When Cordelia started to get ready for work the next morning, Lily was already up and gone, as she was every morning she went to work at the shop. Cordelia had to admire the girls work ethic, she was able to pick her own hours and she still was out the door by 6am, most teenagers would have started at noon, but not Lily. In the six days Cordelia had known the girl, she hadn't heard her complain once, about anything, not even her early mornings and long hours at the greenhouse, which was a huge contrast to her moody teenage persona, although Cordelia was beginning to learn it was just that, a persona.
When she wandered down to the dark kitchen to grab her already made lunch, she noticed nothing was out of place in the fridge, which meant Lily probably didn't take a lunch, not that the woman was particularly surprised. Still, she let out a frustrated sigh, mentally punching every single person who had made the girl feel like she couldn't eat, like it wasn't a vital thing that kept you alive. Cordelia had been managing it, at least to the degree she could, she wasn't around all the time to prompt the girl to have a proper meal, but she did try when she was home, even going as far as to make food for herself and Lily when she usually would just grab something out of the fridge. She had asked Lily to write down what kind of foods she wanted from the grocery, for when the housekeeper went, but when she had checked the list the next morning it was the exact same, like the girl felt like she was asking for too much if she wrote down a single thing.
Cordelia had tried to focus on work once she arrived at the office, but she couldn't keep her mind on task. She half listened through meetings and conference calls, typed up half-assed notes, but all she could think about was Lily, and how she hadn't taken a lunch. So when Marie had mentioned how drab the office was looking, Cordelia didn't even hesitate to offer her services, and on her lunch she drove across town to pick up some flowers, although she knew she wasn't really going for the flowers.
Maybe it was pure curiosity, wanting to meet the people Lily seemed to be so fond of, the ones that actually knew her, all of her, not just parts like Cordelia did. I mean, she was her daughter, Cordelia should know who she was spending her time with, or at least be somewhat familiar with them. No, she wasn't her daughter, Cordelia couldn't think like that. She was someone else's daughter. Cordelia was just a placeholder, someone who would hold onto Lily for safekeeping. She couldn't think of Lily as hers, she couldn't afford to get attached, not in that way. The problem was she had already become attached, deeply so, and that scared her, because she didn't even really know the girl yet. If this was Cordelia's baseline, then she was truly screwed, destined for heartbreak the day Lily's mom actually managed to get it together, and the issue was Cordelia didn't seem to mind it, not one bit.
As she parked her car she wondered if this was too much, too fast. She felt like she had just started to make some progress with the girl, and she really didn't want to jeopardize it by showing up uninvited. She quickly pushed the thought from her mind, this was good. She was just going to get flowers, and she knew the girl was knowledgeable about that sort of thing, nothing more. Except it was more, way more. It was Cordelia attempting to connect with the girl, a silent offering of her affection, and if it was rejected, the woman would be crushed. Oh god, what if she tells me to leave? Well it certainly wouldn't be the proper way to conduct business, that's for sure. It's just flowers. You are just getting flowers.
When Cordelia stepped inside the tiny shop, she spotted a wild haired blonde leaning on the counter, who immediately gave the lawyer the warmest smile Cordelia thought she had ever seen. "Hiya! How can I help ya?" was practically sung with a thick accent, which Cordelia found to instantly put her at ease. Cordelia moved to respond, but she was quickly cut off as loud giggles emerged from the back room, "Sorry, they're a bit wild back there. Can't keep 'em from gigglin' for nothin'."
"It's alright." Cordelia said politely, "I just came to get some flowers for my office." Misty looked at her and nodded, "Would Lillian happen to be here by any chance?"
Misty met Cordelia's gaze and nodded excitedly, "Lily!"
"What?" Lily laughed from the back room, and Cordelia noticed just how different the girl's voice sounded, much more animated and alive than the neutral tone the girl used with her.
"Come're!" Misty yelled, shaking her head as she laughed.
"You literally just told me to sit down. Insisted, actually." Lily yelled back.
"I did not insist, Lil." Misty argued as the girls in the back laughed.
"You physically forced me into a chair and told me not to get up for the next hour." Lily argued back, although Cordelia could hear the playfulness in the girl's tone.
"That's because ya won't take a damn break!" Misty yelled, "Now get up here, someone's asking for ya."
"Alright, I'm coming!" Lily yelled sarcastically before Cordelia could hear a murmuring and another round of giggles, the door swinging open to reveal a smiling Lily and another girl who was a little bit older. As Lily spotted Cordelia her expression shifted, surprise and a little confusion overtaking her features as she cocked her head to the side. "Oh, hi." She said, stopping in her tracks, "What are you doing here?"
Cordelia's heart dropped to her stomach as she cleared her throat awkwardly, "I came to get flowers, for the office."
Lily nodded and looked dazed for a moment before seemingly snapping out of it, "Oh, Misty, this is Cordelia. Cordelia, Misty."
