Aditi’s phone was ringing incessantly. It was her dad again. But she was in no mood to talk. Her parents were getting a divorce and she didn’t know what to do but to run away from home.
Drowning in despair, she wandered the streets. Her pallid face and watery eyes told a sorrowful tale. How could they do this? All these years of marriage. What about their love? A million questions ran through her mind but one thing was clear. There is no such thing as true love.
Aditi dropped a quick text to her mother and took a bus to her aunt Rashmi’s place. Rashmi was sitting quietly on the sofa, sipping tea when Aditi barged in. “How can they just split up like that? Didn’t they even think about me?” her eyes filled up with tears. “I wish I could answer that, dear. Sometimes in life things just don’t work out,” Rashmi said while hugging her. “Why don’t you stay over for a few days? You can also help me manage the flower shop.”
A perfect distraction! Aditi agreed instantly.
The transition, however, wasn’t easy for the 22-year-old. She was still distressed due to her parents’ separation. But as days went by, the flowers did their magic and brought back her smile.
She didn’t interact much with the customers except exchanging pleasantries. Her aunt had a few regular customers, like the businessman who would buy an expensive bouquet almost every day; the young woman who would buy a bunch of roses every other day; the housewife who would have lengthy discussions with her aunt about nurseries. Among them, there was one peculiarly dressed old man, who would buy only one white rose every morning.
One day, when Aditi was at the cash counter, the old man bought yet another white rose. As she was handing out the change, she asked him curiously, “Sir, if you don’t mind, can I ask you why do you buy a white rose every day? We have so many other beautiful flowers in our shop.”
The old man smiled, “Of course, they all are beautiful. But the white rose is my wife’s favourite. She used to grow them in our garden before she went into a coma due to an accident.”
He continued, “I had bought the same white rose on our first date. The thing is, the doctors are not very hopeful, but I have faith that she will wake up one day. And when she does, I want her to be surrounded by her beloved flowers.”
Aditi was left awestruck. True love is real, she thought as she gleefully gazed at the beautiful white rose in his hand.