The One Thing About Sisters

Posted on Mon 17th Oct, 2022 @ 9:22pm by

697 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: The Hunted
Location: Promenade, Scent of Home
Timeline: MD 10, 1515

As Ischemia wandered through the Promenade, feeling slightly at loose ends, she thought about the recent goodbye to Chlamydia and Experiment Number Six. Since she'd come to 109, not even intending to stay longer than a few months, she'd grown closer to both her sisters. Purulence would marry soon, and now Chlamydia was gone. Where did that leave her?

Stopping in front of her favorite florist shop, Scent of Home, she gazed pensively at the bouquets displayed in the front showcase. Only part of her attention was on the flowers, while the rest considered Six. She was going to miss that little imp, and her sidekick, Thing, as well. Six had a unique way of dealing with the universe. After a moment, she entered the store, determined to cheer herself with flowers. Afterall, if she couldn't buy herself flowers, who would?

Flavia looked up from inserting a bow pick into the side of some creamy peach roses, and smiled as she saw her visitor was one of the Addamses. A unique family, but all personable in their own ways. "Hello! It's good to see you again. It's been a while. Are you looking for something special today?"

Ischemia shook her head, "Not really. Something cheery. You've probably heard that my sister has left the base."

"I did hear that, and it surprised me. I thought she was quite a fixture in our medical staff," Flavia answered.

"I did, too," Ischemia laughed. "However, you can never tell what an Addams is going to decide to do. An opportunity came along that she couldn't refuse, and off she went with Experiment Number Six."

"I always thought that was such an unusual name," the florist said, leaning on her elbows on the counter.

"Ummm," Ischemia said, noncommittally. She couldn't exactly say that the child was the sixth in a line of experiments, not to someone who didn't hold the attitudes of an Addams. "We're an unusual family, you've no doubt gathered. So what would you say speaks cheer and comfort today?"

"Let me think ... what about some camellias? I have some gorgeous pink ones, that mean longing for, and surely you miss family, but if we combine it with apple blossoms for better things to come and good fortune, and maybe ...," she looked at the refrigerator for greenery. "Maybe some honeysuckle for color and the bond of love and some fern and marigold for comfort? A rather pink and yellow and green combination that might be soothing?"

The lawyer tilted her head as she thought of that combination of meanings and the yellow and pink colors. "Yes, I think that would do nicely. Perhaps a couple of darker pink roses just because?"

"Oh, good choice! Pink roses are admiration and perfect happiness, just right with the other flowers," Flavia agreed. She began to pull blossoms together in a lovely cream colored vase.

"You've made quite a study of flowers. I think your daughter - Herodia, is it?" At Flavia's nod, Ischemia continued, "Yes, I think she told me a little about the language of flowers once. It seems like something so ancient, and yet timeless. What ever got you interested?"

"It was a way to help me put together flowers, at first. You know, things that would look nice together. When the meanings are in tune, the bouquets always look beautiful for some reason." She poked some stems of baby's breath in among the larger flowers. "As time went on, I simply enjoyed finding more meanings. Here's the kind of strange thing I found. Hardly anyone outside of Earth ever ascribed meaning to flowers! That bears some thinking. Klingons don't, Vulcans don't, almost no one else does. Another uniquely Terran thing, I suppose. I've found perhaps half a dozen meanings for other plants, mostly on Bajor."

"Hmm, that is interesting. We still manage to maintain our uniqueness in a universe filled with diversity. That's something to think on when I'm missing my sister ... or sisters, soon, I suppose, as Purulence is set to marry before long. That's the one thing about sisters. They can be counted on to surprise you and dismay you and also comfort you and make you happy."

 

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