Misty glanced at Cordelia, knowing without a doubt who she was. She smiled that same warm smile that made Cordelia almost melt. "It's nice ta meet ya."
"And this is Mallory." Lily said, gesturing to the girl beside her.
"So, flowers for an office, huh? Well I can help with that." Misty said, moving towards the containers of flowers along the opposite wall.
"No, I got it." Lily said quickly before turning to Cordelia, "Wait here, I'll be right back."
As Mallory and Lily disappeared into the back, Misty turned to Cordelia, "It's probably better that she does it. Lily has the magic touch, knows all the flowers and their meanings."
"Yea, she started to teach me a bit about that." Cordelia said with a chuckle, "I'm totally lost when it comes to flowers."
"Well I can teach ya." Misty said, a bit too enthusiastically. She couldn't help it, Cordelia was the prettiest woman Misty thought she had ever seen, and she had to physically stop herself from staring at the woman as she glanced over the flowers. "Ask me about any of 'em, I know 'em all." She said, glancing away and trying to make the blush dissipate from her cheeks.
Cordelia nodded as her gaze shifted over the many flowers, trying desperately to recall the ones Lily had mentioned a couple nights prior. She silently cursed herself for not writing them down, that was until she landed on a flower whose name looked familiar, Queen Anne's Lace. "What about this one?" Cordelia asked, throwing the other blonde a smile.
Misty walked over so she was standing next to the woman, eyeing the flowers. "Sanctuary." She said simply, Cordelia nodding slightly, just taking it in.
"And this?" She asked, pointing to Iris's.
"Those ones have a few different meanings. Faith, hope, wisdom, courage…. They're placed on women's graves ta help guide them ta the afterlife." Misty said, "Basically, they're for guidance to bigger and better things."
"And these?" Cordelia said, pointing to the bucket of Protea.
"Transformation." Misty said, catching onto the specific questions, "She told ya her flowers, didn't she?" Cordelia met the woman's gaze, blushing slightly as she nodded. "And I'm assumin' based on ya questions that she wouldn't tell ya what they meant?" Cordelia gave another nod. "Well I'll save ya the trouble." Misty said with a chuckle, "Hydrangeas represent gratefulness for bein' understood. Sorry she put ya through all that, she's a stubborn one."
"And I'm assuming you know her very well." Cordelia joked, Misty nodding.
"I do. Don't let her scare ya. She acts all tough but she's really just a big softy. Last week a baby squirrel fell out of the tree and broke its hind legs, and she started sobbin' on the ground like a big ol' baby until I called a wildlife vet." Misty said, glancing back at the still closed door, "She's a tough nut ta crack, but it's worth it."
Cordelia glanced at the taller woman and smiled softly, "Yea, I got the feeling."
The two continued to converse a bit about flowers, mostly to buy time, until Cordelia had an idea. "Hey," She began, turning to the florist, "What are your plans for tonight?" Misty looked like a deer in headlights, so Cordelia continued, "I'm having a few friends over for drinks tonight, I figured you and Mallory might like to come."
Misty looked apprehensive, "Well, we were supposed ta hang out with our other friend Maddie tonight…"
"Bring her, the more the merrier." Cordelia said, watching the hesitation not lift from the other woman's face, "If you want to, that is."
"No, uh, I want ta. It's just that Maddie doesn't play too well with others." Misty admitted, Cordelia grinning back at her.
"Neither do my friends, bring her. I'm sure Lillian would appreciate having people there she's comfortable with." Cordelia said, smiling as Misty nodded, "Here, put your number in my phone so I can text you the address." Misty did, and Cordelia immediately sent her a heart emoji, "So that you know it's me."
The two made their way back to the counter as Misty slid behind it. "She'll be out in a minute. She's a perfectionist about these sorta things." Misty snickered, "Ya know, you're the first foster parent of Lily's that I ever met. Probably a good thing, actually, now that I think about it. Woulda beat their asses."
Cordelia let out a little laugh, "Should I be concerned?"
Misty gave her a smirk, "Nah, the only thing she's had ta complain about is the uniform, so I would say ya are doin' somethin' right, at least in my book."
Cordelia felt herself relax at the woman's kind words, or rather, the lack of Lily's unkind words. Cordelia was glad she came to the shop, as much as her head worried it would be too much, it gave her a sense of clarity about the whole thing, a sign she was on the right path.
A few moments later, Lily wandered out of the back, a bouquet of flowers in hand. She timidly approached the women, putting the flowers in a vase and presenting them to Cordelia like a kindergartener showing their parents an illegible drawing. Cordelia beamed, inspecting the flowers carefully. The bouquet was beautiful, stunning really, but Cordelia knew it was more than just looks, each flower meant something that was specifically tailored for the space. "Wow Lil, ya really outdid ya self." Misty said, glancing over each of the flowers, "I never woulda thought ta put Alstroemeria in there."
