Strawberry Milk

She was sitting on the steps of the empty school grounds looking for all the world as if there would never rise another sun. She sniffled and her shoulders heaved on a heavy sigh. For someone so young, it was upsetting that she would feel so low... at least that was what it felt like to him. She couldn't have been a day over sixteen, surely.

The gardening tools he'd been using all day were stacked and finished and now, he held a box of his favourite strawberry milk in hand, ready to indulge in the favourite treat of his childhood as a reward for another job well done. That was when he'd rounded the corner and seen her.

He looked down at the unopened box and then back at the girl. Life was hard. He of all people knew that, and he had a few battle scars to prove it. What had put that wounded look in her eyes? Perhaps some jerk had broken her heart. Or maybe she had received a bad score on a test. It wasn't any of his business to be sure.

"The world will solve its own problems. You can't play hero to the world." The words of an old girlfriend came back to haunt him and he heaved a heavy sigh of his own. She had been right but that didn't mean that he couldn't make this girl's day a little better.

So he walked over to her intending only to do his bit. He held the box of strawberry milk out to her. She looked down at it and then up at him, her brown eyes shimmering with tears.

"Here," he said, "you look like you need this more than I do."

She hesitated and then took the milk box from him.

"Thank you," she muttered. He nodded once, satisfied that he had done his bit and then walked off to put away his things. Maybe he could stop by the store on his way home. He had seen some clouds gathering in the distance. He hoped it wouldn't rain before he got home.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Graduation day was the most overwhelming day of her life. She had struggled all through university to keep her grades up so she could finish out on top. Her first goal had been met, she thought, as she clutched her Degree in hand. It had been a hard journey, but one that she probably wouldn't have made without a little push.

When she went out with her family that evening to celebrate, they passed by a shop with some hydrangea bulbs and tulips. She had wanted to add some to the garden at home. Perhaps she could stop by and get some. But now, thinking about her garden project and all the blooms she had helped to nurture and grow reminded her of that one evening...

"Come on!" Her sister wrapped an arm around her shoulders jostling her out of the memory, and they went over to the restaurant.

Gardening had started out as a vague interest. The young man she had met on the steps of her high school had turned out to be the gardener. He was working part-time on the school grounds to replace the previous gardener who had gone into retirement. When the next one had come, he had gone and she had never seen him again.

She had mused, for a while, over the act of planting representing new life, a concept she had clung to. Being a part of that process intrigued her. And then the idea stuck. She found herself examining the plant life around her. And then she got curious about the names of the trees and flowers. And then the vegetables on her plate - could she plant some outside to save a bit of money?

Her family's meals had benefitted from the fresh vegetables and she had even used some of them for her studies in seed science. When she took an interest in botany, her flowers supplied the local church and a few homes here and there.

Her talents didn't quite stretch into fruit, which was a shame. She always fancied - although she was sure this was just a result of the weird little crush she'd developed all that time ago - that success smelled like strawberries.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

His luck must have taken a turn somewhere...

His current position as a volunteer didn't exactly pay a lot although it was good honest work that he enjoyed doing. Working with the earth was what he'd been made to do. For a while, he'd wondered about taking that job at the High School again and often, he'd decided against it.

For one thing, it was further away than his current commute and given his financial position, was probably not a good idea. Sure, it paid more but only by a little and, as far as he knew, the kind older gentleman he'd taken over for was still working there. Perhaps they'd gotten someone better.

Besides, his whole life was here.

But that evening, he got home to find the place empty. The note on the counter explained it all and he sighed heavily. What was it his mother had always said? Something about healthy flowers needing sunshine and rain?

There was a problem with over-watering flowers though and at that moment, he felt pretty waterlogged.

He turned and walked back out of the apartment heading for a walk down the street. There was no point in following his previous partner wherever she had decided to go. He had known things weren't working out for a long time. It had only been a matter of time...

Still. Heartbreak sucked.

He walked down the street turning into the park and setting himself on the bench there watching the sun set over the city. He had moved here to make something of himself. He had wanted to put his knowledge to good use but short of heading back home and taking over his father's farm, he wasn't sure how he was going to proceed.

He loved the labour but that life probably wasn't for him. If worse came to worst though, it was a viable option.

He sighed again shutting his eyes for a brief moment against all the worries assailing him. When he opened them again, it was to meet with the sight of a box of strawberry milk.

He blinked and followed the arm up to a kind smiling face of a pretty young woman.

"You look like you need it more than me," she said.

All at once, the memory came to him - a crying girl, his strawberry milk, her big brown eyes. A smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"Hi," she said and sat beside him.

"Hi." He said back.

They sat together for a long time, something strange and simple developing between them. They weren't sure who began talking first but their discussion began and carried on, and fell off.

They were different people - had been from the gardener and the highschooler that had met all that time ago. But more than mere strangers who met by chance in the past, it felt like now they could possibly be friends.

Nothing would come of this meeting, he knew. His feelings were too raw and he was probably reeling from her show of kindness amidst all the problems he had faced. She waited until he had finished the milk before rising, saying her goodbyes.

"It was nice to see you again," she said with a bright smile he wouldn't soon forget. And then she was gone.

He glanced down at the empty box deep in thought. Then he smiled in amusement, and rose going in the opposite direction back to his apartment, convinced that he could, perhaps, work things out after all.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Another red rose sat on her table. She hadn't had much luck on the romance scene and she was not even feeling this attempt. Her mother had convinced her that maybe this speed dating thing would work out.

So she had put on her best dress, carried her invitation and upon arriving, had been handed a single red rose. Ironic, she thought, since that was the one colour of rose she tended to avoid. It wasn't really for any grand reason - except that her High School sweetheart had broken up with her with a bunch in his arms - which he had promptly handed over to some pretty girl in another class. It had been humiliating.

This couldn't possibly bode well. After going on her seventeenth date that month, she was considering a life of dedicated singlehood. Nobody ever died of lovelessness, did they?

The prospects here were rather low. Nobody really approached her afterwards either. Just as well. She could stop by the flower shops if they were still open to see if she could get some best grade manure. She was sure her plants would appreciate the pick-me-up.

On her way into the store, she ran right into a solid wall of flesh and, cursing her lack of balance with heels, was resigned to her fate of landing right on her bottom. She would just pick herself up with as much dignity as she could muster and carry on after apologising to the person she had literally run into.

Her trip to the ground was cut short though, by a strong grip and a pair of arms halting her fall. Then, a shower of petals rained down on them both as she met the amused gaze of her saviour.

"You," they said at the same time, recognition shining in both their gazes. He smiled as he helped right her and she looked around at the mess of petals apologising. He chuckled and pulled one out of her hair then looked around stating that all was well.

Then their eyes met. He grinned and she smiled back, a small flush staining her cheeks. He gestured to the doorway of the flower shop and then, as they walked in, went to the back of the counter.

"Are you...?"

"The shop owner, yes," he beamed. It had taken a lot of work but eventually, he had managed to save enough to buy the shop. Two more downpayments and he was free of debt. He had come a long way. And he noticed the look on her face - one he knew pretty well by now what with all the customers that came to the flower shop.

"Long day?" he asked, packing her order. She shrugged and smiled.

"I know just the thing for a long day," he said, the question clear. She didn't have to think too long about her answer.

"Lead the way," she said and after he'd closed up, they walked together to the nearby store to purchase two boxes of strawberry milk.