A/N: Okay so I disregarded a traditional event timeline and made my own. We can chalk it up to artistic license, I guess. Also, I went to Austria this past summer and all I saw were fields and fields of sunflowers. So maybe it's not that different in Germany.
I hope you guys enjoy. Welchior ftw.
Melchior sighed and continued to gaze towards the clearing. His eyes darted to and fro, searching for his childhood friend. It was a busy day for everyone. She said the girls were doing another charity act when he talked to her at church on Sunday. Wendla had promised to meet him by his special spot in the wood, but now the sun was past its zenith and there was no sign of her.
He estimated that it was at least three in the afternoon and tried not to think about schoolwork. School was let out for the day and Herr Knochenbrunch assigned far more Latin than normal. Melchior returned his gaze to his lap and idly played with the petals. Wendla loved sunflowers ever since she was a girl, and this was the season for them to be in bloom.
Their sunny yellow color starkly contrasted the way everyone had been feeling since Mortiz had passed away. Melchior could hardly stand to think of his best friend without thinking of shame, confusion, and a profound sadness. He shook his head as if to clear it & looked up again.
Wendla's chocolate brown eyes met his. He managed to smile, his eyes brightening as he regarded his love. "What took you so long?" he inquired.
"Oh Melchi, I'm sorry" she responded in earnest. She looked so pale. "I came back from the charity act and Mama was concerned about my color. She made me take an afternoon rest, like when I was a child. I waited until she went to visit Frau Stiefel, and crept out of the house to meet you."
She sank down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt clammy under his shirt. He placed her hand in his and played with her fingers. He was fidgety today. Frau Bergmann was a formidable woman. Wendla's gaze went to the flower in his lap. He heard her gasp.
"Oh Melchior, is that for me? It's lovely!" she exclaimed. She took the flower from him and placed it in her lap. How she loved sunflowers. This brightened her spirits considerably. Wendla didn't even feel dizzy or sick to her stomach like she'd been feeling in the days since Moritz's funeral.
"Yes, I saw it and thought of you. Remember how we played pirates in the sunflower field when we were young?" Melchior had such fond memories of how he & Moritz would sneak up on the girls from behind the tall sunflower stalks. The girls would squeal and run. The boys would tackle them. Safe in the height of the field, their mamas wouldn't find them until late afternoon.
Wendla looked up at him and smiled sadly. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "Oh Melchi, don't you miss him? It's all I can think about. Why would he take his own life?" Remembering how they played as children made her sad but she could not stop thinking about him. Moritz was alive two weeks ago, and now he was gone.
Melchior pulled her into a hug. He had some ideas but couldn't let her know. He whispered in her ear, "I miss him so much. He was my best friend, but I still have you and Ilse comes to visit sometimes. It's okay, life goes on," he reassured her. Men had to be stoic about these things, after all. Wendla was so lovely. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Melchior was so grateful that Wendla was in his life. What would he ever do without her?
Suddenly Wendla felt dizzy again. She laid her head in his lap. "Melchi, I'm so sleepy. Today we took summer fruits to the day labor's houses. I felt so tired lugging fruit all day long." He stroked her hair. Wendla was not acting like herself. She usually had so much energy. "Can you rest for a few minutes? I'll wake you before the sun sets." Five was the magic hour she had to be home. He forgot about all the schoolwork he had to do. Melchior was a smart boy; he would finish it before supper. It would be soothing to sit with Wendla for awhile. They could deal with their grief together.
She was already fast asleep. He gazed into the clearing and thought. Before long, it was time for her to wake up. Melchior bent down to kiss her forehead. "Wendla, it is time to go. The sun is doing down," he declared and she roused. Wendla stood up and stretched for a moment. She reached for his hand and they started the walk home. She felt much better.
Before long they reached the bend in the road that would take them to their respective houses. They let go of each other's hands and said goodbye. Melchior didn't realize that this would be the very last time he would say goodbye to his love.