"What does it mean?" Cordelia asked, looking at Lily.
"Fortune, devotion, and friendship." Lily said, blushing at the praise.
"It's beautiful." Cordelia said earnestly, Lily offering a small smile and a thank you before returning to her work.
"Alright, that'll be $5." Misty said, not even bothering to ring the woman up as Cordelia reached for her credit card. The lawyer snapped her gaze up at the severely discounted price, shaking her head and moving to argue, "This is my shop and you're takin' care of my favorite helper. Don't tell Mallory I said that." Cordelia let out a chuckle, but continued to throw the taller woman a look, "Don't fight me on this, ok?" Cordelia nodded, then offered a thank you and a see you later as she left the shop, heading back to work and actually managing to be productive through the rest of her day.
Back at the shop, Misty had wandered back into the greenhouse and was giving Lily a knowing smirk. "What?" Lily asked, stopping in her tracks and giving the woman an unimpressed stare.
"Nothin'. She seems nice." Misty said, Lily breaking her stare as she fiddled with the plants around her.
"She does." She said flatly, Misty throwing her a look.
"Lily…" Misty chided, Lily whipping around to face her.
"Don't Lily me." The girl said forcefully.
"Would it kill ya ta have a little faith?" Misty argued.
"Yes." Lily stated, shooting the florist a look.
"Lil, she came here ta see ya. She's tryin'." Misty responded, trying to get through to the girl.
"I'm not saying she isn't." Lily said, "Can we just drop this?"
"Nah, we can't. This could be good for ya if ya let it." Misty said.
Lily let out a strangled laugh, "God I wish I had your optimism."
"Well ya could if ya would stop bein' so damn stubborn." Misty huffed, "This could really work out for ya."
"It won't." Lily shot back.
"Ya don't know that." Misty argued.
"Yes, I do. My mom just got out of jail. She's trying to get us back. I'll be there for a year at most. It's just not worth it." Lily spat.
"Ya mom got out?" Misty asked, Lily nodding back at her, "Why didn't ya say anythin'?"
"I've been trying not to think about it if I can help it." Lily said, shooting Misty a sarcastic smile, "It's fine, just same old same old."
"Do ya think she's gonna be able ta keep ya this time?" Misty asked, Lily letting out a snide laugh.
"Ha, no. She's going to do what she always does, get herself stable just long enough to get us back, then fall apart two weeks later once she realizes parenting is hard and she doesn't want to do it anymore." Lily bit, "Then the cycle continues."
"But if ya do good here they might send ya back ta her." Misty said, trying to find a positive in the situation.
"Doubt it." Lily said, glancing over at Misty and seeing the weird look on her face, "Please tell me you don't have a crush on her."
"I don't." Misty lied, knowing Lily could see right through it.
"Oh my god." Lily sighed, "Do you ever fall for someone who isn't straight?"
Misty let out an exasperated sigh. She knew Lily was partially right, the florist seemed to have a knack for falling for women who either weren't sure of their sexuality or those who happened to be completely straight, usually getting her heart broken in the process. "Ya don't know that she's straight."
"I mean you can ask her ex-husband." Lily shot back, "Who's a psycho, might I add."
"That doesn't mean she's straight." Misty argued.
"Misty, she's the epitome of a repressed, working housewife. At most she's bi-curious, and you don't want to be the person she tests that out on." Lily fired back.
"So you don't like her?" Mallory cut in, Lily shrugging.
"She's fine I guess. We're just two very different types of people." Lily responded before turning back to Misty, "If you want to go after her then fine, it doesn't really make much of a difference to me. I just don't want to see you get hurt again."
"Well I guess we'll find out tonight." Misty said with a shrug.
"Why would you find out tonight?" Lily asked, confused.
"Oh, she invited us over for drinks with her friends. Said it would make ya feel better if ya had someone there ya knew." Misty said nonchalantly.
"Weren't you supposed to hang out with Madison tonight?" Lily questioned.
"Yea, she's comin' with us." Misty said with a smirk.
"Oh fuck no." Lily practically screamed, "No fucking way."
"Why? Ya love Maddie." Misty teased.
"You know I do, but Jesus fucking Christ I'm not trying to get kicked out before I've even been there a week!" Lily argued.
"So ya do wanna stay." Misty teased, Lily rolling her eyes.
"Well it sort of beats everywhere else I've been, so yea." Lily said sarcastically, "Cordelia will not be able to handle Maddie. I can barely even handle Maddie."
"Who knows, maybe she has a wild side." Mallory said with a shrug, "Madison is an acquired taste, but you get used to her after a while."
"It's been three years and I'm still not used to Madison." Lily said.
"Well let's hope Cordelia and her friends adjust faster than ya, cause it's happenin'." Misty said with a smile.