Chapter title is a line from the song "In A Crowd Of Thousands" from the Anastasia soundtrack. Taking song lyrics out of context is a fun way to find prompts! I like to find good lines and build something different out of them.
(side note: I've been listening to that on repeat for dayyys and it makes me Feel Emotions)

"They're right back here," Lucy called out as she jogged ahead. "I planted them a while ago in this empty spot. It's amazing how they took it over!"

"I'm coming." The Contessa stepped onto the grass, lifting the ends of her skirt so the morning dew wouldn't wet the fabric. She had allowed Lucy some time ago to start a little garden of her own and apparently the results were spectacular enough that she wanted to show them off. "What kind of flower did you say it was?"

Lucy was too far ahead to hear. She continued to yell back energetically about the new crop of flowers, how many there were, how fast they were growing, how beautiful they were. "Wait until you see them!"

Sighing at the lack of answer, the Contessa continued to trudge on. Truthfully, she would rather be in her office right now digging into a pile of paperwork and reports related to the budding scheme she had in mind, so she was hoping this little excursion wouldn't take too long. A quick glance and complement should be sufficient, then she could be on her way.

She looked up to see where Lucy had run off too and raised a hand over her eyes at the rising sun. the sunlight streamed directly onto her face, momentarily blinding her. Squinting, she could just make out Lucy's long black hair shining in the morning light as the young girl sped away from her. At that moment the Contessa felt the faint tug of a memory: the sense that she had been here before, and that something which hadn't seemed important in the past suddenly felt significant.

The little girl bounded down the path. Her short ebony hair flew behind her, curled ends bouncing with every step.

"Hurry, Mama, hurry!" her high voice rang out.

"I know, I'm here. Slow down."

Maria picked up the pace, trying to catch up before the girl tripped or ran out of sight. "Olivia, I told you to slow down! You're going to hurt yourself."

There was so much work to be done and yet here she was here in the park. But Olivia had begged, had clasped her hands together and gave her those puppy dog eyes, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. I never see you anymore, Mama, she had said. Can't you play with me today? At the park by the woods?

That was true, it had been a long while since they had spent more than a few minutes together due to her work. And so Maria acquiesced, on the terms that they would stay for only an hour and not a minute more. Olivia had squealed in joy and jumped up for a hug. Now, she veered abruptly off the path and scampered over to the edge of the forest.

"Where do you think you're going?" Maria followed, scrunching up her nose as she felt her heels sink into the grass. How unpleasant it was to run around out in the dirt when one could be indoors doing… well, anything else, just about. She was almost caught up at last when the child had crouched down to examine something. "What are you doing?"

Olivia spun around with a beaming smile. The sunlight lit up behind her like a halo. She thrust out her hands to reveal a bouquet of wildflowers. "Look, Mama! Pretty!"

Maria reached out, whether to take the flowers or pick up Olivia and carry her back to the path, she couldn't remember, when –

"Aren't they pretty?"

The Contessa blinked the sun out of her eyes again and her daughter's face disappeared from in front of her.

Almost.

A cloud moved in front of the sun and finally gave her a better look around. Lucy appeared before her now, bright blue eyes filled with delight, holding out a handful of tall purple flowers. Her hair was longer than Olivia's ever was, but the resemblance otherwise was powerful: her smile, her eyes, the shape of her nose. It struck the Contessa hard in this moment.

"Yes. Very lovely," she agreed, hearing how strained her voice sounded. She realized she had been holding her breath and inhaled deeply to settle herself.

Lucy noticed how unsteady her grandmother had become out of nowhere. "Are you okay?"

"Of course." The Contessa squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds, to clear away the bitter feeling of the past, then opened them with a shaky smile. "Let me see what you've done here. Tell me all about it. Go on, no hurry. We have all day, after all."

Another note: The flowers Lucy planted are called Veronicas or Speedwells.