"What good is the warmth of Summer, without the cold of Winter to give it sweetness?"
-John Steinbeck
The Winter was kind to Regina Mills. The profession of being a florist seemed to be a year-round blessing. In the warmer months, of course, the joyous mood of Storybrooke, brought about by copious amounts of sunshine, inspired the spirit of giving among the residents. The Winter, though, gave the desire to bring back that ambiance, and thus, during the coldest of months, Regina found herself quite busy and not lacking work.
Emma Swan, however, found that the Winter months were not quite as kind to her. Her profession, in contrast to that of Miss Mills, favored the warmer months, for it was during the Spring and Summer when most individuals became inspired to turn their bodies into canvases of art. The young Miss Swan was Storybrooke's only tattoo artist, and she found that people were more frequently inspired to paint their bodies when it was warm enough to display her hard work.
It was on one such Winter day that Emma, to her own surprise, found herself quite challenged by a current project, and it was this that led her to the business place of Miss Mills.
Even in a time when Storybrooke's streets seemed empty and gray, the flower shop was bright and full of life. The owner's clothing, however, was subdued and rather seemed to suit the weather. Though Emma found this juxtaposition of color curious, she remained focused on the task at hand. At least, until the woman turned around to face her. The eyes that met her own were just as dark as the clothing the florist was wearing.
At first, the two stared at each other, each taking in the other's quiet beauty, until the shop's owner finally spoke.
"Can I help you ?"
"Oh. I... Um... Yes. Actually, I was just looking for... I mean... I'm not sure if... Well, to be quite honest, I'm not really sure what I'm looking for."
The older woman paused to set an elegant vase full of white roses down beside the register and slowly approached the blonde, eyes flashing with curiosity.
"Well... I assume you're here to buy flowers. I suppose you could tell me a bit about the person you're shopping for, if you're comfortable doing so. That might help me make a professional recommendation."
Emma raised an eyebrow as she grappled for the words.
"I, uh... You see, they're... I'm supposed to... It's silly really. I'm a tattoo artist. I work a few blocks down from here. I have a client who wants a piece with flowers, but she doesn't know what kind, and she didn't want to shop for herself, and I need a frame of reference, and I'm not really sure what I'm doing, because I haven't really... I've never really... I mean... I don't... I don't buy flowers."
Regina, too, raised an eyebrow in return and even managed a small smile.
"I see," she told the artist. "And you're hoping that I can shed some light on the situation."
"Honestly, I just came to look, but if you had some insight, I would really... It would... Uh... I mean... It would be greatly appreciated."
"Are you always this articulate?"
Instantly, a blush rose to the blonde's pale cheeks as she failed to reply.
"It's alright," Regina assured her. "Pretty much all men show up like this anyway. It's just that women usually know exactly what they're looking for. But it's okay. I'm sure we'll find you something that your client will like. Let's just browse around to get some ideas, okay?"
"Sure. That sounds great," Emma answered with a smile, glancing around the vibrant shop.
"Alright. Let's start with the basics, shall we?" the florist offered, gesturing to the corner of the shop with the largest amount of flowers, which were all different color roses. "What about roses? Those are both classy and classic. We even have some more diverse ones of relatively rare colors."
"Hmm," Emma muttered, pondering the colors and shapes of the flowers before her. "I'm not sure. This girl is pretty... unique. I'm not sure she's looking for 'classic.'"
"Alright. How about something a little more elegant, perhaps? Also pretty popular, but a little more unique than roses. Lilies are a great choice."
Regina pointed out a small selection in another corner and watched her customer's face for a reaction.
"Perhaps not," Regina offered. "Can you tell me a little more about this woman?"
"Well, she's a little... exotic. Feisty. She's got spunk. Beautiful-"
"Oh. Um-" Regina sputtered, not quite sure what to say to that. When she recovered, she managed, "I think I have an idea. Let me show you something in the back."
With that, the brunette led her client into a small back room, also filled with flowers, but these were far more spectacular, some of them even strange.
"These," the florist started, "are purple Singapore orchids."
"Oh, wow!" Emma gasped. "Those are perfect! Those are exactly it!"
"Really?" Regina said with a smile. "That's great!"
"Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much! You are absolutely wonderful."
"Oh, it's nothing, really. I-"
"No, seriously! I never would have been able to come up with this on my own. I really appreciate it. Do you think you have anything that would accent that well? Maybe something to couple it with?"
"Well, in my opinion, some white carnations would probably go well with them, but I'm not-"
"That's brilliant! BRILLIANT. You have got to be the best florist in the world!"
"Goodness gracious! You flatter me, ma'am, but I'm just doing my job."
"Well you're damn good at it, if I do say so myself. And please don't call me ma'am. I'm not a granny yet."
With a playful wink, Emma turned and left the room, shortly followed by the florist, who had collected the flowers they'd discussed and was arranging them.
When she was done, she placed the vase on the counter next to the register and asked, "So, what do you think?"
"They're wonderful. Almost as beautiful as... Uh... Nevermind."
"Sorry?"
"N-Nothing. I just..." Emma stammered. "Sorry. Anyway, thank you so much. I really appreciate all your help."
After raising a suspicious eyebrow at the young woman across the counter from her, Regina rang the woman up and collected payment for the goods, then held the vase out to her client. Emma reached for it carefully, fingers brushing the florist's lightly as she collected what she had purchased.
"T-Thanks again," the blonde muttered, blushing and turning to leave.
"Wait!" the woman called after her.
When Emma turned to face her, she saw that she was blushing as well.
"Yes?"
"I didn't catch your name."
"It's... It's Emma."
"I'm Regina, and it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope I'll see you again in the future."
"Oh, don't worry. You're the only florist I'll ever trust from here on out."
Emma left the shop, leaving them each wearing a smile.
