Annie's Mysterious Past

Meet Annie. If you're like me, you'll never forget her.

Contest Prompt

"{Post:"The Writer's Cramp" Begin AND End your story or poem with this line - it must be bolded. She was always mysterious about her past..''

She was always mysterious about her past. “The future is yet to happen. The past can’t be changed. Live in the moment.” Annie said that like a mantra. It covered all possibilities in one swoop.

The crazy thing is, Annie didn’t live by her own words. She always had one step in other people's futures, the other in their past. “Sorry I’m late,” She’d say to every appointment. “I met someone interesting.”

Annie liked helping people and it helped keeping herself to herself.. I came to know that was how she missed having to offer any details about her life.

I met Annie when she came into my flower shop. She didn’t come in to buy. “I just want to smell the flowers,” she said. “Once cut, they have not much longer to live. While they do, they are perfection itself. Beautiful. Their scent fills the air with lost promise.”

I asked her what that meant. Instead of telling me, Annie turned to the sound of the bell ringing front door.

“I need something special for my wife. I forgot it’s our first anniversary,” The harried young man said, looking to Annie for help.

“Is her complexion light or dark?”

The husband looked confused. Annie patted his arm, “Never mind. A rose corsage. It’s small, intimate, easy for you to carry and surprise her with. She’ll love you for it.”

I had to chuckle. Had she seen the help wanted sign? I didn’t know if she’d really come in to smell the roses. Filling out an application would mean revealing her past.

“Hey, Bill. I guess you heard about the increase in robberies in the area?” Officer Watkins asked. He likes to come in for my day old flowers I would otherwise have to throw out. “Who’s this?”

“Annie,” I said, fumbling at not knowing her last name. “New employee.” She’d made that much of an impression on me. We’d connected instantly, like old friends.

“How do, miss?”

“Yes, I’m single but not looking.” Annie had read Watkin’s look correctly. It made me realize I was already feeling overly protective.

“She’s got the room upstairs until she finds a place,” I nodded at Annie’s smile. She’d come in with a backpack, the kind used for impromptu living arrangements. I think she liked the way I’d read her without having to ask questions.

“Yes. It was very kind of Bill.” While I usually offer the old flowers hand to hand, Annie wrapped them up with a ribbon bow tied around them.

Watkins looked embarrassed. "You new in the neighborhood?"

Annie smiled and winked. She was always mysterious about her past. "Just because I’m a cop, doesn’t mean you should glad hand me the goods, Bill.” He fished in his wallet and handed a few bills to Annie, not me.

“Thanks for giving the flowers another life.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Another blush. I think Watkins was taken by Annie as fast as I was.

The days stretched into the wet weeks of Autumn, turning the tree leaves into their most brilliant display. I went walking with Annie because I had to. She wouldn’t allow me to do otherwise.

“You work too hard, Bill. You need some color in your cheeks. I never see you outside of the shop.”

Yes, it shocked me how many people greeted Annie by name. They were complete strangers to me, and I’d lived here for years. “Potential customers,” Annie whispered, squeezing my arm as she nestled against the fall chill.

I know you can tell how my fondness for that girl was turning into love. I had hope. Annie was a heart stopper. I would have had a lot of competition. She had a way of looking at men that stopped any chance of advancement. They’d stand there for a moment, looking a bit wistful, then turn around towards the rest of their life.

When Annie saw the words of love trembling on my lips, she’d smile and say, “I know Bill. You want more. Stay in the moment. It’s perfect. We’ll enjoy it together.” And I’d settle for that because it was more than I’d ever had before.

I’m telling you all this because you’re the new hire replacing Annie. If I act a little weird or sad I want you to know why. I learned Annie had stage four cancer and only a fraction of time left to live, from Doctor Taylor, who came in to ask about Annie shortly before she died.

He said she’d told him I was taking care of her and would handle things when she passed away. I didn’t confront her. I just did the best I could to make her happy with what time we had.

Now I know why she lived so much in other people’s lives. Annie wanted them to stop and smell the roses. She preferred teaching them how to do it.

She taught me how to love unconditionally. Sorry. I need to blow my nose and wipe my eyes. She was always mysterious about her past.

Wc 830