing what they mean!’Miawas horrified.
Janhid her chuckles in her mug of tea.
‘Doneall right so far,’Daisyreplied. ‘Mostof the businessmen who call in here on their way home just want a bunch of cheap, long-lasting carnations.’
Miahuffed. ‘Ihope they don’t buy one of the mixed bunches then.’Shewrinkled her nose, making her nose ring glint. ‘ThinkIremember this right, yellow’s contempt and the striped ones stand for a knockback!He’llgo home with his hopes high and won’t get lucky.’Shesniggered.
Janroared. ‘Oh,Mia, you’re a card.’Shecollected their empty cups and headed off to the kitchen, shaking her head as she went.
‘Wheredo you get all this information?’Daisyasked, fascinated.
‘Ohinternet, books, the usual places,’Miasaid airily. ‘Couldbe great marketing, you know.Ithink you’re missing a trick.’Pluckinga bunch of pink roses from its silver bucket, she held them to her as water dripped down her leather miniskirt.Shestruck a pose. ‘Takehome some of these this summer.Theyrepresent perfect happiness.’Shescrewed up her face. ‘Orthe sun shines out of your behind or something.’Puttingher head on one side, she added, ‘Orwas that daffodils?I’llhave to buff my memory.’
