It can't be true… it can't be. I'm dreaming this. That's right. All of this is a very bad dream. That's it; nothing more. It's not possible. It's not. What would I tell Mr. Mushnik? What would Seymour think? No, no, no, it can't be real. Wake up! Please! Wake up!

But it was all real. Audrey couldn't deny it. She had all the evidence she needed. But God, was it a lot to process! Audrey never thought this would ever happen.

How did I let this happen?

Audrey could barely muster the energy to walk across the street to work. She had so many concerns, so many worries, so much stress that she considered taking the day off.

No, she told herself. I can handle this. I need to work, now more than ever. It's a good distraction. I can focus on work, at least for today, before I sort everything out. I'll be fine.

But Audrey was not fine. No matter how hard she tried, there was no way to distract herself. She tried everything. She helped Seymour water and prune the plants, she tidied up the back room, she recited the steps the had to take to create every arrangement she was taught to make. But she couldn't keep her mind off of her dilemma.

Today, the shop had a customer. A man came into the shop looking for a birthday bouquet for his girlfriend. This was a simple task. Audrey put herself to work in the back room.

But her mind was still rushing like a river. Questions echoed as she tried to find the right flowers, most of them beginning with "why". Why did I let this happen? Why didn't I consider the consequences? Why did I submit? Why am I so afraid? Why, why, why did I let this happen?

"AUDREY!" boomed Mushnik's voice as he stormed inside, Seymour just behind him.

"What the hell is taking so long?" he demanded. "It isn't hard, you know! Do your job!" Audrey couldn't help but notice Seymour's indignant expression, almost as if he was mildly upset that his boss was scolding Audrey.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mushnik," Audrey whispered, tensing a little bit.

"What's got you so distracted, anyways?" Mushnik wanted to know. "You're acting like you ain't even here! Your mind is so caught up in whatever it is you're thinking about that you're forgetting to actually work."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mushnik," Audrey repeated. He rolled his eyes.

"Sure y'are. Just finish the damn arrangement, Audrey. It's not every day we get a customer here. He turned away and ambled back into the main part of the shop, mumbling something along the lines of, "Sometimes, she's as bad as he is."

"I'm sorry Mr. Mushnik got angry with you," Seymour apologized once the old man had gone.

"You don't need to be sorry, Seymour," Audrey replied softly. "Thank you for your support, though."

Seymour's dazzling blue eyes met hers. "Audrey, is everything alright? You seem a bit… off today."

Audrey didn't know how to respond. All at once, the weight of her problems broke through. Tears began streaming down her face and she began to sob.

Seymour looked both shocked and concerned. "Audrey, what's wrong?"

Audrey wiped her eyes with her hand and peered into Seymour's worried gaze.

"Oh Seymour… I'm pregnant."